Ajanta. - Is not actually at Ajanta, but has recently been there, thinking about Trevelyan and Goldie [Dickinson]. Was successful, on his third attempt, in seeing the caves and spent a whole day there with the curator. Discusses the paintings. Wonders whether [Ghulam] Yazdani's books about Caves 1 and 2 are in the London Library; the illustrations much better there than in Lady [Christiana] Herringham's. Is grateful for Bessie's 'affectionate enquiries', about which he has heard from Aunt Rosalie. Is enjoying his visit to India very much. Only managed to talk to Suhrawardy briefly, at a buffet dinner: liked him very much. Liked Chanda less, as he found him 'inclined to score off other Indians', but found him 'very pleasant and amusing'. Chanda's brother [Apurba] is Principal at [Visva-Bharati] at Santiniketan, which Forster visited and found 'less shriney' than he expected, with 'some sensible remarks about Passed Master' [Tagore], though he was not impressed with educational standards there. Found Calcutta dreadful, and was very glad to arrive at Hyderabad and find five old friends to meet him. Bombay is improved; he writes from there; is staying with Madame [Sophia] Wadia, who runs the Indian P.E.N. [Hermon] Ould has had two spells in a Delhi hospital and is still ill; he is currently with a "Bombay Chronicle" journalist who will also want to talk to Forster. Hopes to be home around Christmas and to avoid Christmas at home, to help Agnes [Dowland, the maid at West Hackhurst].
61, Ripon Street, Calcutta. - Apologise for not writing sooner: has taken him a long time to settle down, but his books are still packed up as he cannot afford shelves. Has brought back Trevelyan's copy of [Arthur] Waley's book by mistake; will return it soon. Dull in Calcutta, but [Apurba?] Chanda is currently posted here so he has a friend; as he is a widower he does not go like the others do to the zenana [women's quarters] at dusk. Longs for Europe; went to a cinema to watch a film showing Paris, which made him very unhappy. It is very warm, though others find it cold; Bessie must have suffered during the cold, though he knows Trevelyan is 'impervious' to it. Has eight M.A. students, to whom he teaches History of Classical Art and its relations to Indian and Central Asian Art. The only break in his routine has been the visit of the M.C.C.: did not know which side to back. India 'very slow politically'. His friends [Germanova and Kalitinsky] write him distressing letters: they are very worried that they cannot pay Trevelyan off. They have been trying to sell the flat to return the money, but have not succeeded; they must have written to suggest Trevelyan taking it over. He should do what he thinks best; they are very worried that his money is 'tied up & so badly invested' in the depression. Has done no literary work, and is getting to be a 'narrow specialist'. Asks to be remembered to the [Clifford] Allens.
40 Theatre Road, Calcutta. - Wrote last November but received no reply, so is trying once more: asks if he could recommend a young man to the Master of Trinity [Trevelyan's brother George] for admission next Michaelmas. The usual way is to approach the Master through the High Commissioner, but is afraid that 'our best men do not get places in the good colleges' since these are 'reserved for sons of people who have rendered loyal service to government'. Has know the young man since childhood, and he is the nephew of their mutual friend Apurva Chanda. Had news of Trevelyan from [E.M.] Forster when he was here for the P.E.N. conference. Hopes Bessie and Ursula got the packages of tea and butter he sent from Darjeeling. Enjoyed reading Trevelyan's study of Chinese poetry ["From the Chinese"]. He himself studied Chinese intensively for two years, learning about two thousand characters; unfortunately he is now forgetting them all as the Chinese community in Calcutta diminishes. Has translated the poems of Lee How Chu [Li Yu] with the help of a Chinese poet [Liu Yih-ling]; the book is with a local publisher and he will send a copy when it comes out. Is afraid he may not be able to come over in England as he had planned; only people 'living at Delhi and known to the Viceroy and his councillors' are getting foreign missions and passages. Andriusha [Kalitinsky] and his wife had a daughter last October; longs to meet [Trevelyan's grandson] Philip Erasmus and was very touched by his poem on him.
Calcutta. - Letter of introduction to Arindam Dutt, who is coming to England to study for the Bar and join a British university; his father, Charu Dutt, a retired Civil Service man is 'one of the finest men in India'. Young Dutt will try to get into Cambridge through the 'usual wearisome official channels' such as the India High Commissioner's office; should he fail, Suhrawardy asks if Trevelyan can give him an introduction to Lowes Dickinson, Keynes, or his brother [George]. Also asks if Trevelyan can invite Dutt to his club; fears he will have a lonely time at first. Has been enjoying "The Fountain", by [Charles] Morgan, which has much about Holland and the Dutch; thought Bessie might be interested, if she has not read it. A postscript notes that their mutual friend Chanda has married young Dutt's only sister.
Calcutta. - Apologises for typing - it is 'too hot and clammy' to write by hand. Glad to hear that Trevelyan has invited his friends [the Germanova/Kalitinsky household] to visit the Shiffolds; it will be very good for Andriusha to come to England, and perhaps Trevelyan might have time to take him to Cambridge to see the University. He feels very far away, and fears that the reference Trevelyan made to Ulysses and his dog [Argos] in his poetic epistle to him may come true: feels Rex [his dog]'s reproach keenly, but does not see how he could return to Europe with no work. Talk of offering him a University Professorship in Indian Fine Arts; is not particularly keen, but would get a year's study leave at once to spend in Europe. Sure Trevelyan will do all he can to fix him up at the League [of Nations]; it would be useful if [Clifford] Allen could talk to Albert Thomas or other Secretariat official.
Trevelyan must have heard of Andriusha's 'wonderful success'; a shame he cannot go to see Madame Germanova play at the Pitoëff's. Sometimes has news of Julian from his friends in Paris; worries that he might not make as many friends there as in Cambridge, he is 'really much too nice and clever for the ineffectual Monte[p]arnasse set'. Is looking forward to Trevelyan's next book of poems ["Rimeless Numbers"]; has been talking to mutual friends about him, such as his old Oxford friend [Apurba Kumar?] Chanda, Principal of Chittagong College, and Arun Sen, a barrister who knew Lowes Dickinson at Cambridge. There is also Abany Banerjee, also a barrister, who used to be prominent in the 1917 Club. The reading of post-Tennysonian English poetry he had to do for his two lectures at Hyderabad has inspired him to write some poetry again, 'under the influence of such diverging people as Kipling, Housman and Yeats'; will send them later. Encloses two photographs taken at the Singhs' at Bhagalpur.