Affichage de 187 résultats

Durbins, Guildford. - Letter of condolence on Bessie's 'great loss' [the death of her cousin Bramine Hubrecht at the Shiffolds on the 5 November] of which he heard from Hubrecht. Is going to see [Paul] Nash's drawings if he can and has written to [Gordon] Bottomley. Has had a lot of work over the Omega [Workshops] and finances: such an institution is necessary 'if there is to be any real art in England' but he is 'not sure that the English will tolerate that'. There will be a show at the end of the month. Feels for Bob: Settignano sounds awful, 'it would be easier to write on an island in the Strand'.

Is very sorry not to have visited, and to have missed Bottomley. Went to Jack [McTaggart's] funeral: 'the most beautiful' he'd ever seen though there were 'not many of us there'. Leaves a great gap in his life though he saw so little of him of late.

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Station Street. - Is 'very flattered' by the offer to play Prometheus [in Trevelyan's translation of Aeschylus' play], and grateful to [Gordon] Bottomley for thinking of him. Mr [Terence] Gray had not told Toyne which part he wanted to play; he heard about it from Clifford Allen via his mother. Has asked his current employers about being released to act for Gray and Trevelyan; was told that the Birmingham Repertory Company 'never stood in the way of their members'. However, they have treated him well after he had been 'out of interesting work for some time', and he gathers that his release would 'greatly inconvenience them' at the moment; therefore felt 'morally obliged' to refuse Gray's offer, much to his own 'personal chagrin'. Encloses the program for the season [no longer present] for reference: is not playing an 'interesting ' part until the fifth part of "Bach to Methuselah" [by G. B. Shaw], starting on 20 October. Would be 'honoured' to play the part next term if it would really not 'inconvenience' Gray to postpone the production until then, and would be free any time after 14 December; could get released at any time if necessary to play the part, but as explained is reluctant to do so unless 'absolutely necessary'. Unless Trevelyan thinks it necessary to see Toyne acting, any day would suit him to meet; has indicated his parts in the enclosed program.

Postmarked Much Marcle.- Sorry he will miss Trevelyan, but looks forward to seeing him on the 13th. Hears Gordon [Bottomley] is very ill.

Cumloden, Newton-Stewart, Scotland. - Her friend Mr [Gordon] Bottomley has sent her Trevelyan's 'beautiful' translation of the "Oresteia", which she treasures even for the corrections in his own hand; very good of him to take such trouble for a 'complete stranger'. Expects he did it for Mr Bottomley'; hopes he will not mind her writing to let him know how much she appreciates and admires it. Afraid she is not a 'great scholar'. Has enjoyed 'the most delightful correspondence' with Mr Bottomley for several years, which has been 'quite an education in itself'; has gained much pleasure from his sharing of several of Trevelyan's books with her. Wishes there were more writers like Bottomley and Trevelyan. Feels the world is a 'horrid sort of travesty of what it should be' at the moment; wonders if and when it will improve; appreciates 'dignity & courtesy' where they may still be found.

Lahore. - Sent a post card last week before catching the train to Peshawar 'in a hurry' since the doctor had said he had German measles and could not travel, before changing his mind at the last moment; only had 'a slight feverishness one evening and a light rash that soon went'. He has otherwise been very well, as has [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson. Glad to hear that all is well with his parents at Wallington; Bessie has written 'cheerfully', the Bottomleys [Gordon and Emily] had not yet arrived. Has been having a very interesting time here and at Peshawar; the Kaiber [sic: Khyber] Pass was worth the journey to see; they watched a 'caravan of several thousand Afghans with hundreds of camels and donkeys and buffaloes' for hours; they were 'fine looking men, though very dirty'. Has found India an 'ugly country' so far, except for Bombay harbour, particularly the Punjab; the hills are 'often impressive, but not beautiful, as in Italy'. The people however are 'always interesting' and there is much to see. Dined last night with 'some Mohammedans, a famous lawyer, and a famous poet called Ikdal [perhaps Muhammad Iqbal?], and several others' who were 'very pleasant and cultivated'; the poet was 'quite a wit'. The lawyer 'held forth on the wickedness of the Hindoos, and one might think it was an Orangeman abusing the Catholics', though Robert expects the Hindus are as intolerant as the Muslims, and the lawyer was 'no doubt carried away somewhat by his eloquence' and probably not as 'bigotted' as he seemed; the poet and some of the others seemed more moderate than the lawyer, who was 'quite the [Edward] Carson type, though a nice man.'

They are going tonight to Delhi, and will stay there and at Agra a fortnight, before touring in Rajputana; they hope to be at Benares before Christmas. Has been staying with his 'old Harrow friend [Alexander] Stow, who has been 'very hospitable', but expects they will now be in hotels for some time. Glad Julian is 'so well', and that the ceremony at Stratford [marking Sir George Trevelyan's appointment as High Steward of the borough?] was so successful; will write to his father by this mail if possible. Hears the British government has been defeated, and hopes they will not 'have to go out'. Very glad to get his "Manchester Guardians" every week. The Muslims here are 'much upset about Turkey', but he does not think it will cause much ill-feeling against the British.

Robin Ghyll, Langdale, Ambleside. - Very glad that Bob likes "The [Life of John] Bright", and understands 'both the difficulties and the possibilities of the task'; Bob is right that 'one never gets quite inside Garibaldi': doubts he 'was ever quite inside himself'. Janet is recovering steadily; she has a masseuse for her back, but they hope she will be better in a week; she 'injured a muscle jumping over a flower-bed!' so Bob must tell Bessie not to do that. Much appreciates [Gordon] Bottomley's approval of "...Bright". Will soon send some long and 'not very easily legible' letters about his travels, since Bessie would like to see them; is currently using them to write articles for the "Nation" and "Contemporary".

Contains: "Einstein's Advent", by Oliver Lodge, remembering his father and the impact of the new developments in physics; portrait sketch of Max Beerbohm by William Rothenstein; portrait sketch of William Rothenstein by Max Beerbohm; poem, "To Gordon Bottomley", by R. C. Trevelyan; poem, "War Sky 1940", by Sylvia Sprigge"; "4. Sunday", by Sarah Shorey Gill, with introductory note to her granddaughter Polly; poem, "To Seville: Siesta", by Carla Lanyon Lanyon.

Rome. - Apologises for not having written for a while; she can only manage a letter a day and knew Sir George was keeping them informed of her slow recovery. She is now free of fever and beginning to feel better; she 'never felt so bad' in her life and found it hard to maintain a 'show of cheerfulness'. Annie's offers of help have been very touching. Thinks they will stay in Rome until she is totally recovered, then return home; the alternative is to stop at the Riviera for a while, but in either case Sir George will stay and bring her home. He will probably do some work soon, and is cheerful now he is no longer anxious about her. They will stay another three or four weeks. Could not enjoy C[harles] and M[ary]'s visit, but they had a good time sight-seeing. Hopes Julian's nurse is still satisfactory; thinks it is good she 'gets him out early & makes him walk'. Glad that Mr [Gordon] Bottomley is a little better this winter; hopes their new home in the north suits him. Not many English in Rome, but many Americans; Sir George likes the American Ambassador, [Thomas Nelson] Page, and sometimes 'goes about with him'; they have gone this morning in Page's car to the Ponte Nomentano and the Campagna. He also finds Sir Rennell Rodd [the British Ambassador] 'pleasant', but has met no English friends here. Sends love to Julian, and asks them to tell him she likes watching the Italian children playing on a terrace across the road; they 'talk & shout a great deal, & everything they say ends in "a a a ah"'.

37 Weetwood Lane, Far Headingley, Leeds. - 'The Wolves' have sent Trevelyan's "Cheiron" [published by Virginia and Leonard Woolf's Hogarth Press]. Discusses it with great praise in detail. Has also recently received a Noh-play from Gordon [Bottomley]: 'just a little bit of a strain'. Is trying himself to get a book together, but of mostly old work. Trevelyan and Bessie's 'sympathy and generosity' has touched the Abercrombies greatly. Mikey has been ordered away from Leeds on health grounds.

Christ Church Vicarage, Penrith. - Has meant to write since he received Trevelyan's "The New Parsifal", which is a 'pure joy - so rich in humour and so wise'. Is 'rather sorry' that Trevelyan, in Klingsor's 'Hymn to the Phoenix', 'somewhat parodied a Christian Hymn to the Trinity'; does not himself find 'any irreverence in it', but fears many will who would otherwise 'enjoy the wit & fun of the rest'. Is totally stuck over Klingsor's distinction between those worthy and unworthy to approach the grail: unsure why Strauss and Marinetti are included with 'censors... classical moles... loud puritan asses' in the set of those unworthy to approach, and asks 'Can Klingsor reject Marinetti & Strauss & worship the post-Impressionists'. Apart from these points, has 'nothing but admiration' for the rest. Hears from [Gordon] Bottomley that Trevelyan is 'making progress with the "Agamemnon"' [his translation of Aeschylus's play]; hopes what Bottomley says about [preserving] 'the metre of the original apples to the iambics as well as the chorus'; it would be a 'welcome relief from the oppression of too much of our blank verse'. Hopes Trevelyan will stay for a night if he comes to Keswick or 'anywhere north' this year. Asks to be remembered to Mrs Trevelyan: often thinks of his 'delightful day' with them. Adds a postscript saying he supposes Bottomley is not with Trevelyan; is writing to him today and will address it to Silverdale.

Adds [to a letter no longer present] a 'warm, very warm thank you' to Bob for sending his "Windfalls" [the revised edition], which she is 'very much enjoying'; finds it 'so varied and so vividly personal and yet detached': 'How Tom would have enjoyed it!'. Asks if Bob knows who is going to 'look after Gordon's possessions' [act as Gordon Bottomley's executor}; he must have had many letters from Tom, and she wonders whether they could be returned.

Horn Hill Court. - Has read "From the Shiffolds" 'with joy'; particularly likes the last three lines of "The Stream", which she quotes. The poem to Gordon Bottomley also 'thrills' her as it is 'so true, & so full of optimism' and says that 'if one possesses the love for the Muses, they will never betray one'. Mentions a other poems she enjoys. Sends Christmas and New Year good wishes. Adds a postscript saying she has enclosed some of her own lines and hopes he will 'overlook their roughness'.

Note at the top of a second sheet of paper saying she found the following lines written in one of her old note-books, and copies them 'just as [she] wrote them]. Untitled poem, first line: 'I look out on to the world growing dim', dated 1943. Adds a note, in reference to her 'Celtic ancestors', explaining that her mother was from the Isle of Man.

City of Birmingham [ship: 'Port Said' written then crossed through]. - Will arrive in Bombay tomorrow morning, but have 'already seen a bit of India': some butterflies blown out to sea by the wind. They have had a good voyage since Messina, and have 'suffered very little from heat'. Is writing to Bessie at the Shiffolds, where she will be if the Bottomleys [Gordon and Emily] went there on the intended date, though she may be in the Netherlands by the time the letter arrives; heard from her at Port Said. He and his companions did not know then how serious 'the trouble in Turkey [the beginning of the First Balkan War] might be', only that Montenegro had declared war and Greece was likely to; will be interesting to see the newspapers in India. Hears the next mail to England will leave on Friday, so he will wait till they reach Bombay to finish this letter. Will be glad when the voyage ends, as he is 'heartily tired of most of [his] fellow-passengers', though some are interesting, like [Kenneth] Searight, a young officer they will see again at Peshawar.

Continues the letter on 24 October. They have been in Bombay two nights and leave tomorrow; the weather is 'good and not too hot'. [E.M.] Forster has gone to visit his Indian friend [Syed Ross] Masood in Alighur, and will meet them again at Lahore around 2 November. Is going to Ellora for a few days tomorrow, then to Ajanta, then on to Lahore; Robert will stay there with his Harrow friend Stow and [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson with another friend. They will spend a week or more there and at Peshawar. Hard to say much about what he has seen of India so far, the 'people are always interesting, and the town usually so, though the show buildings are ugly'. Finds 'the scenery round the harbour' as 'fine as Naples', in a different way, and the light 'more beautiful than anything... in Europe, especially in the evening'. Only sees English people in 'Cook's [travel agency]... and the Army & Navy Stores', but 'plenty of Eurasians, and Parsees in odd-shaped black top-hats' who 'own most of Bombay' and are said to be 'generous and public-spirited'. They passed their 'burial-towers today' and saw the vultures in the trees nearby. Went to Elephanta Island this afternoon, which was well worth seeing.

Martinscote, Oare, Marlborough. - Thanks Bob for his 'delightful book' ["Windfalls"], which keeps her in bed in the morning longer than she should stay when she has 'breakfast to get for guests': when alone she 'indulge[s] freely in early-morning reading after an early coffee!'. Is not a 'connoisseur of "prose"': knows only that Bob's pieces read beautifully, and loves the 'details of observation of Nature'. Very grateful to Bob for letting her see George Moore's letter, which was so 'whole-hearted' with praise as well as criticism of a word used by Bob that she cannot currently remember. Is very 'familified' at present: is going to Alice [her sister]'s with Alice's grandson, who is staying here at the moment, and 'all four Anthony Potts come next week' [her niece Janet and family]. Hopes that Bob will get to Italy, and that 'Bessie's fresh researches will succeed'. Gordon Bottomley may be visiting from Stratford-on-Avon at the end of the month. Has 'at last found tenants' who will take this house 'from Michaelmas' for at least a year.

Newspaper cuttings with reviews, most sent to Trevelyan by Durrant's Press Cuttings Agency' from: the "Times Literary Supplement"; "New Statesman"; "The Nation" and "Daily News" [two clippings glued to the same sheet], and a longer review from the "Nation"; "Observer; "Daily Chronicle"; "Keighley News"; "Westminster Gazette" [including an extended profile of Edward Thomas, recently killed at the front, whose poems appear in the "Annual" under the pseudonym Edward Eastaway]; "Southport Guardian"; "Yorkshire Observer"; "Bacup Chronicle"; "Englishwoman"; "Literary World"; "Poetry Review"; "Welsh Outlook"; "Manchester Guardian"; "Athenaeum"; "Expository Times" [poems by W. H. Davies, John Drinkwater, and W. W. Gibson]; "Glasgow Herald"; "Colour" [by W. Teignmouth Shore]; "British Australasian"; "Yorkshire Post"; "Cambridge Review" [two pieces]; "New Age".

7A. Stanley Gardens, W.11. - Thanks Trevelyan for the ballet tickets. Is sorry that Trevelyan has had "a setback", and hopes that this will be righted by the time they meet the following week. Has, unlike Gordon [?Bottomley], heard of Herbert Palmer, but thought of him as a critic rather than a poet. Nevertheless, is happy to support Palmer's application. Has not yet heard any of [Donald] Tovey's concerts, but means to do so.

Christ Church Vicarage, Penrith. - Glad that Percival Smith of [Trevelyan's] "The New Parsifal" is 'continuing his adventures' [in the "Pterodamozels"] which will 'be a refreshment in this weary time' if they are half as good as the first book; asks for a copy to be sent. Liked Trevelyan's "The Pearl Tree", in the "Annual of New Poetry", very much, and thought some of [Gordon] Bottomley's poetry 'very beautiful' though regrets how few of them there were. Edward Thomas's death, 'just when he was finding himself in poetry', was a 'tragedy'; terrible to think of 'this murder of our best continuing'. Asks if Trevelyan is likely to come north this year; would much like to see him if so.

Brynfuches, Dulas, Anglesey. - Delighted that Trevelyan speaks so generously of the "Idyls" ["Twelve Idyls and Other Poems"], and that he and Bessie will accept the dedication. Discusses "Asmodeus [in Egypt]". Gordon [Bottomley] has just sent an impressive "Scotch Noh-play".

Veronica, Silverdale, nr Carnforth. - Thanks Bob for sending his "New Parsifal"; will get him to write his name in it when he comes north. Read it with much 'zest and enjoyment' as if he had never done so before; thinks it has all 'come quite fresh and delightful'. Sure it is 'first rate and... will last a long time'; eager to see what the reviewers say, as soon as Bob has a 'bundle of cuttings' he can spare'. The 'Chiswicks [Chiswick Press] have managed the cover very well'; the 'arrangement with Bickers' [printers and booksellers] sounds good, and will probably be 'more efficient' than Longmans or 'liitle [Charles Elkin?] Matthews'. Will remember all this for "Mrs Lear" [his forthcoming "King Lear's Wife"], but thinks he should try Heinemann first as Bob suggests. Thanks Bob for taking the trouble to see [Edward] Marsh and writing; will follow up this opening as soon as he can; unfortunately the typescript [of "King Lear's Wife"] is not yet ready, since he has had a 'few bed-days', and there is an 'Old-Man-of-the-Sea of a plumber here' who makes work 'impossible'. The house is ready to move into; they are going to Allithwaite on Friday, on to Well Knowe for a fortnight, then 'back here for ever. This is a 'damned place, full of old maids collecting for the provision of woollen comforters for deep sea fishermen'.; mentions the suggestion in the local directory that Silverdale is named after 'Soever', a 'hardy Norseman'. Promises Bob that 'Mrs Lear' will be his 'Lenten task', and to get the typescript to Marsh by Easter.

Had a letter from [John] Drinkwater three weeks ago, who said he had seen Bob, and also asked for the 'refusal' of 'Mrs Lear'; have therefore promised to send him a typescript too. Drinkwater sent his [play] "[Oliver] Cromwell....."; Bottomley at length replied he was 'on his side about King Oliver', but that Drinkwater should not 'write poetry like a partisan'. Ernest Newman was 'offensive and vulgar' about [Wagner's] "Parsifal"; loathed' him as Bob did. Wishes he could have seen the opera with Bob. As it has just gone out of copyright, has bought a cheap score; expected it to be 'good but vegetarian and flabby' so was glad to see it 'so much huger' than expected; thinks 'the Amfortas... more moving than anything else in Wagner'. Has got hold of a Bohn edition of the Grimm "Fairy Tales" 'just like' Bob's, and now he and his wife read them out loud in the evening. Very glad that Julian is better: 'suppressed influenza' seems to have been a great danger for children recently, and Lady A[lice] Egerton says her little niece almost died of it. Hopes Sir George is also better. Adds a postscript to say that the French musical review S. I. M. ["Société internationale de musique"] for 1 January has a 'good portrait' of R[alph] Vaughan Williams and a piece on "Les Post-Elgariens" by Marcel Boulestin.