Harnham, Monument Green, Weybridge. - Is leaving to teach English for a few months to the children of Countess Armin, [Sydney] Waterlow's aunt; he will also learn German. Then hopes to go to Sweden to see an acquaintance [Hjalmar Bergen], whose play ["Maria, Jesu moder"] he discusses. Hopes to be reading Trevelyan's "Parsifal" ["The Birth of Parsifal"] soon. Also wants to hear about Trevelyan's hippogriff: thought it was 'being groomed by a son of Dan Leno' before. "Temple Bar" has returned his ghost story ["The Purple Envelope"]. Has almost finished a story about a Dryad ["Other Kingdom"]: this, the ghost story and "The Curate's Friend" almost make a book's worth. His novelette ["Where Angels Fear To Tread"?] is with Blackwoods. Thanks Trevelyan for Ravello news. Tomorrow he is going to see [Aristophanes'] "Clouds" at Oxford. Has been playing lots of Chopin on the piano, also some Schumann (of whom he is not so fond). The Forsters have a new housemaid, called Miss Watts.
Trinity College, Cambridge. - Hopes Bob will come to Cambridge before the end of term: 9 December is Commem[oration], and 10 December the 'last Soccer [Apostles' Society] meeting this term'. Quite likely to elect [Sydney?] Waterlow before the end of term, so Bob would be 'extra welcome'. Verrall has done what Bob 'kindly offered', and has gone carefully through the first half of George's book ["England in the Age of Wycliffe"], 'prevented a lot of bad things', and will look at the second part soon. Will be very interested to hear how Bob's play is getting on.
13A Hanover Terrace, Ladbroke Grove, W.10. - Thanks Bob for the copies of his [translation of Aeschylus's] "Oresteia"; will give away the copy without his name in as Bob suggests. Thinks it wonderful 'how successfully' Bob has captured the Greek metres, and agrees that an English writer might find 'practicable ideas for writing English [sic] verse'; is still troubled by the anapaests, and wonders why they are more difficult than the other lyrics. Bob says so in his preface, but does not discuss the matter further.Has been at Oare with the Waterlows [Sydney and Helen] for Christmas; will now stay in London; is lecturing on 'prewar diplomacy' at the London School of Economics next term, so is reading nothing but 'this dreary and criminal diplomacy, which is well in the saddle again after the war to end war'. Morgan Forster is coming to lunch today; did not know his "Alexandria [: A History and Guide]" was out. Sends love to Bessie; tells Bob to come and visit when he is next in town.
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.
Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - He and Bessie send many thanks to his father for the 'duck and hare': they did not realise until they received his mother's letter [11/109] that he had shot the hare himself. They had it for dinner yesterday: George and Janet were visiting, and have just left, both seemed 'very well and cheerful'. George 'seems relieved to get the history [his England under the Stuarts] off his mind'; has been reading the chapter on Queen Anne and it 'seems very good', though George is dissatisfied and thinks it 'too sketchy'. He can always 'treat the subject more elaborately someday' if he wishes. Thinks the book should be successful.
Last time they were at the [new] house, ten days ago, the roof was being finished, almost a fortnight earlier than expected. They have been making arrangements for some of the work on the garden to be done this winter: a 'trained lady-gardener... is to be responsible for the work'. The house looks good and has been 'well built'; since no alterations to the plans have been needed so far, there ought not to be any extra expense.
The 'Sunday Tramps, led by George' came for tea yesterday: 'young [Thoby] Stephen, and J. Pollock, and [George?] Barger, a Dutchman, and [Sydney] Waterlow, and R. Mayor'. All but Mayor are tall, and in their 'rather low rooms they seemed to Bessie like giants; they have never had 'so many and tall people' in the house together. Encloses two Chinese poems; the 'longer one, by a kind of Chinese Horace' was suggested to Robert by his father shooting ducks, but he sees from 'Professor Giles' translations' that it is actually geese; the rest of that poem 'scarcely applies' to his father, but the shorter, 'on Retirement', may. Understands that the translations are 'fairly literal, though the metres of the originals are quite different'. He and Bessie both send love, and Bessie thanks Caroline for her letter. Robert's book [The Birth of Parsival] has already been printed, though probably will not come out till February.
Separate sheet on which two poems [from Giles' Chinese Poetry in English Verse] are copied out: Discontent by Han Yü [title not copied out] and In Retirement by Li Chia-yu.