The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - Bessie should not mind her feeling [that a recent musical occasion would not have felt the same with Bob there]; he would not want her to be at [an Apostle's] Society discussion, as she would be 'a little out of her element', and he will likewise never be musically minded' however many concerts he go to; though he will want to 'know and try to sympathise with' her musical friends as she will 'to a far greater extent and more easily' with his friends. She is ''"Apostolic" in... intellect and Nature', though she cannot become a brother, whereas he could never be thought of as an 'Embryo' in music, however much trouble she took with him. However, does enjoy music, such as the Isaye [sic: Ysaÿe] concert last Monday, who played Schubert and Beethoven, and the song recital by [Blanche] Marchesi on Tuesday; she sang some melancholy songs by [Adolf] Jensen, and part of César Franck's "Ruth". Has been reading Heine's songs with a translation, and likes them, but not as much as those by Goethe, which seem as great, and in the same sort of way' as those by Shakespeare and Sappho. Mrs [Helen] Fry is still not well; has lent her 'lots of novels, which she reads very fast'; she sends Bessie her love. Still thinks the Lakes will be best for their honeymoon; asks advice on the trousers he should get for the wedding day. Lists some books he owns; Sophie [Wicksteed] is giving them a complete Carlyle; Bessie should keep any book that has meaning for her. The Insleys told him the correct spelling of his address was 'Westcot', but supposes he should follow modern fashion. Has read some more of the new poems [Thomas Sturge] Moore lent to Binyon; one 'about the dead Don Juan' is very original. Has not done much work recently; hopes to get the first two acts finished before going abroad. Is going to stay with the Holman Hunts before going to Cornwall; Hunt's 'painting is now no good' but he is charming and 'full of reminiscences of Rossetti, Millais and the rest'. Asks if she knows of the Dutch poet Piet Paaltjens. Read a poem of Heine in which he compared his wife to 'Schlangen' [snakes] and himself to Laocoon; wishes Bessie 'would come swimming over the sea, like the snakes in Virgil'. Fears he cannot get her [magic] carpet at 'Cardinal and Harvards; it is too oriental even for them'.
3, Hare Court, Inner Temple. - Is soon starting for Paddington to catch the train to Cornwall. Yesterday, heard [Roger] Fry's last lecture and saw the Sickerts, then went to Holman Hunt's. They were 'very nice, and so was their beautiful daughter, Gladys'; though Hunt is sometimes a little tedious. Mrs Holman Hunt would like to meet Bessie. Draws an eye to look at her and lips to kiss her.
The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - Is sure things will improve and she must not worry; as his mother says, 'it is really rather... a storm in a teacup'; it is nothing to compare to the happiness that will soon be theirs. Though he often fails 'through weakness and idleness', his life 'has been passionately devoted... to the best and most beautiful things which [his] imagination can attain to' and hers will be as well; lists all that will be good in their lives. Will write again to the consul [Henry Turing] if he does not hear from him today, since they need to know whether he can come on the 7th [June]; has also not heard from Sir Henry Howard, through whom he sent the letter; will send the second letter direct to Turing. There has been some delay at the lawyers about the settlements; has written to tell them to speed up. Bessie should tell him if he need do anything else regarding the marriage conditions her uncle sent. Thinks he may come over on 12 or 13 June. Meta Smith, his aunt Margaret's daughter, has sent a silver inkstand, and Mrs Holman Hunt a piece of Japanese silk. Had a good time at Cambridge: saw Mrs McTaggart, a 'nice quiet sort of person'; Tom Moore read his play and thinks it should come out well though he has pointed out 'some serious faults and suggested alterations'; Moore is going to give him a lot of his woodcuts, and has begun an Epithalamium for them, though since he has not got on with it says they should defer the wedding for a month. Asks what he should do about the Apostles' dinner; it will be 'quite exceptional this year', Harcourt is president and everyone will come; would very much like to go but will not break their honeymoon if she does not wish it. Very keen to go to the lakes eventually, but they could spend a few days before the dinner at Blackdown among his 'old haunts'; Mrs Enticknap's aunt lives in a farmhouse a mile from Roundhurst, which would be perfect. Hopes [Alice and Herbert] Jones' visit has been a success. [Desmond] MacCarthy is coming tomorrow for a few days and [Oswald?] Sickert on Sunday for the day. Will see [the Frys] this evening and discuss colours for the walls. Thinks [Charles] Sanger is very happy; is not entirely sure [about the marriage], since 'Dora has behaved so strangely', but everything seems to be coming right. Has ben reading Emerson on poetry and imagination and thinks it 'amazingly fine and right'. Most people think "Pères et enfants [Fathers and Sons]" is Turgenev's best book; he himself does not like the ending but finds the book charming; has heard the French translation, the only one he has read, is better than the German or English one - Sickert says so and he is half-German. Has ordered the trousers, and found the catalogue so will order the beds and so on next week. Glad Bessie got on with her socialist sister [Theodora]. has just had a note from Sir Henry Howard saying 7 June will suit Turing; she should let her uncle know. Does not think there will be further delay with the legal papers.
3, Hare Court, Inner Temple. - Is glad that matters are resolving themselves, even if not in an ideal way; does not think her uncle 'had any right' to speak of them as he did, but since he has thereby found a way out of the difficulty, they must not mind, though it was he who caused the difficulty and did not write directly to Bob's father about his objections [to inviting the Howards to the wedding]. Thinks Bessie should not have written to his father instead of showing the letter to her family at once, but it was an understandable mistake. His mother was very sympathetic and wise about everything this morning. A shame Ambro [Hubrecht] altered the letter, but he might have been the one to 'bring him to reason'. He and his family do not want the religious marriage, neither does she, so there is no need for it; 'absurd' to suggest that Sir H[enry Howard] cares; his father will probably 'settle that difficulty in his letter'. There was a small delay with the legal papers, which are being sent today; would perhaps be best for him to stay in England until they are signed. Will probably go to Roundhurst with the Frys for a night on Friday. Must not take her uncle being hard on them too much to heart; he is wrong, so she can laugh at him privately; 'it is a great thing to laugh at people; it is much better than being bitter'. His father is very relieved and now wants to come to the wedding very much. Had a good time with MacCarthy and [Oswald?] Sickert, though he was anxious about Bessie. Is glad she likes the idea of going to Haslemere first. Thinks he told her that the [Apostles'] dinner is in London, not Cambridge, and they might stay the night there before going North. Berenson and some of his other friends have got together to buy the clavichord painted by Mrs Fry. He likes it very much 'as a work of art', as he likes almost all of her work; also as an instrument, though not as much as the Frys and Dolmetsch do. Will send her the list of contributors soon. The Holman Hunts have sent a 'charming piece of old Japanese print'. Will bring over his frock coat, new blue suit and new country suit; does not think he needs his London clothes, which are 'very old and shabby'. Needs a new topper [top hat]. Asks whether he should cross to Flushing or the Hoek.
Adds a postscript saying that he has been to a 'very amusing farce with [Henry Francis?] Previté', with 'lots of very good things in it about falling in love' which interested him more than would have been the case in 'the old days'. It was by [George] Bernard Shaw ["You Never Can Tell"?], whom Bessie may not have heard of. Will write tonight to Berenson and some of his 'clavichord friends'; his letter to the servants apparently pleased them very much. Sanger is 'at this moment writing to Dora on the same table'.
Draycott Lodge, Fulham. - Offers congratulations on his engagement to a 'charming lady'; thought he was in Italy; hopes he will come and see them as he 'used to', and wonders if he will be free on 11 or 12 April.
Draycott Lodge, Fulham. - [Her daughter] Gladys says that Trevelyan appreciates Japanese art; hopes therefore he will 'find a corner in [his] hew home for this little piece of embroidery, which tries to vie with the young grass for brightness'. Hopes she will have chance to meet his fiancée one day.
Strafford House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Dated 29/3/16 - Was only in London for the day of the lecture and saw only Moncrieff and Dr Sutherland Black, will be back to see Mrs Holman Hunt at the weekend; glad to hear he is giving the Huxley Lecture, it was 'worth being born to have known him'; takes refuge from the awful war in the calm pages of great thinkers.
29 Beaufort St, Chelsea:- Has seen his mother's letter to Charlie; is glad to hear the journey 'has been so far so delightful'. Wonders if they will go on to Ravenna; since the weather is fine, he hopes they will. Once had 'an hour' in Bologna, 'chiefly a flying visit to the gallery'; thought that it 'with its collonades [sic] and fascinating though somewhat ugly towers seemed quite unlike any other town in Italy', and would have liked to see more of it.
Hopes to see Charles today: has not seen him for a long time. Bernard Shaw came to dinner with them [Robert and Roger Fry] recently: they had 'the greatest difficult in getting him to eat or drink anything', and he would 'scarcely eat' a risotto they had 'specially prepared for him, because he detected a flavour of animal gravy in it'. Shaw 'made up for his fastidiousness by talking the whole evening', and Robert 'was very glad to listen'; has written a one act play about Napoleon [The Man of Destiny, first performed in Nov 1897], and has been 'studying military history for some time'. Robert thinks he ought to 'turn out something original in the Napoleonics'.
Roger has 'practically finished his portrait of Mrs W[iddrington?]', having 'considerably altered the face' since Robert's mother saw it, 'when it was very unsatisfactory'; Robert now thinks it 'very good'. To Roger's 'great amusement', the 'O. B. [Oscar Browning]' has commissioned a portrait from him.
Saw the Holman Hunts last Sunday; they were 'charmed' by the flowers his mother sent them. The 'old boy is painting a picture which promises to be the ugliest he has yet done. It has great merit in many ways, but in his old age he he seems to have lost all idea of what combinations of colours are beautiful'. Is going this evening to a 'Mottle concert [one conducted by Felix Mottl?]': has not heard except the Mikado for a 'dangerously long time*. Hopes his father is 'enjoying himself, and is reading his Dante regularly'.
18 Melbury Road, Kensington, W.14. - Congratulates Frazer; his 'ardent words on France' at the Antiquaries a few nights before were very refreshing.
8 Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - The wedding [between George and Janet Trevelyan] is over, and now the family is 'all married'; wishes Robert and Elizabeth had been there as it was a nice, well arranged occasion. She, Sir George, and Booa [Mary Prestwich] arrived by train in Oxford just in time for the Registry, which was 'in a shabby little first floor room', made nice with 'carpet & flowers' but much inferior to the Hague; description of the short ceremony there, with only the 'nearest relations' and some of George's friends. They then went to [Manchester] College to meet the friends who had just arrived by special train from London. The chapel is 'extremely pretty, with lovely Burne-Jones windows'. Order of service originally enclosed; describes the address, in which 'there was nothing the least doctrinal, but it was very high toned & 'ethical'". Many guests, including Meggy [Price], Annie [Philips], Harry Greg, 'a number of Wards & Arnolds & Croppers', the 'H.Y.T.s' [Harry Yates Thompson and his wife], 'the Bell connection, & the Stanleys in numbers'. Also Mrs [Alice] Green, Henry James, 'Ritchies, Freshfields, Sidgwicks, Mr [Hugh?] Clifford, the Holman Hunts, Russells, Muggins Runcimans', many Oxford people and 'an array of George's friends'.
They then went into the library, a 'fine room with beautiful woodwork, & painted windows, & a statue of Dr [James] Martineau' for tea, took the special train back and were in London by 6 pm. Sir George was unwell with a bad cold for two days before, but got through; it was a warm day and he does not seem worse this morning. George and Janet went to 'a quiet place in Surrey' for a few days then on to Cornwall; will then return to London to 'put their house in order & go abroad'. Describes Janet's wedding dress and travelling dress.
Received the box of things from Taormina yesterday [see 11/93]; 'very nice, & just suitable for a bazaar'; will write and thank Madame Grandmont [Bramine Hubrecht] for ordering them. Sir George sends love, and thanks for Robert's last letter; he is reading Lord Acton's letters 'with amusement and interest', having had to stop work for a while; she thinks 'working too long at the B.M. [British Museum] made him ill' and is 'sure it is full of germs'. Charles and Mary were 'much to the front' at the wedding, and Mary looked 'magnificent'; dined with them last week in North Street, where everything is arranged nicely. Supposes Robert and Elizabeth will return to lots of business about the new house and hopes it goes well: 'the old judge [Sir Roland Vaughan Williams] has had plenty more time to think it over'. Sir John Swinburne's engagement has been broken off. Hester Lyttelton and Victoria Buxton are both going to be married.