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Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - The Sykes-Davieses are coming to lunch on Sunday; has also asked Hugh to let Bob know where the [Apostles] Society will meet on Saturday night; might be a good idea for Bob to attend after dinner here with Janet, since George has to be in London that night at the [British] Academy dinner, though he is free all of Sunday. Sorry that Bessie cannot come.

King's College Cambridge. - Thanks Trevelyan for letting him know about the "Abinger Chronicle", to which he will subscribe for at least six months. The [Apostles'] Society has met for the last time this term, probably for the duration of the war. [Matthew?] Hodgart has been called up: he read a very good paper on 'Truth' from the Marxist angle, at the meeting when Wallich and Hobsbawm were elected; G. M. Trevelyan was there, in fine form. Now only Luce, Champernowne and the two 'newly-born' are left: Andreas Mayor is training for the infantry; Wilfrid Noyce is the only active member of the society to object, and with a Quaker ambulance in Birmingham; Oliver Kisch is working for his final law exam in London and waiting for a commission in the Tanks. A postscript records that he has met [Hugh] Sykes Davies in a pub, who took him to a far corner to talk 'sedition'.

26 Brunswick Square W.C.1. - Sends an enclosure, with reference to a refugee and to Whiting, whom 'we have heard nothing against.' Was sorry to hear of Bob's loneliness, which he hadn't realised; they have always been friends but never spoken on intimate personal matters, while the 'other road to intimacy' lying through literary interests 'doesn't mean much' to Forster. Hugh Sykes Davies came to tea and spoke affectionately of the Trevelyans.

26 Brunswick Square W.C.1. - Is glad that 'L. Penrose's reply' [original enclosure of 3/167?], though late, was not out of place; will give him Bessie's message. Would like to lunch on Wednesday. Is sorry to hear that there have been difficulties with Hugh S.D. [Sykes Davies]: Forster met him by chance in the London Library; talked in friendly way about the Trevelyans.

Furzen Wood, addressed to Julian at 7 Villa Brune, Paris XIVᵉ, France. - Lascelles and Catherine Abercrombie will be in Paris on their way to Greece from 19-27 March, staying at the Trianon Palace Hotel. They have 'lots of engagements', but would like to see Julian, so perhaps he could look them up at their hotel. Has written to [Hugh and Kathleen] Sykes [Davies] inviting them to visit. Has just heard from Terence [Gray] that he may want to do [Bob's [ranslation of Sophocles'] "Antigone" next term; supposes he will give him 'leave to misproduce it'.

Addressed to Julian at the American Hospital of Paris, Boulevard Victor Hugo, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France then forwarded to 7 Villa Brune, Paris, then again to the Shiffolds. - Very sorry to hear that Julian has been ill; he will have got Bob's telegram. Bessie returns from staying with the Toveys this afternoon. If Julian gets out of the hospital soon and comes over to England, he should bring the report from the hospital doctor. [Hugh] Sykes Davies, who is at the Shiffolds for a few days, sends his love and hopes Julian will be able to come over before he himself leaves. Bob does not suppose from what Julian writes that the illness is serious, and expects he will soon be better, but it 'must be a nuisance'.

W[est] H[ackhurst]. Note at top of letter reads 'FOR BOB OR BESSIE', but it is addressed to 'Dear Bessie'. - Does not think she need worry about Florence and Margaret; when he saw Florence recently she was 'comfortably in bed', and when he rang on Tuesday Harriet said she was much better. Believes that Margaret's x-ray was satisfactory; she is 'now in the non-danger ward, and quite bright'. Expects Florence will write to Bessie later; she is resting as much as she can, and Harriet deals with phone calls.

His mother has been ill with 'cold, weakness, etc'; she has now recovered but is 'by now means the better for her illness'. Has concealed from her the 'extremer side of Margaret's trouble: said it was just a tumble'. Feels 'sick of everyone's health, including my own'.

Turns to 'a different kind of nuisance', which he was going to write about to Bob. Asks whether he has any news of Hugh Sykes Davies, who is 'giving a lot of trouble to the London Library'; he has books out worth over seven pounds, and 'won't answer letters'. Forster thinks this has been going on for over a year'. Wrote to him at the Committee's request via The Shiffolds about six months ago, and received no answer; the Committee have also written 'fruitlessly through their solicitor, and are contemplating prosecution, though they hate the idea'; Ilchester [the President] particularly has been 'very nice about it'. If Sykes Davies would 'only write, and acknowledge his existence and his whereabouts they would probably calm down'; wonders whether Bob could 'have a try at him', and fears that he is 'one who, when in trouble, always runs deeper into his hole'.

If his mother keeps well, they hope Bob will visit; he has 'already favoured Molly'.

W[est] H[ackhurst]. - Thanks Bessie for her letter; will be 'interested to read Sykes Davies' when it comes'. Will not write to him again, and 'of course... will not put the Committee on to his new address [see ADD/TRER/52]. Hopes she will be able to persuade Sykes Davies to return the books; thinks that if the Library had them back 'it wouldn't worry over his lapsed subscription'. He and his mother are very glad 'the honeysuckle travelled well'; they enjoyed Bessie's call 'so much', and hopes she calls again.

West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Asks if he could visit to take a hot bath. which he needs to do for his 'wound' [following a prostate operation]. He is improving but cannot yet walk any distance. Thanks Trevelyan for his letter: he remembers 'the noise, even when untipsied,of the Provencals'. Should like to see Hugh Sykes Davies. Has read all of Paradise Lost.

Furzen Wood. - Glad to hear this morning that Julian is all right; hopes he will manage to see the Abercrombies [Lascelles and Catherine?] and that the Luces [Gordon and Tee Tee] will see them too. Is going into a nursing home in London on Wednesday for an operation, which 'is not at all dangerous' but will mean a stay of around a month; hopes this will not affect Bessie's visit to Paris, as she ought to go while the Luces are still there. Will have to put off seeing [Hugh?] Sykes; asks if St John's College, Cambridge will be enough as an address. Asks Julian to tell the Luces, [Hasan] Suhr[awardy] and [Maria] Germanova not to worry, and not to do so himself. Saw Julian Bell last week at the Woolfs, and 'had some interesting talk with him'.

Thanks Julian for his letter; asks him to let them know next time whether [Maria] Germanova, [Aleksandr] K[alitinski] and Rex [their dog] are living in [Hasan] Suhrawardy's rooms or elsewhere, whether they are very uncomfortable, and whether they have heard when Suhrawardy is returning, as he was 'very vague' in his last letter, though he seemed to like Bob's "Epistle" to him. Terence [Gray] and [Frank] Birch seem to want to produce his translation of Euripides' "Medea" at the end of May; thinks this means Birch rather than Terence, and perhaps he will like his production more than he usually does Terence's. Does not know whom they have chosen to play Medea, and fears it will be 'no one adequate'; Germanova is 'out of the question... after the fiasco of Terence trying to get her for nothing last year'; in addition she would need weeks of study and coaching to do it in English, even if she could leave Kalitinski, which she clearly cannot; asks Julian to say how Kalitinski is now. Bessie is distributing the notices for [George] Reavey's book ["Faust’s Metamorphoses: Poems"]; Bob thinks it would be better if they had a sample of the poetry as well as the drawings. Sends his love to [Jean] Marchand, if Julian sees him again. Will not go to Paris at Easter, nor to Wallington for Kitty's wedding, but stay at the Shiffolds. C.A. [Clifford Allen] is 'fairly well', but has 'ups and downs'; Bob is going with the Allens to see René Clair's ["À nous la] Liberté" on Thursday, but otherwise he 'plug[s] away at [his translation of] Lucretius"; will soon have to get in touch with [Hugh] Sykes Davies again. Julian's Mount Athos picture 'looks very well on the floor still'; must put it up over the fireplace. Quotes a poem by Po Chu-I [Bai Juyi] about his study. Things are going more smoothly at Edinburgh now; thinks [his and Tovey's opera "The Bride of Dionysus"] will be better sung and produced than last time.

Sends the address of the hotel where B.B. [Bernard Berenson] and Nicky [Mariano] are staying in Paris, though Julian may not return soon enough to see them. [Hasan] Suhrawardy is in Paris so Julian will see him; gives his new telephone number. Originally enclosing a cutting from the "Man[chester] Guardian", though Julian has probably heard more about it. Expects he will go abroad early in December. [Donald] Tovey is better; may come to the Shiffolds for a while with his nurse next month. C.A. [Clifford Allen] is 'also fairly well', though he has 'become very critical of the P.M. [Ramsay MacDonald] and will soon probably criticise him openly'; all this though is too complicated for a letter. Hopes Julian's film is going well and that the weather will allow him to finish it this year. He and Bessie are both 'quite well'. Has not been able to get an answer from [Hugh] Sykes Davies, so will have to go to Cambridge soon to see him.

Empire Nursing Home, Vincent Square, London, S.W.1. - Is getting on very well now [after his operation] with little discomfort. Bessie reads Trollope to him most afternoons, and he usually has visitors each day: T[homas] S[turge] Moore is coming to tea today. Hopes Bessie will go to Paris next week, then on to Holland: no reason for her not to now Bob is 'so well' and go to the C.A.s [Clifford Allens] for the first couple of weeks after he leaves the nursing home. He works through chess games in the papers, and has just been looking at the tournament between Cambridge and Oxford, in which the marks were equal; Bronowski, whom he supposes is Julian's friend [Jacob] 'lost his game rather disastrously'. Terence Gray wants to do Bob's [translation of Euripides'] "Medea"in May, which he has agreed to but now regrets; Gray is trying to get [Maria] Germanova for Medea, but 'wants her to do it for nothing'; Bob has telegraphed to her saying she should 'on no account... accept the engagement. It is too monstrous'; Gray probably wants him to step in and pay Germanova himself, which he will not, as he will not be able to get to rehearsals and go through the part with her; Gray is also intending to put Medea in a mask, which is 'the height of folly' regarding Germanova. Unlikely Germanova would have been able to take the part with her husband [Aleksandr Kalitinsky] so ill. Wonders if [Hasan Shahid] Suhrawardy has gone to India yet and whether he has finished his book. Hopes Julian is getting on well with his work; frescos must be 'fun to try', though expects Julian is 'likely to make rather a mess at first'. [Étienne Adolphe?] Piot was 'technically quite competent' but artistically bad. Asks to be remembered to [George] Reavey, and to [Jean] Marchand if Julian sees him. Hopes Bessie will come to Paris next week, and see the Luce family. He and Bessie had hoped to see the Sykes family this month, but had to put it off; supposes [Hugh]'s exams are coming up anyway.