28, Queen Anne's Gate, S. W. - Has just received Robert's letter [with the news of his engagement] and 'warmly welcome[s her] new niece'. Has 'always had a great liking' for the Netherlands, having stayed at the Hague with the Howards [Sir Henry Howard was British ambassador there], and thinks there is 'such a likeness' between the nations. Has been 'sorry for any possible strained relations' due to the [Second Boer] War, and hopes Robert and Elizabeth's engagement is a 'happy omen'. Asks Bob to tell Elizabeth that the Croppers at Ellergreen already make a link with her; has heard Miss [Eleanor?] Cropper on the subject. Wonders if Bob likes the Hague, and Delft, where her 'favourite hero of all, William the Silent, was done to death'. [Her son] Edgar is here and also sends 'warm wishes; [her other son] Frank is in the country.
Harnham, Monument Green, Weybridge. - On the question of finding work for [Lascelles] Abercrombie: U. Ext. [University Extension] unlikely to be helpful as, except for some 'sensible' people such as Miss Partridge at Ashtead, there is a prejudice against those who did not go to Oxford or Cambridge. Thinks it would be best to recommend Abercrombie to Dr Roberts, who runs the London University Extension board. If Abercrombie sends Forster a syllabus, he will mention him to Miss Partridge (Ashtead is a London centre). Discusses fees. Abercrombie knows Miss Embleton, a friend of Roberts. Asks whether 'the Humphs' [?] can get him something at "The Times". Has dined with Sir Edward Grey, who was 'charming and jolly,' but he suspects Grey would like neither his books nor himself if he knew them better; was taken by the Francis Aclands; likes Mrs Acland very much. Is reading [Ferdinand] Gregorovius.
2, Cheyne Gardens, S.W. - Is sending the nine nightgowns she promised, since 'Theo has now been promoted to flannel ones' and his happy to pass them on to his cousin Paul [not yet born]. Hopes that Bessie is still 'quite well & jolly'; she herself feels very proud going out with her 'huge double pram full of babies', getting new clothes, and enjoying life again; feels 'so superior' to Molly, Bessie, and Eleanor Acland who are 'lagging so far behind'. Hears that Caroline is going to stay with Bessie for the birth, and that 'the faithful Miss Martin' will go to Wallington; hopes that the baby will not keep Bessie waiting, as Mary did Janet. Sorry that she will not be able to visit until she is 'free of Theodore', about the end of January; encourages Bessie to arrange to come to Welcome at the same time as she and George goes, about 7 January; they have not 'stayed with the parents together' since the time at Wallington after Janet's engagement.
Stocks, Tring. - Has just had a 'charming letter' from Bob about 'Paul's weight, height, colour & general accomplishments', so should really reply to him, but wants to write to Bessie instead, knowing how fun it is to hear 'what a great man one is'. Bessie seems to have managed [the birth] 'splendidly all round'; hopes she is starting to enjoy herself by now. Longs to visit but does not think she will manage before returning from Welcombe, about the 18th [Jan]. It is 'rather splendid' that Bessie had a boy on her first attempt; it puts Molly and Janet to shame. Good that the 'three boy-cousins' are so near in age, 'how they will quarrel & make it up again, & quarrel again'. Sure it is a good omen that Paul 'came on the solstice night': she will expect him to have 'more sparks of genius in him than the other two'. Hopes Bessie did not have 'a very beastly time', and that she could have 'some nice whiffs of chloroform'; she did better than Eleanor Acland, whose labour lasted forty-eight hours. Asks Bessie to thank Bob for his letter, which she will send on to George; also to say Janet knows they do not have a copy of "Dmitri Roudine" [Turgenev's "Rudin"] and they will be delighted to have it; it is the one she especially wants to read.
Robin Ghyll. Langdale, Ambleside. - Thanks Bessie for her letters; has wished she could see her. It is eight days since they lost him [Theodore]; it 'does somehow get better... chiefly by dint of that old steam-hammer of Dame Nature's, which goes on thump, thump, thumping the same knowledge into one's head & heart'; meanwhile 'his lovely little life is taking form & shining out more perfectly than ever', till she sometimes already feels it 'as a perfect whole, not as the piteous little broken bit it was... at first'; asks if that feeling grows, or if 'the pity of it gets ever stronger'; has often thought that Bessie, if anyone, must know [having lost her own son Paul].
Thanks Bessie for reminding her of 'that sweet little story'; remembers [her children's] 'outspoken surprise when they found [her] to be "the wrong Auntie Bessie"' very well. Dora Sanger is 'indeed a warm-hearted soul', and Eleanor Acland has written to say that 'all the Chelsea mothers & Chelsea Nannies look at each other through tears'. She and George will be at Stocks or the Cottage for at least two months, not London; thinks Bessie must 'come & make a pilgrimage among the family babies', since Molly's will also be at Watford.
Hallington Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne. - Thanks Bessie for her letter after Eleanor Acland's death: feels 'terribly bereft' even for herself, as Eleanor was 'such a strong tower of friendship in any trouble', but it is hard to bear the thought of 'all those poor men left desolate'. She had been intermittently ill all year, had her appendix out at a nursing home in Exeter, and seemed to be recovering, but was taken ill suddenly in the night with a blood clot in the heart and died in twenty minutes. Only Maisie, and her 'devoted secretary', were with her: Francis was in London at his mother's. Eleanor's young daughter died nine years ago; believes she had 'come to feel that death would mean reunion', so hopes that there was a 'ray of light' for her in her last moments; her husband and sons only have 'their manhood. Poor dears!'. Humphry is very happy in Labrador: his spine trouble seems to be quite over, and he does very heavy work but says he is 'strong as a horse'. He is 'also choir-master, play-producer, lesson-reader in church, house-painter, partridge-hunter and many other things'; has a room in the 'little hospital at North West River' and is one of a 'community of about thirty people and some children, all of English stock'; communications will now become difficult as the sea has frozen.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Glad Elizabeth is seeing some friends, and that the '[house] business is moving on'; advertisement from "Country Life", showing prices usually asked in Surrey, originally enclosed. Went to Newcastle yesterday to hear Mrs Ward 'speak at the opening of some "Special Schools"', which she did 'very well. Saw various 'Hodgkins & Peases's', and brought Mrs Ward and Dorothy back to stay at Wallington. Next week they are expecting Aunt Annie [Philips], Phil [Morgan Philips] Price, Hilton Young, Eleanor Cropper and Cicely [Frances?] Wedgwood; next week Theodore [Llewelyn Davies?], Mary Bell and Dorothy Wedderburnl. Elizabeth and Robert will see them if they come on 20 August, though they do not have to decide yet. The weather is so windy she has to tie on her hat. Keith [the head gardener] is sending some more fruit today. Sorry that Mrs Fry had 'the trouble of writing twice'; it was 'such a pretty letter, in picturesque handwriting'.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Glad that Elizabeth and Robert are coming on 20 August; sure it will do her good. There will be lots of guest at first: two girls [Mary Bell and Dorothy Wedderburn], Theodore [Llewelyn Davies?], and Edgar and Baffy Dugdale., who all go on Monday the 24th. The party for the tenants and workpeople is on the 26th; good that Elizabeth and Robert will be there, and hopes it will not be boring. Asks if they can arrange to go away from the 27th, when Charles leaves, to 1 September as she has promised Sir George he can have some entirely quiet days to recover from the guests. They could go and see Durham, Richmond and York on the way if their friends were not ready for them. Would very much like to go to Holy Island with them if the weather is suitable. Charles looks much better; Hilton Young is shooting with him; Sir George has not felt up to it yet but 'will go next week, when they drive the birds'. Sorry that Elizabeth does not feel well; she needs 'some bracing air' and three weeks in the north will be good for her. Believes it will be a family party only in September; will get Elizabeth to help with a garden party. The exhibition at Cambo is on Saturday; Annie [Philips] is coming today, bringing Phil [Morgan Philips] Price. Meggy [Price] is taking Robin to the sea in South Wales; she is still anxious about him, and though he is recovering he does not seem well enough to return to Harrow. Hopes they will have good news about the house when they come, it 'must be worrying'. Supposes Robert is 'quite well again'.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Sends Christmas wishes to Robert and Elizabeth and expects it is very different to theirs; the "Times" says it is the most wintry Christmas since 1895 and although he generally believes nothing they print supposes they are right. Has read all of Robert's book ["Polyphemus and other poems"] and thinks there is 'very genuine refinement and delicacy throughout', while the form is 'very ingenious'. Having a 'largish party' on Friday: Eleanor Cropper, Dorothy Ward, [Kenneth?] Swan, 'Mr Ridge MP,' and Geoffrey Young; the girls 'ought to have enough beaux'. The shooting has finished and it has been a 'record year'. Is reading Tacitus through slowly; thinks his style is 'Carlylean': 'rugged, amorphous, intensely individual - carrying everything off by its being the mode of expression chosen by a very strong man'. Asks Robert to remember them to Madame Palumbo [in Ravello].