Encourages her to cultivate the friendship of Samuel Butler, advice on relationships, Edward Hughes gone up to Cambridge
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his father for his letter [12/265], for arranging to pay £50 pounds into Robert's account, and for sending back the [Samuel] Butler] books. He and Bessie were reading Charles Darwin's autobiography in his Life and Letters [edited by Francis Darwin] and thought the account there of Shrewsbury and Dr Butler, 'though quite short, might be of interest'.
The Annual [of New Poetry] already seems to be selling well; if they 'get some good reviews, it may prove quite a success'. Expects the 'relative dearth of new books' helps. Robert's name was mentioned in the Supplement to the Nation as the editor [see 20/64], a 'bad mistake on somebody's part', and he had to ensure that it was corrected in last week's Nation. Has 'had to do all the business with Constables' and 'get the contributions out of the contributors, which was sometimes not an easy task', but has 'no right to reject' anything submitted by anyone asked to contribute, so does not have 'in that sense an editor's responsibility'.
Bessie and Julian are both well. The Russian Revolution 'seems to have been proceeding very satisfactorily so far'; it is 'the most hopeful event' that has occurred in his lifetime, and 'completely good in itself', quite apart from the fact that it 'ought to make the right kind of peace easier', even if it delays peace a little, which is not certain.
Harrow. Compliments him on reply in the Edinburgh Review to [C J Blomfield's] attack on him, Samuel Butler's comments on the Porsonian school
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Very kind of Robert to send his [Samuel] Butler books; will be glad to look over the Festing Jones, about whom he has a special interest from Butler's account of him in "Alps and Sanctuaries". Started reading and 'laughed immoderately' about [John] Frost's "Eminent Christians" [in "Quis Desiderio...?], though regarding the turtles ["Ramblings in Cheapside"] he thought Butler's "Paradoxes" 'read better than in a half page of the Notes than in a complete Essay'; the last paragraph, however, is very funny. Expects to get enjoyment throughout the book. Sees that the first [Butler] dinner Robert attended was 'named' by Marcus Hartog; wonders whether he knew Butler. Old [George] Hallam wrote him a long letter from "Ortygia" [his house in Harrow] recently; since Hallam was an old Shrewsbury man Sir George wrote to him about 'the life of Butler πάππος [grandfather]'; would like to have a 'good talk with a Shrewsbury man about it', Hopes the weather will allow Julian to visit the pictures, and that his were 'well hung'.
Harrow. Samuel Butler's recuperation from illness, success of Hughes, George Butler will be pleased to act as a peacemaker between Samuel Butler and J H Monk
Comments on the publication of George Butler's letters to Samuel Butler