Showing 9 results

Trinity College Cambridge [on headed notepaper for Clare College, with Clare crossed through]:- Thanks his mother for her letter. 'Old Vanity' [A. G. Watson, of Harrow] is here, staying at the lodge [the Master's Lodge at Trinity]; Robert saw him briefly, and he 'seemed very happy'. Charlie met him at dinner, but Robert dined with the Lytteltons [Kathleen and Arthur?], sitting next to Miss Gladstone and 'the Newnhamite who is expected to have done best in the classical tripos [Florence Stawell?]', which finished yesterday. They 'all hope that O'Rorke has got through', but are not sure.

Charlie 'seems very well indeed, but has not been doing much work'. They went for an 'expedition in canoes up the Cam yesterday', bathed, and 'had tea at a village'. Hears Bowen is 'cutting out all the Waterloo part from G[eorgie]'s poem'. Hopes that his parents are well. Supposes the [general] election will definitely be in July. He and his friends have 'settled to go to the Lakes, and not to Scotland'; there will be four or five of them.

King's Coll. Camb. - Should like to visit at Whitsun if he is back; expects he is going to Greece. Has finished 'my version or our joint version of [M]elian's book ["Goethe and Faust: an interpretation"]; thinks of the 'gulf' between the young and himself. Has not read House but wants to. Hopes Clifford [Allen?] will be able to keep out of politics a little, but the crisis looks dangerous. Expects the miners will turn down the report of the [Samuel] commission.

I Tatti, Settignano, Florence. - [Luchaire's?] letter has been forwarded to him; he feels honoured to be asked about the problem of translation. Will reply now, but may give a more detailed answer on his return to England when he can 'consult friends and books'. Does not think the standard of translation in England is high at present; it is usually underpaid, and often taken on by 'unscholarly writers, who do not even write their own language well. Approves of C. K. Scott-Moncrieff's work. Does not know Russian, so cannot comment on the accuracy of Mrs [Constance] Garnett's translations, but they read well; [J.D.] Duff's translations of Aksakof seem first rate; some translations of Lyeskof [?] and other Russians are in 'bad slipshod English' and should be redone. Is told the standard of German translations of Russian is better than that of the English. Praises the translations of Gide by Mrs Strachey [Lady Jane Strachey?] and her daughter [Dorothy Bussy], and especially that of Jules Romain's "Le Mort de Quelqu'un" by Desmond MacCarthy and Sydney Waterlow. Doubts there are many good translations of contemporary French literature, as generally people who wish to read it can do so in French. Knows that a good translation of Valéry's dialogues, by 'Mrs Strachey' [actually by Dorothy Bussy?] and Mr [William] Stewart cannot find a publisher. Almost always finds translations of modern poetry 'unsatisfactory': there is not even a really good English translation of [Goethe's] "Faust", though he admires Stawell and Dickinson's book on the poem. Thinks it is probably not 'worthwhile trying to translate modern French and Italian poetry' except for private satisfaction; has never seen a translation of Russian poetry which gives him an idea of the original. Unfinished sentence in praise of Tagore's prose translations of his own poems.

Thanks George for the book ["The Bride of Dionysus"], which she has read avidly and thinks the best thing his brother has done; a few of the poems at the end also 'got home to' her,; thought the translation from Alcman 'exquisite' though is not sure about the "Attis" [a translation of Catullus 63] and Lucretius'. Intended to get the book herself, as the Ariadne story reminds her of Mr [Henry Graham] Dakyns, who liked it; quotes in Greek 'Earth's child am I, and starry heaven's' [a line associated with the Orphic tradition' which he also loved, and can 'almost hear' him reading George's brothers 're-creation.' It was an excellent thought to send it to her.

Annotation by G.M.T. above the date saying that he gave Melian Stawell Bob's book, and this is her comment.

Enquiry of how to dispose of a manuscript of F. Melian Stawell's translation of Goethe's Faust: 66 Cossack Road, Bekhampstead

Condolences on the death of Alexandrina Jessie Mayor: Arundel Gardens

Encloses manuscript of F. Melian Stawell's translation of Goethe's Faust: 66 Cossack Road, Berkhampstead

Chantry Dene, Guildford. - Comments on the layout of the introductory pages [for Trevelyan's "Sisyphus: an operatic fable"]. Has heard from Miss [Sophie?] Weisse who seems pleased. Asks Trevelyan not to come on Friday, as he expects Miss Stawell and wants her and Helen to have a quiet talk; and to let him see the cloths for the binding of the book when ready. Is very glad Trevelyan likes 'the silk one'.

W[est] H[ackhurst]. - Thanks Trevelyan for his Christmas present of poems, and for yesterday afternoon [a poetry reading?]. The epistle to Desmond [MacCarthy] was a lovely start; good to get in Moses ["Moses and the Shepherd"] and Goldie [Dickinson] too. Dickinson's Faust translation was looked for last year by May Dickinson, at Robert Nicholl's [Robert Nichols'?] wish; no trace of it was found, and it is either with Miss Stawell's executor or has been destroyed. Gives address of George Thomson's hospital, with suggestions of how best to get there.