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States that 'having so long and so eagerly looked out for any request for "letters"' the appearance of a notice in Macmillan's Magazine of the impending appearance of a memoir with Henry Sidgwick's letters has come as somewhat of a shock to her. Begs Nora's forgiveness if she has sent any of the enclosed letters [105/45/2-5], but Miss C[arter] does not remember copying them. If she ever tries 'to give some sketch of the inception' of her work on "Significs" she would certainly have to refer to Henry 'as being one of its first and greatest promoters'. Refers to the accompanying letters, and also to the assistance Henry gave her in conversation on the matter. She will be sorry if none of the letters appeared in the memoir. She has often lately longed to tell Henry 'of the abounding signs that the young world is beginning to see...that the key to one of the greatest of the human positions has been lost and must be found'; predicts that she will not live to see the result of such finding, but that it is enough to be allowed to help 'even so little or badly towards it'. Adds that there are many more short letters, but that they are chiefly about dates or places etc.

Accompanied by envelope, addressed to Nora Sidgwick at Newnham College, with MS notes in Nora's hand: 'Lady Welby/Copies of letters from Henry/Received too late to be considered for Memoir'.

Typewritten copy of letter dated 31 January 1896. Apologises for not having written to her sooner with reference to her article in Mind on ' Significs'; explains that he has been very busy. Adds that he has delayed to write partly because he does not have any useful suggestions on the question of 'a Paper for the International Congress of Psychology'. Declares that he believes that the question 'is mainly one for logicians rather than psychologists and that it will not be very easy to find a mode of treatment which will make it an altogether appropriate topic for a Psychological Congress'. Suggests ' Interpretation as a psychological process' or some similar phrase as the title of her paper. Observes that she does not include psychology 'on p.25 - among the list of studies that has a peculiar meaning term correlated with it', and remarks that he thinks that there would be 'some interest in working out the characteristics of Interpretation as a psychological process'.

Typewritten copy of letter dated 11 August 1891. Says that her two pamphlets she sent him have greatly interested him; believes that her Great Cloud of Witnesses will be most improving to the reader, 'if it does not reduce him to a too depressing state of scepticism.' Observes that it is difficult 'to persuade a plain man to go through the process necessary to attain precision of thought': attempted to do something similar in The Principles of Political Economy, but fears that he 'bored the readers horribly'. Would much like to see Herbert Spencer's answer to her Apparent Paradox; refers to the belief in ancestral ghosts. If she wants 'to call Locke as a "witness", it would be easy to find suitable quotations in Chap. ix of Book III of the Essays on the Human Understanding, which deals with the "Imperfection of Words".' Also refers to 'Aphorism xv in [Bacon's] Novum Organum'. However, he believes modern instances to be more impressive, 'as it might be supposed that the progress of science had removed the evils pointed out by Bacon and Locke.'

Typewritten copy of letter dated 22 September 1893. Asks her to arrange for a search to be made of the room he occupied for some letters and postcards that he left behind there. Discusses Welby-Gregory's 'idea of "Significs" ', and asks what there is to be known about the relations of things beyond what is known of them already, what is the value or worth of things, and what is 'the ultimate End or Good to which all the processes of change in the world'. Says the last question is 'the fundamental question of philosophy', and discusses the likely reaction of the scientist and the logician to it.

Typewritten copy of letter dated 28 September 1893. Thanks her for sending him his postcards; explains that the latter 'belonged to a "case" in Psychical Research'. Returns an extract from the Pall Mall Gazette that she sent to him [not included]; calls it 'brightly written and instructive', and believes 'Miss Welby must have a decided talent for this sort of work'. Does not think that she has 'quite caught the salient points of Paulsen's work', but admits that this would be 'almost too much to expect in a brief notice of this kind.' Thanks her for her copies of Selections: will give one to Stout and distribute the others 'to persons who seem worthy of them'. Has read her paper and notes with much interest: thinks that he understands her view more clearly, but that the questions for which she seeks answers will really require a system of philosophy to answer them. Will have a clearer view when he learns the opinions of his 'logical friends' of the points urged 'in the other paper'.

States that 'having so long and so eagerly looked out for any request for "letters" 'the appearance of a notice in Macmillan's Magazine of the impending appearance of memoir with HS' letters has come as somewhat of a shock to her. Begs NS' forgiveness if she has sent any of the enclosed letters [included], but states that Miss C[arter] does not remember copying the latter. ClaiMS that if she ever tries 'to give some sketch of the inception and [ ]' of her work in ' "Significs" ' she would certainly have to refer to HS 'as being one of its first and greatest promoters.' Refers to the accompanying letters, and also to the assistance HS gave her in conversation on the matter. States that she will be sorry if none of the letters appeared in the memoir. Declares that she has often lately longed to tell HS 'of the abounding signs that the young world is beginning to see...that the key to one of the greatest of the human positions has been lost and must be found.' Predicts that she will not live to see the result of such finding, but states that it is enough to be allowed to help 'even so little or badly towards it'. Adds that there are many more short letters, but that they are chiefly about dates or places etc. Accompanied by envelope, addressed to NS at Newnham College, with MS notes in NS' handwriting: 'Lady Welby/Copies of letters from Henry/Received too late to be considered for Memoir'. (2 docs)

Typewritten copy of letter dated 28 November 1893: Has received the answers [not included] of 'the four logicians', including 'Miss Jones' and Venn, to whom he had undertaken to communicate Welby-Gregory's paper. Hopes that she will find the answers 'not uninteresting', and helpful to her purpose. Adds that he is inclined to agree most with 'Miss Jones' second thoughts.'

Typewritten copy of letter dated 23 November 1893. Regrets to hear that her health has caused so long an interruption in her work, and undertakes to communicate to his 'logical correspondents' her thanks for their comments on her criticisms. Sends back 'by the same post the untravelled copy' of her criticisms' [not included]; explains that he intends to keep the travelled copy provisionally in case he has an opportunity of showing it to 'some logician of a different school', whose comments on it, 'from a Hegelian point of view', might be of interest to her.

Expresses her sympathy to Nora Sidgwick on the death of her husband. States that Mrs Benson encouraged her to send Nora his letters [98/64-66] 'which are of public interest' in case she thinks they should be included in her memoir of Henry Sidgwick. Explains that she has only the duplicates of the letters, as the originals are locked up 'in the "plate-room" at home'. Wishes that she could have told Henry of her idea, which she suggested under the name 'Significs'; 'now being practically accepted [as of educational value] both [in England] and in Germany.' Complains that until the last few months 'any work of the kind has been impossible to [her]', and that she has had to lose precious years. Refers to Henry's splendid mind, 'and the patient kindness with which, in conversation, he would criticise and rectify [her] inevitable crudeness'.

Thanks Welby for sending him her two pamphlets [Ambiguities and Apparent Paradox], which he discusses. Declares that it is a difficult matter 'to persuade a plain man to go through the process necessary to attain precision of thought: it requires great literary skill in presenting the process.' Claims that he tried to do something of this sort in his Principles of Political Economy, but fears that he bored the readers. States that he would like to see Herbert Spencer's answer to Apparent Paradox. States that if she wants to call Locke as a witness 'it would be easy to find suitable quotations in Chap. IX of Book III of the Essay on Human Understanding, and that with regard to Bacon, there is Aphorism XV in the Novum Organum. Believes that modern instances are more impressive however.

Refers to Welby's idea of 'Significs', which, he believes, includes three inquiries. In relation to the inquiry into the meaning of things, he asks '[w]hat is there to be known about the relations of things beyond what we know already', and '[w]hat is the value or worth of things' or '[w]hat is the ultimate end or good to which all the processes of change in the world we know are really means'. Declares the latter as the fundamental question of philosophy, and discusses the likely reactions of 'the ordinary scientist' and the logician to it.

Apologises for the delay in replying to Welby with reference to her article in Mind. Explains that he has been very busy, and also claims that he does not think he could make any useful suggestions on the question of a paper for the International Congress of Psychology. With reference to her article, states that he agrees with her 'as to the utility of more careful and systematic reflection on the usage of the group of terms' discussed by her. Believes, however, that the question 'is mainly one for logicians rather than psychologists'. Does not believe that it is an appropriate topic for a psychological congress, 'especially as the Congress does not expressly include Inference (of which Interpretation is a species) among its topics'. Suggests 'Interpretation as a psychological process' as a title for her paper. Does not remember the topic being expressly treated in recent handbooks of psychology, and believes that it deserves systematic treatment. Observes that on page 25 she does not include psychology among the list of studies that has a peculiar meaning term correlated with it. Believes that there would be some interest in working out the characteristics of interpretation as a psychological process.

Typewritten copy of letter dated 19 January 1894. Decided not to send her paper to [Bernard] Bosanquet because he believed that there was a danger of his not understanding the exact aim of the criticism. Offers to send it, but suggests that if [Samuel] Alexander knows him and could see him it might be better to give it to Bosanquet through him. Is glad to hear that she is well enough 'to go on with this laborious task.' Sends greetings from Nora, who is in the midst of organising domestic matters, from which he says he takes refuge 'in Philosophy.'

Typewritten copy of letter dated 7 February 1894. Confesses that he has mislaid the copy of her 'indictment against Logicians'. Asks her to send him another copy of 'that part of the criticim which related to Bosanquet.' Undertakes to forward it along with the typewritten statement of her view enclosed in her last letter, and an explanatory note of his own.

Typewritten copy of letter dated 19 February 1894: Sends her Bosanquet's answer [see 105/45/8]:not included]. Adds that an Oxford friend of his once remarked to him that 'Bosanquet's Logic had the inconvenient peculiarity of not being intelligible in parts', and that one had to understand it all in order to understand any of it.