Showing 22 results

Refers to his disappointment at 'the two answers from Oxford.' Thinks it would be better to postpone an application to Professor Seeley 'till another attempt has been made at Oxford, through Mr [T.H.?] Green.' Informs Sidgwick that the emblem and the motto [for the Free Christian Union?] have been changed in conformity with his suggestions, and with regard to the pamphlet, Martineau asks him if to give him advice for its improvement. Mentions that he has 'already profited by some friendly criticisms'. Admits that he has not read the proof yet, and predicts that he shall probably find plenty of faults.

Sends receipt for £5 [not included]. Wishes that Sidgwick 'had come West instead of East', but predicts that he will have a good opportunity of studying the idiosyncrasy of his country-men and women in their holiday mood where is is at present. Refers to the weather and the dangers of hay fever. Recounts that 'Tom Green is reported very uncomfortable at Bolton Abbey'. Asks for more details on the crisis at Rugby. Reports that Johnnie is going to Switzerland with [Norman Moor], while the writer stays at home with her babies. Claims that she does not mind, but that she should like to see the Monte Rosa valleys again. Wonders whether Sidgwick and Johnnie will meet. Reports that Graham [Dakyns?] is also going to Switzerland.

Note in pencil [in Nora Sidgwick's hand?]: 'Said by St Loe Strachey to be by H. Sidgwick.'

Expresses her delight at the receipt of his book the previously night. Claims that she will not understand its subject, but that if she could send it forth to the world 'with a mother's loving dedication, it would be that all the philosophical world would be the better for reading it.' Hopes that 'they' have written to him from Rugby to tell him that they are meeting on 4 January, and informs him that 'A[rthur] S[idgwick] and Charlotte have their visit at N[ ] and the Chancery first, and don't get home again until Sat: 2[nd] Jan[uary].' States that William's work was to end the previous day, but that he has had a bad cold, and Isabel and his [son] have also been ill. Invites him to go to Oxford, and suggests that they all go to Rugby together. Mentions Henry's friends, and declares that she doesn't know what the Greens' plans are. Reports that she has seen a good deal of them, and that 'they are most kind.' Reports that Mrs Symonds was with them a short time ago, and 'just as [she] was going to have a nice [ ] [ ] with her, a telegram came to say that one of her children was in scarlet fever and she must go home.' Adds that it turned out that the fever 'was of a mild kind'. Presumes that he is 'still engaged with work for the Ladies', and insists that he take a holiday. Reports that Arthur Benson has had a rheumatic attack 'just as he was going in for the Term's Examination at Eton - and so missed it - which grieves him.' States that he was expected at home on Thursday or Friday, and that Martin comes home from Winchester the following Wednesday. Adds that Minnie and Edward are both well, but that the family could not join the 'Rugby party'.

Reports that Minnie kept her well-informed about Henry when at Lincoln, and that his own letter told her more. Refers to his activities with regard to his lectures and book. Asks him to go to Rugby around Christmas, 'when A[rthur] S[idgwick] wishes to assemble [them] for his house warming.' Adds that Minnie and Edward cannot go because their boys will just have arrived home from school. Expresses a strong wish that he should come to Oxford. Adds that Mr Green has been asking her when Henry is coming. Reports that William and Isabel are recovering from colds. Asks if he had told her that Captain and Mrs Go[ ] lived at Cambridge, and asks him to send her the address of Mrs Go[ ]'s sister Be[ ]. Informs him that his godson Willy [Longsden] 'has been doing better lately + is promoted to a "Top hat" ' at Merchant Taylors' school.

Reports that the Committee of the Association for the Education of Women at Manchester have asked Miss Cannan to be Secretary 'for that [work] where she lives - [ ] Prestwick.' Suggests that Miss Clough might like to be informed of this. Claims that she is 'still in rather a mess with carpenter + masons + painters to follow.' Adds that she has two comfortable beds to offer to friends, and tells him to bear it in mind if he wishes to go to Oxford. States that William and Isabel would be pleased to see him [and Nora] and that Mr Green and his wife always have a welcome for him. Reports tha the Symondses have come home from Switzerland. Reports that Edward Sidgwick wrote to her to tell her another daughter of his was born some weeks previously. States that he was much interested in what Henry had to say about spriritualism, and that their friends the Cooksons told them that Henry was at the Lakes and talking on the subject.

[Sent from Lucerne]:- Expresses his appreciation at receiving her letter. Is sorry to hear that she has still all her troubles [with moving house?] before her. Announces that he shall not be going home until the end of September due to health reasons. Does not want to shorten his German visit, as he shall be in the company of some old schoolfriends from Rugby. He, Graham Dakyns, Green and Rutson set off the following day on their tour. They intend to spend twelve days in the Bernese Oberland, and then Henry goes off to Dresden. Reports that he and Dakyns enjoyed their stay in Paris, despite the fact that Bury Dakyns, who joined them there to improve his French, 'was the most awful bore.' Reports that he fell ill and had to stay some days at Lucerne, and that Dakyns is pretty well. Remarks on the heat on the continent, which is more dead and stifling than than in England. Relates that they met the [William?] Boyds in Paris. Tells her mother to write to him during the next week. Sends his love to his aunt and cousins.

Explains that she has been 'on the move' since Henry's letter reached her. Reports that William joined her at Aylesford on Thursday 28 June, and then they went to Rugby, where they spent a day with Mr and Mrs Dakyns. They then went to Llangollen. Describes their journey by coach to Capel Curig. Reports that William almost reached the top of Snowdon. Intends to write to Henry's aunt at Wellington College to see if she could receive him, and suggests that if she cannot, that he might come to her in Wales. Informs him of her plans to return to Wellington College, and states that Elizabeth [Cooper?] will be there the following week.

States that she was sorry to find that Mr and Mrs [Charles and Susanna?] Arnold had left Rugby, and that she did not whom else he 'could ask about Heidelbergh'. Suggests that C[hristopher?] Benson might know whether it is damp or not. Asks Henry to send her a book that 'will take a good deal of reading', and yet which she can understand. Suggest the 'Dialogues of Plato'. Relates a story which she heard from Captain [Cheese] at Aylesford about Mrs [Mary?] Pollard Urq[uhart] - 'a connexion of the [Thomas Hill?] Greens - who reported hearing 'distinct footsteps near her without her seeing any one', and also hearing 'a shrill scream equally unaccountable'. Offers to send 'names + places' if he is interested. Asks him to send her some poetry also. Inquires as to whether he has heard from Arthur, and if Mr [J. B.?] Lightfoot is gone.

With emendations and heavily annotated.

[Sent from Dresden]:- Comments on the length of time it has been since he had a letter from her. Reports that the Swiss tour made him very ill, but that he has now recovered. Recounts that since he came to Dresden he has made a start in Arabic, read and spoken German, gone to concerts and the theatre, and spent time with his three friends [Dakyns, Green, and Rutson]. Refers also to his visits to the gallery. Had originally intended to leave Dresden on the 25th [September] and be in Rugby about the 29th [September] but has decided that he may stay a week longer and be in Rugby about 5 October. This, he calculates, will give him a fortnight at home. Has decided that he shall not go abroad again for a year or so. Announces that he has got his plan of reading 'tolerably settled', and it will absorb all his vacations. Hopes that his mother has got 'tolerably comfortable by this time', and refers Minnie's report of their mother's account of the house Remarks that Dresden is so colonised by English that 'one hardly feels in a foreign country'. States that the little church is well filled, and that the previous Sunday Dr Hook preached the worst sermon Henry has had the pleasure of hearing for a long time. Announces that he is going to join Edward and Minnie at the gallery.

Announces that he shall be home by Thursday of the following week, or Friday at the latest, and will spend two weeks with her. Refers to his study of Arabic. Hopes that he will receive the letter from Lucerne before he goes. Asks her to forward the enclosure [not included] to Cambridge. Hopes to find Arthur at home, and regrets that he is gone to Wellington. Intends not to go up to Cambridge until the last moment. Declares that he has been very happy in Dresden, and that his friends [Dakyns, Green, and Rutson], who have been with him the whole summer, are all going off now. Hopes that Graham Dakyns will like his work. Expresses his satisfaction with the boarding-house in which he is staying, and states that the only 'bitter drop in the cup is an Englishman to whom [he has] an unreasonable but unconquerable antipathy'. Comments on the news from America, and the 'an interesting crisis going on in Prussia'. Declares that it is 'great fun reading the Arabian Nights in the original even though it be only at the rate of 5 lines an hour'.

Expresses gratitude to Sidgwick for his 'kind words'. Recalls how her late husband [T. H. Green] was always so pleased to see him, and mentions the visits made by him and Mrs Sidgwick to Oxford. Explains that she had no time to write to her husband's friends about his illness. Refers to her husband's last wishes regarding his work, which he had nearly finished; she is to give it to Mr Andrew Bradley to publish. Reports that Johnnie has been to see her. Mentions that a volume of miscellaneous papers will be brought out later, to which there will be prefixed some biographical notes. Asks Sidgwick to 'put down any rough notes' of anything he remembers of her husband 'at Rugby or afterwards'. Expresses the hope that she will see him and Mrs Sidgwick some day.

[Sent from Whittingehame, A. Balfour's house in Lothian]:- He and Nora were very busy up to the end of the previous year, until they escaped to Prestonkirk on New Year's Eve. They arrived in Cambridge on 26 December, on Thursday morning they were completing their arrangements for the Conference of Schoolmistresses on the following day, and their friends arrived that evening 'and educational talk began lasting without intermission till Friday evening...' On Saturday he began to prepare his answers for the Cambridge University Commissioners, and finished them on Monday morning, before his journey to Scotland.

Reports on the conference itself, which 'made up a compact and business-like meeting at the Townhall.' States that he was impressed with the schoolmistresses, who 'said what they had to say in a clear, short, practical way'. They 'fixed a limit of ten minutes for the speeches, but the only speaker who showed the least desire to exceed it was a Man..' Mentions that among the speeches made was one by Professor John Mayor. A short paragraph about the conference was sent to the newspapers, and got into the Times. Among those who came were James Wilson from Rugby with his sister Annie, who is head of a school at Grantham; Annie Marshall from Leeds, Professor Green from Oxford 'with his professorial honours fresh upon him', and Eve 'who used to be at Wellington College. States that Arthur was not able to come because Charlotte was not well enough to be left.

Reports that they have 'delightful weather' there in Prestonkirk, and that his brothers-in-law are all assembled. Claims that he has got the burden of his article pretty much off his mind. Describes the 'lovely winter view' from his window. Sends on Nora's love. Adds that they did not hear any political secrets at Hatfield, but reports that Myers, whom they had seen in London 'had seen Dizzy at Windsor Castle and reports that he bore a remarkably swaggering and triumphant aspect', and they are afraid that 'that Hebrew has been brewing some ill for his step-native land!'

Thanks Sidgwick for the notes about her husband's 'earlier days', which he sent to her. Remarks that her husband spoke little of those times, but that she has been reading his Rugby letters to his father and sisters. Claims that Sidgwick's reminiscences 'will be very valuable in preparing a biographical sketch.' On her return to Oxford the following week she intends to go over the manuscripts with R. L. Nettleship and W. A. Bradley, 'with a view to the publication of lectures, not actually prepared for publication.' Announces that The Prolegomena to Ethics will be going through the press 'at once', and should be out in the Autumn. Expresses her sympathy for Sidgwick and his wife in their 'great sorrow' [the death of Nora Sidgwick's brother F. M. Balfour in a climbing accident].

Claims that their secret [his engagement to Eleanor Balfour] is now so widely known that she may tell 'any one who is really interested in [him]', including the Greens. Announces that he shall be in London on Monday, and asks her when she shall be there. Hopes that she feels more comfortable about her teeth. States that his and his intended wife's plans are not yet quite settled, and he does not know whether or for how long he shall be in London during the following month. Undertakes to write again as soon as he has seen Eleanor, who is to return from Paris on the following Monday.

Explains that he cannot come [to see Myers], as his work on university reform has taken up his time, and he is behind in his work. In relation to 'the "project" ', claims that he was shaken out of the dream in London in the summer. Says that he had nearly succeeded in reconciling himself to science, when Myers' letter set him 'spinning again'. Would like to see him at Christmas, but is unsure as to whether he can allow himself 'the pleasure of a regular visit.' Explains that he has promised to go to [J.A.] Symonds some time, 'coinciding with [the Hill?] Greens', but that his plans are vague at present. Reports that there is no news from Rugby, and states that 'to say that it is in the agony of a crisis is only to say that H[enry] H[ayman] still hangs up his hat in the schoolhouse'.

Writes on the death of Henry Sidgwick. Assures her what a terrible loss it is to him, and of how great a value to him Henry's friendship and advice have been over the years. Claims that he was 'the most truthful, the most searching and the most sympathetic of critics', and then when he was last at Cambridge he read through Henry's article on Bentham in the Fortnightly [Review], and looked forward to discuss it with him. Claims that he was 'all a professor ought to be and can be in England', and how he himself, and many others, have profited from Henry's example, and trusts it may continue to help him while he teaches at Oxford. Claims that he owes thanks mainly to Henry for 'the Cambridge L. L. D.', and that the latter gave him [Dicey] encouragement when he was out of heart about his work. Also expresses his thanks to Nora and Henry for their having come to him [and his wife] for the previous Ad. Eundem meeting, and realises now that that visit to Oxford 'must have been a fearful strain and effort'. Mentions with fondness 'the Sunday with Sidgwick and...the bright meeting to hear his essay on Green.' Claims that these memories, and his last few minutes of conversation with him in London will now remain with him as cherished memories. Concludes that Henry's life 'has been a joy as well as a blessing' to all who knew him.

Claims that she has been thinking of them all so much that summer that it seems to her as if she had written many letters, but now wishes to write to express the deep affection she feels for the memory of Henry Sidgwick. Claims that he had 'the real genius of friendship', and that 'one cannot imagine a kinder or truer friend than he was'. Remarks on the friendship that existed between him and her husband, which 'no difference of opinion about philosophy, or religion, or politics could have altered'. Knows how hard his death is for Nora, but also how bravely she will bear the shock and 'will live in the though of what has been and what is.' Refers to her own experience of bereavement.

In Nora Sidgwick's hand. Refers to his lectures on philosophical subjects, some of which he believes should be published. Suggests that a young man might be employed to work on some of them and that [James] Ward might read the proofs through 'and give advice on any point of difficulty.' Refers also to a number of lectures that he had intended to make into a book on Kant and Kantism in England, and also to works on [T. H. ] Green, agnosticism and relativism and two lectures on [Herbert] Spencer. Does not believe that the lectures on Epistemology 'in connection with [Christoph von] Sigwart' are worth publishing as a continuous whole, but thinks certain parts of them might be published as fragments. Suggests Ward's involvement, so long as he would not undertake too much work.

Refers also to his articles on ethics, printed and unprinted. Expresses his wish that the question of 'the usefulness to mankind' be the '[ ] principle for deciding on publication', and that the volume of the labour required should be taken into account also. Would like lectures that are not published to be handed over to anyone who may be lecturing on that particular subject, and mentions in particular some fragmentary lectures on his book on The Elements of Politics, which he would like to be offered to Th[ ] or Dickinson or divided between them.

Has done a good deal of reading for a book, The Development of European Polity, for which the plan is sketched 'in the first lecture of a pamphlet containing 3 printed lectures.' Has been his view 'more and more of late years that a three fold treatment of Political Science is desirable for [ ]', and lays out his theory. Would like the teachers of Political Science to be consulted on the possibility of working out his plans with the aid of his material. Again suggests that a young man might be paid to work on this matter. Expresses concern over expense, and states that he believes his work to be 'too sketchy and amateurish for it to be desirable to use it otherwise than as material.' Was comtemplating giving up the idea of publication so long as he held his chair 'feeling that the time and labour required to make it an adequately scholarly work would not be given [ ]' with his duty as a Professor of Moral Philosophy.'

The writer refers to the distinguished gathering in attendance, and claims that 'Sidgwick read...the most lucid, sincere and impressive piece of philosophic criticism' he had ever heard. Refers to the contents of the paper, in which Sidgwick claimed that 'there existed "a fundamental incoherence" in Green's thinking', and also to the reaction of some of the audience members. Refers to the fact that the paper was posthumously published in Mind 'N.S. x. No 37. In relation to his reply to the comments of 'a prominent Hegelian' reports that 'an eminent tutor pertinently remarked [to the writer] that this showed that Henry was not wholly devoid of the Sidgwickedness of his family.' Contains some amendments and emendations.

Includes the words that Henry would like to have said over his grave 'if it is decided not to have the Church of England service': 'Let us commend to the love of God with silent prayer the soul of a sinful man who partly tried to do his duty. It is by his wish that I say over his grave these words and no more'. Note that this was 'written down May 17 1900'.

Verses 'adopted by Henry Sidgwick. from Tennyson's Palace of Art when he left the Church of England in 1869', beginning with the lines: 'Yet pull not down my minster towers that were/So gravely gloriously wrought'. Page headed 'Henry's Texts', including [biblical] quotations.

Page headed 'Re new edition of Ethics'. Henry's desire is that, if he is not able to finish the revision, The Methods of Ethics 'be put through the press by Miss [E..E. C.] Jones without excerpts [he has] clearly indicated in the book itself or [his] MS notes of lectures that an alteration is required'. Suggests also the addition of a brief explanatory preface.

Additional notes relate to his works and the possibility of their publication. Believes that some of his philosophical works in which he attempts to define the scope of philosophy and its relation to, for example, psychology, logic, history and sociology, are most suitable for publication and study. Refers to a course of lectures on Kant, Green and Spencer 'which will be [more] easily brought out'. Refers also to a course of lectures on epistemology, which was delivered with Sigwart's Logic as a text book, and believes that part of it might be worth publishing. Suggests that [James] Ward might recommend someone who would read these works in order to select the portions he thought worth publishing. Insists, however, that Ward should not spend time on the matter that could be more profitably devoted to his own work. Discusses the difficulties that might be encountered in the publishing of his philosophical lectures, and refers to the part concerned with the relation of metaphysics and epistemology. Refers also to 'a discussion of Külpe's use of the terms and another discussion on idealism and realism, 'which will be found in the bundle relating to Külpe. List of some of Henry's works.

Thanks Nora for sending her her [Green's] husband' letters: he wrote so few letters that she values the ones that do exist all the more. Declares that she very much enjoyed reading Henry Sidgwick: A Memoir, and that it seems to her 'a most vivid picture" of Henry. Remarks that one thing that struck her was 'his wonderful patience and gentleness with those who differed from him.' Has just heard that Miss Maitland has died: it is a great loss to Somerville. Is staying near the Vaughans for a fortnight; Madge has recovered well after the birth of her son David. Hopes that Nora will have a good rest.