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Pension Bruhn, Nürnbergerstr. 65, Berlin IV; addressed to them at Beethovenlaan, Hilversum, Holland. - Is worried that Donald [Tovey] who needs a cure, has no more of his medicine. Asks if they could write to Margaret Parratt asking her to tell Herbert in Egham at once to send two bottles, not directly to Donald but to Mrs Trevelyan at the Shiffolds. This is the new tonic he last received from the doctor. Would be very grateful. Bessie Trevelyan already cares for Donald; asks if they know she is also Dutch.

Written on the train, postmarked London S.W. - Theseus' comment after the gates [of the Labyrinth, in "The Bride of Dionysus"] is not in his copy, asks Trevelyan to send it c/o Dr Strecker, 23 Kaiserstrasse, so that Tovey can unite it with 'a beautiful setting'.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Good to hear Julian is doing well; she and Sir George will visit on 20 October; not sure how much she will be doing in London, since she wants to see pictures and perhaps go to the theatre, so may not stay the night. Must be very interesting to see Mr [Donald] Tovey at work; sure Elizabeth will help him a little 'by "intelligent sympathy"'. A postscript notes that she 'must remember the homespun [?] next year'.

Postmarked Egham. - Asks for permission for an alteration [to Act I of "The Bride of Dionysus"]. Jokingly reads 'conk-music' instead of 'conch-music' and asks if the Nereids are singing through their noses.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Wishes Bessie could come tomorrow; would like very much to see her and she would have been a real help in entertaining 'these kind people'; has had her worst heart attack for some time so 'everything seems more difficult'. Believes that the 'Edinburgh Professorship is a bogus affair'; she understood that 'it just stood for the money' or she 'would not have secured Donald [Tovey]'s getting it'; hopes he resigns soon. Also cannot finance 'a large artistic undertaking' [Donald's concerts in Germany?] unless she is sure 'the artist has honestly done his work' which she believes is 'a physical impossibility' in Edinburgh. Would have been glad if he had spent the autumn in Germany practising; will write him his decision at the end of August.

The trustee in [Sir John] Withers's firm is H[enry] G[eorge] A[usten] Duckworth, a cousin of Virginia Woolf's; is sending him the letter from Drummonds [Bank] and expects he will deal with it. Hopes to see Julian at the concert on Thursday; is going with Betty Muntz, and hopes Bessie will also come. Saw Ursula last night. Donald [Tovey]'s symphony at Edinburgh went quite well, though the attendance was not large. Has been 'so rushed with proofs' and his visit to Edinburgh that he has not had time to look at [a book by Georges?] Duthuit; will either send it back soon or bring it to the concert.

Postmarked Englefield Green, S. O. - 'Nineteenthly': would like to retain some of the 'bracketed portion of Minos's interludes' [in Act I of "The Bride of Dionysus"]. Asks if Trevelyan could either visit or put him up for the weekend, which would ensure he finished the act before term begins properly.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Arrangements for Donald [Tovey]'s visit to the Trevelyans; is very glad he is going to them, as the excitement over what she begins to think 'is a disastrous "Professorship" [at Edinburgh University]' has made him ill again and nothing is better for him than their 'quiet company'. He has been rushing around, to Edinburgh and then to the Plymouths at Cardiff, and is now back 'looking ill as can be' and 'full of grievances' against her, which is better than Dr Stanford like the last time. He has broken his promise to her not to take up the Professorship until after the German concerts; nobody except 'stupid old Niecks' thought he would take it at once. Is sure he will not practise or take good care of himself; angry at the thought of him being 'entrapped into two lectures' a day except Friday; it 'is in the Tovey blood to allow yourself to be made cheap'. Sigmar told her the music students 'mostly young women, are the worse sort of amateurs'; is sure Donald will tire of it before long; the real misfortune is his endangerment of 'this splendid chance in what is his real field'. Regrets the chances he has already thrown away. Will send a bottle of his new tonic and asks Bessie to give him two doses a day. Wants to Bessie before leaving for her holiday and will try to do so next week; a postscript notes that Donald's symphony is still not rewritten.

Emsworth House, Emsworth, Hants. - Has looked into his notes for the story he wrote, and found a copy of an article about Sven Hedin's discoveries in the Teklamakan desert which had a short passage with the information that served as his inspiration. Responding to 'Uncle Don's' offer to do research into the story, he quotes from this passage at length. Comments that 'Mr Trevelyan' will be probably be able to tell Uncle Don about Fa Hsien, who introduced Buddhism into China, and, 'having travelled through the desert to China' returned with a tale about a beautiful city in the desert, destroyed because of the wickedness of its inhabitants; would like to know more about Fa Hsien and his book, and believes there is an English translation as 'Kipling mentions it as "Beal and Stanislas Julien" in Kim'. Does not expect Mr Trevelyan has the book, but would be very grateful if Uncle Don could find a fuller account of Fa Hsien's tale, or any more information about the desert cities; wonders if [Herbert?] Giles discusses them in the book Uncle Don told him about. Hopes he is well, and that Aunt Grettie is better; tells him to come to the sports [day at school?] if he can; it will probably be about the middle of June.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Wants to cut some lines in the dialogue at the end of the act [Act I of "The Bride of Dionysus"] to keep the music moving; has never tried to keep music going for more than sixteen minutes before, and doing so for an hour is a 'simply terrific' strain. Suggests how to do this.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Was judging at the Exhibition on Saturday; 'Sunday we went to Church!'; Sir George read his chapter to her for two hours on Monday. Elinor Middleton, Kenneth Swan and 'M. Burnett' have been staying with them; tomorrow it is the tenants' party. Sir George was very pleased to have Julian's photograph; intends to come to see him in the autumn. Theo and Humphry have had measles and are recovering; Mary shows no sign of it; the children's visit may be delayed a little but George comes on the 31st. The [Henry Yates] Thompsons visit soon. Pleased to have good news of Julian; would like to see a photograph of him in the donkey cart. Hopes they are enjoying Mr [Donald] Tovey's visit and that he is better.

Continues the letter after having been interrupted by Mary and her guests Mr and Mrs Runciman, then 'the children with the poney [sic]'; Pauline is 'beginning to ride nicely'. Has read Rosalind Murray's The Leading Note, which is 'nice and simple, but a girl of that age does not know enough to write a novel'. Hopes Robert is enjoying having 'Ariadne clothed and adorned [by Tovey's composition of the score of The Bride of Dionysus].

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Writes with the news that 'the Edinburgh people have elected Donald [Tovey: to the Chair of Music at Edinburgh University]. He says he is 'going North at once', but is keeping an engagement with Tom Spring Rice on Friday and going to the Plymouths on Saturday; there are then just a few days for her to 'talk things over with him, settle up our money affairs etc' and for him to see his doctor; she is sure though that he will want to go to the Trevelyans on Monday and Tuesday. Hopes the Doctor will tell him 'it is dangerous to undertake too much'; begs Bessie to 'head him off the Opera ["The Bride of Dionysus] this year and get him to practise. He acknowledged to her and Fritz Busch yesterday that the German concert are the most important things for him since his career began, and that he 'urgently needs' to practise, yet he insists on teaching in Edinburgh this autumn, 'almost entirely for the benefit of the daughters of the bourgeoisie', rather than working on his opera ["The Bride of Dionysus"] and has not practised or rewritten his symphony while Methuen clamour for his Beethoven book. Will 'leave no stone unturned' next year, if Donald is not too much under pressure, to get him to finish the opera and have it produced. Will cancel the concerts in Holland if he does not practise and send Kate [Friskin?] there, but it is the German concerts which matter and both she and Fritz Busch think Donald's 'tone has grown hard and thin from want of intensive practice'; asks for Bessie's help. They were very glad to see her on Friday. A separate sheet, which seems to be a postscript, notes that Dr Cottle was 'not at all satisfied with Donald', who must diet and has a 'rotten pulse'; hopes that Donald will be more careful; if she cannot cope with the anxiety she will sell up 'and take a place in Edinburgh' though she 'thoroughly hate[s] it'.

120 Maida Vale, W. - Asks whether Trevelyan thought he had 'forgotten all about the Centaurs and the Amazons', or had no mannners because he did not write with thanks for "[The Bride of] Dionysus". Was much 'preoccupied', but has now 'broken the back of [Samuel] Butler's notebooks' and is reading through the typescript of the book ["The Note-Books of Samuel Butler"]. Feels 'rather exhausted' as the editing has been so 'long and troublesome', and he does not know how much he will have to redo. Has however read Sturge Moore's two poems and returns them; they 'contain many fine things' but are not really in 'his line' and he finds them 'a little dull'. The piece Desmond [MacCarthy] showed him and sent to the "New Quarterly", about 'a man in the Bible who got into difficulties with his dramatic gods' was 'duller'. "Dionysus" is his next job, but he may be distracted by organisation for the fifth Erewhon Dinner: Edmund Gosse has fixed the date for 12 July, and cards are being printed. Hopes that Trevelyan will come. Turned sixty-one the other day and cannot do as much as he used to, so the quantity of correspondence associated with the dinner will be tiring. Looking forward to going to Sicily the day afterwards. Went to Paris at Easter; then to Scotland at Whitsun, where he went fishing for the first time and thinks he hooked a fish though 'he wriggled off before I could get him into the boat'. Thanks Trevelyan for sending the book; hopes [Donald Tovey's] music will please him, and that the opera will 'be a great success & cause a furore'. His sister has gone to Norway for a month's holiday. Asks whether Trevelyan has sent the names of people who want to 'become Erewhonians'.

Asks if Julian and Ursula could come to stay at the Shiffolds next weekend; has to go away to see Donald [Tovey] for the weekend on Saturday the 20th, so Bessie will be alone except for Miss Simpkins; she has to 'keep very quiet' and 'not read at all'. She has had some improvement in her eye, but not enough, so the doctors say she must give it a chance by lying down more. She is also writing to the Sturge Moores, who may be able to help. Tried to call Julian and Ursula and hear they are in Devon; asks if they can get in touch as soon as they return. Supposes they saw the 'Italian pictures' in Paris.

Postmarked Windsor. - '6th & lastly', asks for an emendation indicating that the whole sea is calmed before T[heseus], as Poseidon's son [in "The Bride of Dionysus"]. Gives musical notation for the tune he wishes Trevelyan to follow.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Is writing in case Donald [Tovey] has not done so to say that he cannot now come to the Trevelyans; he is going to Wales today to see his 'delightful Aunt [Anna Walter Thomas], then will travel with Sophie Weisse to Germany where he will see [Fritz] Steinbach at Cologne and the Buschs [Adolf and Fritz] at Mainz before playing in Vienna on 8 Jan. Hopes to see him for Christmas at Marburg, where she will be with Henry (her brother) and his family for 'their sad holiday [after the death earlier in the year of Henry's daughter Peggie?]'. Thinks the travelling is good for Donald; he is 'already better', working on a concerto grosso for string orchestra with 'the opera ["The Bride of Dionysus"] in the background, and his playing is 'in perfect order; he played the [Beethoven] Waldstein Sonata 'superbly' last night. Hopes they will both return by 15 Jan; hopes the Trevelyans will then come and spend a night or two with them, when Lady Hely Hutchinson and her children Natalie and Victor will be staying. They have just had Molly and Desmond MacCarthy there, whom she 'love[s] very much'. Will send 'another music picture book' for Julian.

I Tatti, Settignano, Florence. - Is very grateful for the pains taken by Trevelyan [regarding Morra's translation of G.M. Trevelyan's "British History in the Nineteenth Century, 1782-1901"]. Arrived at I Tatti yesterday to find all well; Mary in bed with a cold but cheerful; all as usual except for Trevelyan's absence, which Morra feels deeply. Asks one further question about George's book. Moravia is not related to 'De B.' so Mrs [Sylvia] Sprigge is right. Is very sorry to hear about D[onald] Tovey [his illness].

Postmarked Oban. Sent to Trevelyan at the Shiffolds but forwarded on to Central Post Office, Marlborough. - Has finished Act I [of "The Bride of Dionysus"], leaving a blank space for Minos' new lines. It lasts an hour and twenty minutes, so unless the long speeches of the rest of the play go quicker than this 'very chopped up' act, the opera will be over four hours long: 'quite Wagnerian'. Asks if [Trevelyan's] "Sisyphus" could be called an 'Operatic Drama', implying 'a play tinged with operatic extravagance (if not one that might be set to music)'; if there was classical precedent for calling a play a fable, 'Operatic Fable' might sound well. Would be good if they could run through the first act together more than once: would like Marie Joachim to hear it, and to play it to his parents at Worplesdon, and to Paul [Trevelyan's son?]. Asks Trevelyan to forgive his 'rude remarks about the pied fawn skin' - the line is beautiful, but will not be set to music.

12 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh. - Very kind of Trevelyan to send his work [this year's "From the Shiffolds"]; glad to get the poems for 'their own sake' and also that Trevelyan is well, as he had heard he had not been 'in good health'. Hopes soon to send some verse translations of his own; the publisher is looking for a printer as they are currently all very busy. Glad to have the poem recalling [Goldsworthy] Lowes Dickinson; the time has 'run away' since he saw him in Cambridge. Misses [Donald] Tovey 'sadly'; he with another Trevelyan did not know, are the colleagues he recalls 'with greatest pleasure & regret'. Quotes a line of poetry with approval. Many troubles 'beset old age: arthritis, eczema, bad sleeping etc. etc.' Hopes Trevelyan is better. Is printing a volume of essays. His family are 'all scattered - England, Holland, France, America'; his Dutch grand-daughter [Alice Voormolen], of whom he is very fond, has just left. Of his two best friends in Edinburgh, one is dead and the other in London; hopes to visit him in spring. Asks if Trevelyan 'get[s] much from the modern poets'; listens to them occasionally when they read [on the radio]. Is glad T. S. Eliot has won the Nobel Prize as well as the Order of Merit; wishes 'there had been a Nobel Prize for Keats!'.

Postmarked Oban. Tovey, crossing out the 'Northlands' address printed on the card, writes 'Among strong-winged foam-wanderers all over the place. - Quotes some lines in Act I [of "The Bride of Dionysus"] which he wishes to cut, explaining his reasons. Will be at the Speyers from about the 5th to the 8th; would be very good if the Trevelyans could host him around the 9th. Explains what he wants Minos's new line to convey. Prefers Trevelyan's original, longer, version of Minos's prayer, as it is easier to set.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Donald [Tovey] has telegraphed to say there was a 'glaenzende Uraufführung [glittering premiere]' of his symphony last night, and [Adolf] Busch to say the work is 'most wonderful'. It seems that the Finale did not get rehearsed until yesterday morning, but Donald did it and she is very relieved; expects he 'sat days and nights copying parts' and that the performers were playing with the ink still wet. Is sorry to have criticised Borwick [see 8/92] to whom she is 'personally much attached'; it would be better for Donald if there were more good players, as he would be better understood.

The Frys return 'from these cavernous regions', which he recommends Trevelyan to visit for inspiration, around June 13th. They will definitely come to the last concert and would like to meet Tovey and stay for supper. Will be at the [Apostles'] Dinner. They have had four perfect days bicycling.

Oban. - Hopes his own letter will reassure Trevelyan on most of the points in his [about "The Bride of Dionysus"] and that his idea of a Dionysus and Ariadne duet will preserve the 'matter of the big speech'. Trevelyan's treatment of the Minos and Phaedra incident seems excellent; perhaps Phaedra is a little too dislikeable for this stage. Is working on the Minotaur-Labyrinth material now. Cannot help but find Trevelyan's favourite line 'Beautiful in pied fawn-skin' comic. Expects he will be at the Speyers' house by Sunday; will see them on the 8th as they go abroad next day, then 'hover about Worpledon' unless it suits Trevelyan to put him up 'and have Ariadne thumped on the clavichord all day'.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Very kind of Bessie to write to her about Donald [Tovey]'s quartet; did not hear anything else about except for 'a very nice note from [Karl?] Klingler'. Donald 'has practically vanished into space since Friday before last', sending only a 'beguilingly optimistic telegram about the superiority of German copyists' so she knows nothing about the chamber concerts except for what she heard him telling Mr [Edward] Speyer (believes he is playing in Cologne tonight) nor if the symphony is finished. Must accept this, since it is the way 'poor old Donald's friends' have convinced him things should be, but if she had 'programmes and notices etc... Willy Strecker could have made a little réclame [publicity] with them in England'. Originally enclosing something she found when 'turning out a drawer' recently which made her smile, remembering a conversation with Bessie; [Leonard?] Borwick has increasingly 'become a "pianist"' which she has always warned her pupils such as Donald, Mary Beasley, and Kate [Friskin?] 'is a disgrace for a talented creature to be'. Never occurs to her to compare Borwick to Donald as a player; has compared Kate with him, 'latterly greatly to her advantage'; he was better when he 'tried to keep in Joachim's wake'. Asks Bessie to send back a particular 'astonishing notice from the Times'; Donald's Chopin was 'most rich and lovely' that evening; they called him 'Rodin' long time afterwards when 'his appearance was even less polished than usual'. Encourages Bessie to visit and bring the umbrella back.

West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Curious about Trevelyan's decision on 'Theseus' ["The Bride of Dionysus"]: is sure Act III cannot end as D.T. [Donald Tovey] suggests.

12 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh. - Has enjoyed reading Trevelyan's paper [on metre see 18/91] even more than he did hearing it read, as he can 'go more slowly and try the rhythms in [his] own way'; has got 'more understanding' of the subject than he has from anything else, and will 'certainly print' the paper [in the collection of pieces by members of the English Association]. Will probably drop the introduction, and if he may if the space is limited omit Horace's "Ode" and the translation by Milton. Now has several papers from 'Yvor Evans'; Rylands; Sparrow; Wattie; and Dickins; but is 'specially grateful' for Trevelyan's. Sends thanks to Mrs Trevelyan for her card, which he ought to have acknowledged. Will have a proof sent to Trevelyan so that he can check the translation. Hopes that they will see him this winter. Has a 'dreadful incubus' of a paper to prepare for Manchester; is also 'slaving at Scott's letters and getting some interesting new light'. Janet will be married in November; the French relatives will come too so they will be 'pretty full', but if Trevelyan could come up after that it would be 'a great pleasure to have some rational talk'. Thinks [Donald] Tovey is in Germany, but he will be 'looking homeward soon' as the arrangements for his concerts have come out.

12 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh. - If Trevelyan is in Edinburgh in autumn or early winter, the Griersons would always be glad if he stayed with them for a day or two. Has been 'burdened with the duty' of collecting essays and studies by members of the English Association; finds this difficult, as he does not have a 'very wide literary acquaintance', having lived so far from London. Several younger men have promised him articles, but they 'are all rather comers-on than established names' and he has been 'ignored' by the older ones he approached on the Secretary's advice. Realised last night that he should ask Trevelyan whether he would be willing to offer the article on Metre which he read aloud to them, or another; asks him to reply at least since 'M.L. James [sic: M. R. James?] and other Olympians... have not deemed a poor Scottish Professor worth even of that'. Hopes Trevelyan is having a good holiday. He himself lectured eight hours a week at Heidelberg till the end of July, and since then has been busy with 'Scott letters and Carlyle and students' theses' and so on: thinks he needs to get away. Thinks [Donald] Tovey will be in Germany in September; the Griersons had hopes he would come to Heidelberg when they were there and help him entertain his friends; they gave a reception at the Hotel but 'had to rely on Janet for the music'. This went off well, however, and everyone was very kind; Grierson 'struck up quite a friendship with [Friedrich] Gundolf'. Sends regards to Trevelyan's wife and son. Dined with the Dutch poet Boutens on the way home and had a 'great evening'. Notes in a postscript that he had a 'pleasant lunch' in Cambridge with [Goldsworthy] Lowes Dickinson in June.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Sorry not to have seen or heard from Bessie this autumn; misses her very much and was 'distressed' to hear from Donald [Tovey] that there has been 'some sorrow' in their house. Encourages her not to 'lose the habit' of visiting, even if the concert dates do not suit. Has been very busy with work, and worried about Donald's symphony; this has turned out 'a huge and... beautiful and splendid thing', as far as she can judge, but he has 'only just finished the third movement', all of the finale still needs to be put on paper, 'and he starts for Germany on Friday next!'. Four copyists are already at work on it. He stayed very 'serene and equable' until some 'annoying letters' came a few days ago from Hugh Godley, whose conduct 'as an English gentleman' and as Donald's friend she doubts, and now his appearance worries her. Fears this will always be the case; 'the thought of leaving him truly makes [her] afraid of death'. But the symphony exists, it would not be too terrible even if the performance were be delayed; Donald will recover and she thinks he will finish the opera ["The Bride of Dionysus"] quickly now. Invites Bessie to stay the night on Thursday if the Klinglers stay; has just had a card from [Karl?] Klingler.

To be sent to Tovey at Northlands, Englefield Green. - Asks Tovey to wire whether he will come on Wednesday 3rd; asks if he can come earlier, as there are only three weeks of August left after the 7th which is 'quite insufficient' for finishing Act III [of "The Bride of Dionysus"].

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Apologises for not writing sooner to thank Bessie for her kindness to Donald [Tovey]; hopes she has heard from him in the meantime. She is still in 'agony' about his symphony; there is an 'obstinate place in the "Second Subject"' and she would find it very interesting to see him 'wrestling with it' if she were not so worried about the date; he has gone off cheerfully to Aachen again 'with the fragment of Symphony in his hand'. They had an 'enchanting little visit to [George] Henschel at Aviemore'; encourages Bessie to come to the concert at Northlands on 23 October when Henschel is singing. Has had a 'rather heartshaking correspondence with Guilhermina Suggia' who says that she and [Pablo] Casals have parted on good terms; she was in England all August and September, and very much wanted to come to Northlands but 'that could not be', though she has not lost her 'tenderness and anxiety for her'. Told Suggia plainly that 'Donald is ready for friendship with Casals' and her 'lies and the way in which she broke up the friendship between the two men' means that 'Donald is quite unapproachable for her'. Wishes very much she had not let the matter be 'taken out of her hands' as she did.