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Announces that he has promised to go to Oxford on 13 [May], and can be back on 15 [May], but warns that [Cambridge] 'will be rather empty, as the undergraduates will all be gone. States that the exam is from 8 to 13 [May], and that the most festive week is 23 to 30 [May]. States that he is free on 6 [June], and explains that he goes to town for the night of 3 [June], as a part of his work ends on 2 [June]. Tells her to come when she likes. Explains that Mrs Peile lives one and a half miles out of Cambridge, 'so it would perhaps be hard to ask her to get lodgings.'

Remarks on the length of time it has been since they have been in contact 'except casually'. Claims that he has been waiting anxiously for the other Initial paper.' Urges her not to be lazy, and to write [it], and assures her that she will be glad of it afterwards. Mentions that he heard from their mother about the problems with the drainage, and hopes that 'the Prince is all right now: and that Edward has "repaired the semestrial losses". ' Refers to the fact that he has been offered a mastership at Rugby, and had at first accepted it. Announces that he has now refused it. Admits that he has behaved very badly, but claims that it has cost him much mental struggle to break his word. Thought it better 'not to prolong the error of a day into the mistake of a life.' States that he is going abroad to shake the whole thing off his mind.

Lists some of the reasons why he had accepted the offer in the first place, including the fact that their mother wanting to go there, his wish to live with her and his liking for Rugby, his having such an admiration for Dr Temple, his liking [A.G.] Butler so much, and explains that they all made him neglect the fact that he knows that his vocation in life 'to be not teaching, but study.' States that Edward will understand better than she, and asks her to show him the letter. States that he wishes him to know the truth of the matter, since he will probably hear of it from elsewhere.

Tells her not to send the next paper to him, but to Miss [Annette?] Kitchener in Newmarket, and that if she has anything to say to him, to address any correspondence to Post Restante Paris. Supposes that she has heard from their mother since he left her. States that she 'was quite well then at the Raikes, but she is now at Leeds.' Admits that part of the regret he feels in relation to his conduct is due to the predicted reaction of his mother to it.

Claims to be ashamed of not having answered her first letter, and remarks that it is such an unusual thing to owe her a letter. States that he had hoped to go and see her that term just before the examinations, but explains that a friend of his has just arranged a visit to him, so he must postpone it. Announces that he is to spend the Long Vacation in England, and therefore shall be free to accept invitations then. Declares that had had also wished to go to Rugby at the end of the term. Reports that he is very busy with examinations, and if his hayfever gets worse, he 'must not venture...' as his eyes 'may be taken bad: [which] would be a disastrous preliminary to the study of Hebrew...' Remarks that Arthur seems to have enjoyed himself very much at Rugby, and reports that he heard from their mother that day, but that she seemed 'rather dull.' Announces that he is going up to town the following day, 'and shall try and cast a hurried glance over the Academy', but must be back in Cambridge again on Thursday morning as he has to 'non-placet a Grace of the senate (petitioning against Mr Bouverie's bill [to repeal the "Conformity to the Liturgy" clause in the Act of Uniformity).' Explains that the non-placeters are in 'a miserable minority', and he doesn't wish to make it even smaller.

Reports that he dined with the Kitcheners at Newmarket some days ago, 'and saw E. R[hodes]', who 'is not so good in conversation as Miss (Annette) Kitchener, though her writing is decidedly more powerful.' Regrets to hear that his mother is still 'a sleeping partner of the [Initial S]ociety.' Asks her whether he ever showed her some things he translated 'in Iphigenia in [ ]', and quotes from it. Declares that he is getting to know a great deal about English history, and is 'wondering whether a book could be written about it at once short, instructive and interesting.' Advises her to read Goldwin Smith's lectures, which are 'so carefully composed that it is a real pleasure to read them independently of anything one learns from them.' Asks her to keep for him a pair of laced boots, which he believes he left at her house. Asks her to send back Ch[ ] some time.

Letter [24/1], saying that he is sending Nora by parcel post today the corrected copies of Henry's letters 'I to LXXVIII', and hopes to get the remainder from Miss Dickens [his typist?] that week or the following week. Explains that he sends a typewritten copy and a carbon duplicate [of each letter], and suggests that Arthur might prefer the latter format. Also explains the corrections that he has made. Adds that he has decided to have almost all of Henrys's Initial [Society] papers typed for his own 'private delectation', and undertakes to send a copy each to Nora and Arthur. States that he looks forward to seeing her 'on the 26th', when he intends coming up 'to the meeting' and to spend the night with the Peiles, but fears that he may be prevented from going to the Society for Psychical Research meeting. Hopes that she is well, and remarks that she must be very tired as the term draws to an end. Refers to 'Henry's watchword - fier', and asks where he got it.

MS explanatory note [24/2] in relation to correspondence between Dakyns and Henry Sidgwick. Refers to letters which he sent to Henry at Terling, and to their arrangement. Notes that Henry rarely dated his earlier letters, but says that he does not despair of getting them 'into a more exact chronological order', having spoken to Arthur and having recovered 'the threads of internal evidence.' Speaks of Henry's 'passing moods' of troubled thought and depression, and believes that he was most conscious of 'a sense of the beauty and richness and joy of life....'

Hopes that Nora is well. Reports on the weather at Haslemere, and on the nesting of the birds. Refers to two of Henry's comments 'on two "Initial [Society]" notes started by H.W. Eve', which he encloses [not included]. States that Eve sent him the series a few days previously, and that he [Dakyns] thought that Henry's comments were interesting in themselves.

Has not yet had his 'long talked of meeting with Arthur', but expects to be summoned by him to Oxford in the near future. Announces that he is going up to Cambridge for a Memorial [for Henry] meeting the following Tuesday, and puts forward two proposals as to the type of memorial; one being 'a lectureship in Moral Science to be called the Sidgwick Lectureship', and the other ' a studentship in Philosophy... open to men and women to be given every second or third year as the income of the fund may permit'. Expects that the Peiles will know Nora's own feelings on the subject. Adds that Miss [Jane?] Harrison will not be there, as she has set off the previous day for Rome, after which she plans to go on to Athens, and hopes that Dakyns would join her 'in a Cretan expedition' in about a month.

Discusses his wish to travel. Refers to Gilbert Murray, who lives close by Dakyns, 'with his verse translations of the Hippolytus of Euripides and his Greek [ ] readings of Shelley's Helios'. Refers also to Egypt, where he wishes he could take his son Arthur; states that they would then go to Luxor, where they would see Nora, and know that she is well. Sends Maggie and Frances [his wife and daughter]'s love.

Explains that he had been expecting to hear her 'final views about the Greek', and says that he asked Mrs Peile to send her a circular. Still thinks that she would find it a mistake to learn Greek regularly, but offers his assistance nonetheless. Reports that their mother seems 'pretty well and in pretty good spirits', and that 'her absorbing interest is in Nevil, who has just left her.' Reports that they have seen Isabel, 'who seems to be going on well', and states that William 'is certainly not in a satisfactory state' according to their mother. Remarks that it is not surprising that he has no pupils yet, and thinks that he does not feel well enough to take them.

Discusses his thoughts on settling 'the exact amount of one's conscious need of dogmatic religion'. Claims that 'the consciousness of the comparatively low moral level on which [his] own nature seems to keep [him]' has often driven him to the verge of trying to alter his intellectual convictions, but that he has been prevented by the fear of moral deterioration. States that this dilemma 'belongs to some time ago', and that life has been made very smooth to him of late. Sends on his mother's love, and hopes that Minnie's children are all well again. Also sends Nora's love, and states that the latter is looking forward to seeing Minnie sometime in the following vacation. Sends their love to Edward, and looks forward to having them both in Cambridge in the following term.

Writes to express his sympathy on the death of Henry Sidgwick. States that he had been prepared for the news, but 'could not realise that the end was so near.' Claims to have begun to realise 'that his life, if prolonged, could mean only weakness and weariness, and inability to do the work which he had so much at heart...' Believes that few people ever can have had so perfect a union in marriage as' the Sidgwicks had. Cannot imagine what Cambridge will be without him, he having been so much a part of every movement there for forty years. Claims that he was always 'wise inspiring and courageous: and his work will live!' Explains that his wife has not yet heard the news, and that he will tell her the following morning.

Asks her to send 'the Portfolio'; notes that he always leaves something behind. Sends Bishop Westcott's book [not included], which he hopes she will like. States that he had already decided not to go in for the Professorship of Moral Philosophy when he learnt that F. D. Maurice was a candidate. Believes that the latter has the best chance. Predicts that he will be 'a stimulating lecturer', and hopes that he will be a very good appointment, as Cambridge is currently 'in some need of stimulus'; is 'rather sorry' for his friend Venn, who is 'thoroughly of the new school' of which Dr Lightfoot is the most distinguished representation.

Reports that he transmitted his mother's books to Mrs Peile in person, and that the Peiles were in Göttingen 'during the excitement of the change of dynasty in September.' Also reports that they say that all the professional element of society 'rejoiced strongly in the transference', but that the householding element was not very happy about having to entertain a number of Prussian soldiers; the chief discontent being in Hanover. Declares that their hall [at Trinity College] is 'resplendent', and the 'undergraduates call it the "Alhambra"'; the college have introduced 'the disgraceful luxury of chairs' there. Regrets to hear about William, and hopes that he will come over [to Cambridge] soon.