Endpapers used for lists of poems [perhaps for Trevelyan's "Collected Works?]; another list inside. Notebook filled in from both ends, with contents including: essay on translation of Lucretius; dialogue between Septimius and Cinna ["Maya"], "Beelzebub"; dialogue between Thersites, Cressida and Poet; dialogue between Cressida, Lady Pandar, and Troilus; prose narrative about Abdul and Hasan; dialogue between Coryat [a name used for a Trevelyan-like figure in Lowes Dickinson's "Modern Symposium"] and Miranda on the subject of Love; text for lecture on Chinese poetry, containing praise of the translations by Arthur Waley; a prose narrative about a young man thinking through his ambitions in life, another version of this with Coryat as the young man; list of decisions about the future, for example, 'C. decides to be a prophet. A. " " " a poet..."; list of characters/names in two columns, 'Gigadibs, Puce, Prof Bruce? [circled], Apollinax? / Percy Smith?, Cynicus? [struck through], Panurge? [circled], Thersites? [struck through]' - these could be intended as pseudonyms as a third column contains names of friends, 'C.A [Clifford Allen], Goldie [Lowes Dickinson], (Klingsor), [Bernard] Berenson'; dialogue between 'P.' and 'D.' regarding a conversation D. and 'R.H.' have recently had with Coryat [see 29/2]. Loose sheet with verse dialogue between 'Father' and 'Child'.
50 Gordon Square, W. C. - Was 'heroic' of Bob to 'battle through' his book about Po Chu-aloud; very glad that Bessie has got to know it, as he thought of them both when writing it. Thanks him for the 'very impressive hymn to Demeter' [in the latest "From the Shiffolds"]. Beryl [de Zoete] is 'rather souffrante', no doubt because of 'privations in India'. They both look forward to visiting later.
13 Hanover Terrace. - Glad that Trevelyan and [Gordon] Bottomley have 'managed to get some fun out of the No play'; it is not a good one, and he translated it only as an appendix to his book on Po Chu-I; this may get written now, as he has just been rejected again byy the army and hopes he will have a 'quiet six months'; will also translate some more No plays. Went to hear [Thomas] Sturge Moore read his Viking play [Tyrfing] yesterday; thought it 'very well done' and intellectually judged it 'a fine thing', but 'somehow' was not interested by it; this may have been because Sturge Moore's reading was 'downright bad', as he thinks it 'would act rather well'. Read the 'magnificent exordium' to the seventh book of Pliny's "Natural History" recently and quotes in Latin at length from the passage about man. Does not want Hakurakuten at present. Looks forward to seeing Trevelyan, perhaps in June. Hears Mr Ch'eng [see 17/3, 17/5?] 'made a great oration' recently at the Japan Society 'rather mocking at the self-satisfaction of the Japanese', which people say was a 'great success'. Asks whether Trevelyan has seen [Roger] Fry's exhibition of "Copies and Translations" from the old masters; some of those he saw in his studio were 'great fun'.
Returns to the letter on 11 June: has 'just discovered the later parts of Piers Ploughman [sic: Plowman]"; it is 'brilliant' from canto 16 onwards, but 'the beginning is so boring that no one ever gets as far'. The best canto is 18; expects Trevelyan 'found that out long ago'. Has translated a short, slight No play called "Hatsu-yuki, or Early Snow", about 'a court lady who loses a pet bird'; has not had time to do a longer one as he has been 'so immersed in exploring (in books) the Gobi Desert on behalf of Sir Aurel Stein'. Adds a handwritten postscript to say he would like to come for a weekend visit, if the Trevelyans could have him.
Lists (of Coryat pieces, "Prayers to...", and other pieces) on verso of front endpaper and first page); dialogue between Hope and Memory; Coryat and Miranda discuss love and illusion; lists of names; précis of/plan for piece about Percy Smith walking through a wood and thinking about his own name; another Coryat piece; Coryat on the subject of names; notes on various myths; discussion of Arthur Waley's translations of Chinese poetry; précis/plan for piece on "Sleep"; essay on Horace, methods of translation; piece about Coryat and his nephew Oliver; introduction to reprinting of earlier works [for his "Collected Works"?]; introduction for his translation of Sophocles' "Ajax".
Book also used from other end: dialogue between Coryat and 'Ph.' ['Philos': Friend?]; dialogue between Coryat and 'Spirit'; first lines of a verse epistle to [Umberto] Morra; dialogue between Coryat, 'C.A' [Clifford Allen?] and Morra; translations of Horace "Epodes" I.2 and II.17, and "Satires" II.8; notes under headings such as 'Literature', 'Visual Art'. 'Technique'; Coryat wondering 'what is the good of me?'; draft verse epistle to Gordon [Bottomley]; verse dialogue between Coryat and his Muse; list of poets with poems; translation of first lines of Lucretius's "De Rerum Natura"; notes for an autobiographical piece, with dates.
Contains: poem, "The Flycatcher", by Sylvia Lynd; "Sicily" by S. S. [Sylvia Sprigge]; "Intellectual Conversation" by Arthur Waley, which mentions Maynard [Keynes], Francis [Birrell], Hugh Dalton, Roger Fry, Gerald [Shove] and Sebastian [Sprott]; sketch in memory of Edmund [not Edward, as on cover] Gosse by Max Beerbohm; poem, "Lying Among the Yellow Flowers", by Kenneth Hopkins; poem, "Complaint", by Diana Lodge.
Pension Moragues, Puerto Andraitx, Majorca. - Is ashamed of not telling Bob how much pleasure he got from his "Rimeless Numbers", though it was the Propertius, which is 'not rhymeless', which he liked best; also thought the part about the 'rhododendrons and azaleas' in "The Wood" 'marvellously vivid'. Likes his hexameters. Glad Bob did not get 'stuck' in the fifth volume of "[The Tale of] Genji"; has now done more than two thirds of the sixth volume, which is 'far better' than any other part, but 'correspondingly more difficult to do'; is doing four hours work on it every morning and usually several more later in the day, yet rarely manages more than two or three pages. Has written all of Bob's corrections, all sound, into his copy; had better note them at the beginning of the sixth volume. Has 'detected some indications' that Cyril Connolly is in Majorca, but has not seen him. A 'Nubian scholar' called Armbruster, who was at Kings [College, Cambridge] and knows Goldie [Lowes Dickinson] 'fairly well' lives here; his father was 'a good deal connected with Wagner'. He has a 'delightful house and a wife from Syria who cooks well, but his head is just a little too full of Hamitic particles'.
British Museum, W.C. - Thanks Bob for his list of errata; has adopted all the suggestions. Agrees with Bob's observation in his letter that ''Lighter, because of thee, than fluff or feather' [in "Poverty", by Yang Hsiung] is 'awkward', but could not find a 'satisfactory way out'. Very kind of Bob to take so much trouble, this is 'positively the last time' he will bother him like this, as he does not think 'there are any more Chinese poems to translate'. Is going away for a month. Goldie [Lowes Dickinson] is staying with Arthur's mother the last weekend in July and he will try to be there; has not seen Goldie for 'ages'. [cf perhaps 2/142]
Trevelyan's confidence in Waley's 'scholarship and accuracy as a translator', and praise of his translations for lacking 'irrelevant echoes of English poetical rhetoric and technique. The words only are English; the spirit is Chinese'. The gathering today is to give sympathy and whatever help they can to the Chinese people in their current 'terrible and undeserved trials'; to sympathise, it is necessary to understand, and literature is one of the best ways of 'understanding the character and the mental qualities of a people'. Waley's work as a translator and 'historian of ideas and culture' cover over two thousand years of Chinese civilization; he has recently published a translation of "Monkey", which dates from as late as the Ming Dynasty. Thirty years ago, Trevelyan spent a few weeks at Pekin [Beijing], and visited the Temple of Confucius with a Chinese friend, Mr Kung, who was he thinks a 60th generation descendant of a cousin of Confucius. As a southerner, Kung had never before visited the Temple, 'from which the tablet of Confucius had lately been sacrilegiously removed by Yuan Shi-k'ay' and was much moved; Trevelyan felt awkward as he had always 'ignorantly thought Confucius a 'rather tiresome, pedantical sort of moraliser'. Now however, having read Waley's translations of and writing on Confucius, he realises his wisdom, humanity, and sense of humour.
Handwritten text to be given after Waley's reading, commenting that his 'quiet unemphatic' reading style is well suited to the poetry, and inviting the audience to ask any questions they may have. Has also been asked to draw the audience's attention to the interesting 'exhibition of contrasted Chinese and English art' upstairs.
Department of Prints and Drawings, British Museum, London, W.C. - Has been invited to spend the weekend of 23 August in the country, and thought he should accept as Bob was uncertain. Hopes he will be able to come later in the autumn; expects Bob will be back in October. Encloses proofs for "Jap[anese] Poetry", and asks Bob in a postscript to send them on to S[ybil] Pye in Limpsfield.
2 Turner Drive, N.W.11. - He and José are very grateful for the generous wedding present. They are now living in their top floor flat in Golders Green, on the edge of Hampstead Heath; he hopes that the Trevelyans will come and visit. Hopes that José will continue writing poetry, and will ask her to take some poetry to show Trevelyan when they visit. Thanks for the offer of the books, though they cannot yet decide which to choose; expects they will select the complete poems of Arthur Waley.
Department of Prints and Drawings, British Museum, London, W.C. - Thanks Bob for the 'misprints', which are all important and he is 'very grateful'. Afraid it is too late to correct the new edition, but has sent them at once to Stanley Unwin. Neither he nor Beryl 'know anything of Terence Gray'.
Trevelyan's childhood poem, "Oh Hector, I do love thee...", is copied onto the flyleaf, with its date of composition; other verse (perhaps a translation) written around it and on facing endpaper. Draft of Trevelyan's play "Sulla". Translation of part of the "Epic of Gilgamesh" [more later in notebook]. Reviews of "Song of Love" by [W. H.] Davies, "Marigold" by [Walter J.] Turner, "The Land" by Vita Sackville-West, and "Wreath of Cloud", the third part of the translation of Murasaki's "Tale of Genji" by Arthur Waley. Fictional dialogue between Rhodopis and Aesop. Draft of Trevelyan's "Epistulam ad Morram". Another draft from "Sulla" [perhaps an early version as Sulla's name is spelled 'Sylla' and Lycoris is called 'Lycorida'?].
Notebook also used from other end in: list on flyleaf [perhaps of possible topics for creative work?] 'Inês de Castro [crossed through], Satyr & Sulla [marked with cross beside], Cressida, Bellerephon' etc. Dialogue between 'She' and 'He'. Draft of Trevelyan's "To Arthur Waley". Draft of "Thersites". Translation of Aeschylus's "Prometheus".
14, rue Nungesser et Coli. - Thanks Trevelyan for the interest he is taking in his poem, and discusses some suggestions he has made in detail. Will be in Paris till 7 June; his ship will start from Venice on 13 June. It was a great pleasure to see Trevelyan again, though of course to be at the Shiffolds, with Bessie reading aloud in the evening, would have been even better. Tells Trevelyan not to forget to send the "Dialogue" to him in Calcutta, and also [Arthur] Waley's book if he can get it easily; all literary gifts received there link one up with one's real life'.
14, rue Nungesser et Coli. - Is back in Europe, not in good health. Does not have the money to come to England at present but plans to come in the third week of November; hopes to see Trevelyan before that on his way to the South. Is very grateful for the kindness he has shown to young [Arindam] Dutt. Sends love to Bessie; expects Julian will be here before long. Has received, via Calcutta, Trevelyan's letter of introduction to his friend the musician. Feels 'quite hopeless' about the situation in India: there is 'no pathos' either in the National Mouvement [sic] or the Government's 'task of political reconstruction'.
Kings Coll Cam. - A 'wretched ending to the business' [involving Clifford Allen]: is sorry for the Allens, and for Bessie and Bob who will miss them; thinks that if the Allens go to London it will kill Clifford. Was at Mrs Waley's last weekend and met Arthur there. Asks if he might visit in September: is not sure what to do after his niece's wedding on the 8th. Hopes this will be a success. Asks her to tell Bob he is trying to rework the dialogue.
61, Ripon Street, Calcutta. - Apologise for not writing sooner: has taken him a long time to settle down, but his books are still packed up as he cannot afford shelves. Has brought back Trevelyan's copy of [Arthur] Waley's book by mistake; will return it soon. Dull in Calcutta, but [Apurba?] Chanda is currently posted here so he has a friend; as he is a widower he does not go like the others do to the zenana [women's quarters] at dusk. Longs for Europe; went to a cinema to watch a film showing Paris, which made him very unhappy. It is very warm, though others find it cold; Bessie must have suffered during the cold, though he knows Trevelyan is 'impervious' to it. Has eight M.A. students, to whom he teaches History of Classical Art and its relations to Indian and Central Asian Art. The only break in his routine has been the visit of the M.C.C.: did not know which side to back. India 'very slow politically'. His friends [Germanova and Kalitinsky] write him distressing letters: they are very worried that they cannot pay Trevelyan off. They have been trying to sell the flat to return the money, but have not succeeded; they must have written to suggest Trevelyan taking it over. He should do what he thinks best; they are very worried that his money is 'tied up & so badly invested' in the depression. Has done no literary work, and is getting to be a 'narrow specialist'. Asks to be remembered to the [Clifford] Allens.
Department of Prints and Drawings, British Museum, London, W.C.1 - Thanks Bob for his card; encloses the 'second half of Vol. III' [of "The Tale of Genji"], which Bob need not hurry over [correcting]; afraid 'a good deal of it is rather dull, though the 'Tamakatsura episode is exciting, & different'. Will be in London till the winter.
100 Weston Rd, Gloucester. - It is good of Bessie to write, given her eye difficulties; will write to her at the nursing home and come to see her if he is in London. Ethel is not coming to England: he is to join her and Sam's boat at Southampton, go to Bremen, then cross Germany to Salzburg [for the Salzburg Festival of music]. Arthur Waley has engaged rooms at the Gablerbräu. Discusses tickets, for the Toscanini concert and others. Extracts from Arthur's letter to Luce originally enclosed, to tempt Bob to join the party: Luce gives several ways in which this could be brought about. John and Sandra would love to see him. Luce also asks if Bob might join them on the Hellenic cruise. Cannot make the Cambridge dinner if it is on June 18th, as he and Frank are taking John on a walking tour on his half-term holiday. Must try to be in Cambridge on the 29th for the Emmanuel dinner. Is wavering about Glyndebourne because of the expense.
British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, S.S. Arankola. - Got Trevelyan's letter just as he was leaving Burma for Sabathu, an I.A.R.O. [Indian Army Reserve of Officers] training school near Simla; writes waiting for the tide at the mouth of the Hoogli. Was happy to see Trevelyan's hand again: had found it difficult to forgive him for not coming to Burma years ago, where he might have made 'friends' of the temples of Pagan [Bagan]. Has been reading Trevelyan's "New Parsifal"; has never seen or heard Wagner but likes the play. He reads little modern poetry, but writes his own 'dolorous sentences in verse', and has just sent a 'gloomy batch' to Keynes, perhaps for publication. "Parsifal" reminds him of Trevelyan reading "Mustapha" and "Alahan" to him; supposes it is hard to get the complete works of Greville these days, but he would very much like to read his poem on taxation and the Royal Exchange. Still remembers 'the fraternity' [the Apostles]; has learned to love Burma and its people, and only 'a foolish sense of duty to phenomena' drives him to the army. Wishes Trevelyan had written more about himself, Forster and Dickinson. 'Schloss (Waley)' sends him his Chinese poems, and he likes them.
Department of Prints and Drawings, British Museum, London, W.C.1 - Thanks Bob for [his translations of] "Theocritus", the letter about "[The Tale of] Genji" - the errata have now been incorporated into a second, US-only printing, as the 'demand is far greater than here - and his 'little book about the future of poetry ["Thamyris"].' Likes the [Theocritus] epigrams 'very much', but thinks the meter Bob uses for the "Idylls" goes 'too slowly'; however, the 'best judges' do not agree with him and he is probably 'eccentric' about this. Thinks that in the pamphlet ["Thamyris"] Bob does not discuss the things he himself sees as 'straws showing which way the wind will blow': sees 'European poetry' as a whole, with it being impossible only to discuss English, and believes that '[m]odern French poetry (Apollinaire, Reverdy, Tzara even) indicates what is going to happen as regards outward forms'. Regarding Oswald [Sickert's] writings, he himself does not know the Woolfs, 'save for one or two casual meetings'.
100 Weston Rd, Gloucester. - Asks when Trevelyan will be able to join them in Salzburg [for Toscanini's Salzburg Festival of music] his party will be Ethel and Sam [his sister and her husband], John and Sandra [his children]. Has booked tickets for "Don Giovanni", "Falstaff", "Cosi Fan Tutti", "Fidelio". "Iphigenia in Tauris", "Fidelio" and several concerts. Arthur Waley has taken rooms at the Gablerbräu. Bessie has given the impression that Trevelyan might prefer to come with John and Sandra at the end of July; it will be a great joy whenever he decides.
100 Weston Rd, Gloucester. - Arrangements for railway tickets to Salzburg [for Trevelyan and Luce's children John and Sandra]: the Waleys had said that third class was comfortable in Germany, but second is fine if Trevelyan prefers. Hopes that they will arrive in time for "Don Giovanni" [at the Salzburg Festival]. Arthur Waley is going to Salzburg at some point. Hope Bessie is not anxious about her eye: recovery is bound to be slow. Asks Trevelyan to send a card to his sister Dora at this address with final instructions about meeting the children at Victoria.
British Museum. - Gives a reference for explanations of '"Li Sao" in the Journal of the Royal As[iatic] Soc[iety: Legge. (1895). Art. XXVI.—The Lî Sâo Poem and its Author. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 27(4), 839-864]. Has almost finished typing up the first part of his new book, and outlines the three planned parts; would be very grateful if Trevevlyan could look through the typescript and 'note unintelligibilities of metre, reference etc'. Is typing four copies, so Trevelyan need not hurry with it; does not expect it will be published in less than eighteen months. Now trying to translate Chinese essays on painting. Tells Trevelyan in a postscript that if he is ever in London he should look him up at the British Museum; is not going away until the end of September.
100 Weston Rd, Gloucester. - 'Alas! not for me, but I shall get it' [Written while returning a copy of Trevelyan's edition of Arthur Waley's poems, "From the Chinese", wrongly inscribed to 'Gordon and Emily (Bottomley)': see 4/174, 183 and 184]. Apologises for not replying to Bessie's letter. He is spending time in Oxford, getting proofs of his "Inscriptions of Burma" through the University Press. News from Burma 'pouring in'. A postscript says he expects Arthur [Waley?] will tell him the allusion in the last couplet of the enclosed, though he expects Trevelyan will know it.
100 Weston Rd, Gloucester. - Is very grateful for the present [Trevelyan's edition of Arthur Waley's poems, "From the Chinese"] and encloses a revised version of his poem [see also 4/173, 183 and 184]. Explains the allusion in the final couplet: a Chinese story which has 'become the symbol for artistic restraint'. Still busy with getting the fourth and fifth portfolios of "Inscriptions of Burma" through the Press at Oxford, and his share of the Burmese Dictionary for Stewart. Is worried because he cannot get on with "Old Burma". John hopes to be in England by Christmas.
Postmarked Gloucester. - Will reserve a ticket for Trevelyan for the operas and concerts mentioned in the previous letter [4/163]; perhaps they can all leave Salzburg and go on to Italy together, the Luces to Venice and Trevelyan to Vallombrosa. The offer to escort John and Sandra is kind; will write to Arthur Waley and ask him to book rooms for them at the Gablerbräu. Sends love to Bessie and hopes all goes well with her eyes.
Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon. - They [he and Beryl de Zoete?] are having a 'marvellous' time here, with then days of 'perfect weather'. Would very much like to visit Bob for two nights on 29 August, if that is convenient; returns to London on 23 August.
Written to accompany a copy of Trevelyan's edition of Arthur Waley's poems, "From the Chinese", returned because inscribed to 'Gordon and Emily' [Bottomley. See 4/174, 183 and 184].
Written to accompany a copy of Trevelyan's edition of Arthur Waley's poems, "From the Chinese", returned because inscribed to 'Gordon and Emily' [Bottomley. See 4/174, 183 and 184].
50 Gordon Square, W.C. - Notes that this is now his address. Is sending a second copy of his new book ["Three Ways of Thought in Ancient China"?] to Bob for safe keeping; a third is in proof already, but he expects they will not go on with it now [it was in fact published in November that year]. Has had his 'fair share of being published'. Is waiting for a 'promised job in the Ministry of Information]. Beryl is here with him; he 'cannot persuade her to go to the country'; asks Bob if he knows of some 'very nice people' who could take her in; her 'undaunted high spirits would be an asset anywhere'.