Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - They 'rejoice with' Robert at Roger Fry's success [his appointment as Curator of Paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]; glad that Robert will not lose his friend but see so much of him when he comes to England. Thinks Fry's father [Sir Edward] did a 'very fine thing' in returning money [part of his remuneration, to the Metropolitan Water Board] the other day; the 'disinterestedness' it demonstrated has much declined recently. Glad that Campbell-Bannerman's government has taken the step of 'revindicating honesty and public spirit'; was 'disgraceful' of Balfour to reverse the last Liberal government's veto on [ministers] keeping directorships. Agrees with Robert in looking forward to the parliamentary session, especially to the Budget. Sir George and Caroline want to give Robert and Elizabeth a 'minute interest in the Budget' by paying them fifty pounds twice a year instead of making good the income tax on their allowance. Went to the British Museum on Saturday and found a 'Liberal atmosphere' everywhere in London; Welby and Sir Courtenay Ilbert 'seemed to breathe very freely in it'. Has finished Catullus and will read the "[Appendix] Virgiliana" today.
Transcript
From Lady Pethick Lawrence
Fourways, Gomshall, Surrey.
May 26. 1946.
This is our May 26th Beloved! & I woke early with thoughts of you, & my first action was to go through all your letters since you left me, beginning with with† March and continuing to your last lovely letter of May 18 {1}—up to your direct message of May 23 {2} transmitted to me & received by post from Mr Clausen {3} yesterday May 24. It was a joy to receive that little message & realize that we were so close together in thought, as indeed we are now. My memory goes back to 45 years ago—how very definitely & clearly certain moments in ones life stand isolated, as if they were moments ever-living, regardless of the passing of time. I can see you now clearly as you were then, & realize your gesture as you gathered me up in your arms, & there we were in the old arm-chair in the little room at Somerset Terrace. And now we are together again in a different way, & there are still chapters to be written to our life.
I gather from the broadcast last night as well as from the Times yesterday morning that you have reached that deadpoint of seeming frustration, that we knew had to come. I entirely realize the truth of that word spoken by Maud—“it is not I that am doing anything, but He”. {4} In other words I have realized for some time past, that only to a very small & limited extent do we as individual {5}† shape events. Events shape destiny. Yet there are moments of definite crisis, when one individual act can influence results for generations—such as the outstanding act of Campbell Bannerman when against popular outcry, he gave the promise of citizenship to the defeated Dutch in S. Africa. He was not as the world estimates character, a “great” personality; yet he did a great deed, inspired by a great conception of democracy.
I wonder if you will read the leading article in The Times of May 24, on Egypt, in which Bevin’s policy in Egypt is unequivocally defended against Churchill’s attack. I was amazed. No such wise & far-seeing defence & justification have I seen in any Labour Paper or Magazine. For some time indeed ever since the Labour Party took office, The Times has been our best advocate.
I found the two letters I mentioned in my last letter, when I had to get the post, without enclosing them—one from Dorothy Plowman, which reflected the atmosphere of the home which we had made together here, & one from E. K. which reflected the impression made on one whom we had known since she was a child of two years old. For these letters as samples of many others that I receive daily, I feel truly thankful when I review our life together.
Nevertheless I do not want you to think that I have not had my small personal problems to deal with, during your absence, as you have had major world problems to deal with. Some of these personal problems we shall have to investigate & deal with together when you return. I have come to some quite definite conclusions with regard to them, & that definiteness you will like, as it is indefiniteness about details that you find it hard to deal with. I have been obliged to take a long-term view of the future, & can now see it as a whole, & after consultation & agreement with you, I should like soon after your return, to proceed to plan & to act. Meantime all is well & I give thanks from day to day, mainly for your health, but also for the health & well being of all here at the present time.
Charlie Marsh is spending the weekend here, & is occupying your room. She asked to come & is always very happy here. Yesterday in late afternoon we had a most perfect & heavenly ride in the car, to Ranmore Common, which I have not seen for 7 years: from the approach near Dorking to the return through East Horsley & Clandon. We were really entranced by the loveliness from beginning to end. We have saved petrol & shall have enough when you return for a day’s ride to the coast.
We have had a spell of cold winds (not frost) & grey skies, without rain. Vegetation is at its height, but no growth of seedlings for the past 2 or 3 weeks because of drought & cold wind. Nevertheless the flowering season is some weeks ahead of time (due to the very warm & sunny April). {6} We have begun bottling the gooseberries & making jam. With great love & with constant thoughts & blessing,
Your own.
I wonder whether an air-flight to the Caves of Ajanta will be possible during the Wait of Congress & Muslim Verdict.
—————
{1} PETH 6/171.
{2} PETH 6/173?
{3} The name is indistinct.
{4} Full stop supplied. This remark, made by Maud Coote at Easter, had been mentioned by Lord Pethick-Lawrence in his letter of 18 May (PETH 6/171).
{5} A slip for ‘individuals’.
{6} Full stop supplied.
† Sic.
8 Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Got back comfortably after their 'very pleasant day' with Elizabeth and Robert; Sir George is 'full of admiration of the [new] house & the wildness of the country'. Originally enclosing 'specimens of the latest leaflets' [about women's suffrage?], as well as Mary Booth's letter, which she asks Elizabeth to destroy when read. Thinks she will be out every evening this week, but could happily put Elizabeth up, though not Robert, as she wants to 'keep [Sir George] quiet'; Elizabeth herself is 'quietness itself'. Went to the [women's suffrage] Deputation yesterday; very interesting and the speeches 'extremely good'. C[ampbell-]B[annerman] was 'very disappointing', but she feels his sympathies were with them and he 'hated to be so discouraging'; sure it is the Cabinet that have outvoted him and have made a 'great mistake'.
Whittingehame, Prestonkirk, N.B., Dictated, Private - Thanks him for volume four of 'The Golden Bough'; regrets as a Cambridge man that he is going to Liverpool; regrets he does not interfere with decisions made by successors to the office of First Lord of the Treasury [concerning the pension for the widow of Lorimer Fison], but suggests a letter from him or Henry Jackson to the Prime Minister [Campbell-Bannerman] would be effective. The envelope is docketed 'A. J. Balfour. Liverpool & Mr Fison'.
Signed by Edward VII, while Prince of Wales, Balfour, Curzon, Randall Davidson, Campbell Bannerman, Oscar I, King of Sweden and seven others.
Butler, Henry Montagu (1833-1918), college headOn House of Commons embossed notepaper. - Is told by Mr [Henry?] Campbell Bannerman that Gibson Craig, Dalzell [sic] and Brodie are a 'first class firm'; their connection with Trevelyan's uncle [Lord Macaulay] was so very close and friendly (old Gibson Craig having been his colleague in Parliament and his near friend) that they would exert themselves to the utmost in the matter; suggests contacting the firm.
(Carbon copy. Date of recording, etc., taken from 5/123a.)
c/o A. Waterfield, La Fortezza, Aulla, Lunigiana. - He and Bessie are sorry to hear of his father's accident [see 11/134, 12/90], and hope the rheumatism will have gone by the 28th so that his parents may start back then as planned, or soon after. Hears from the Waterfields that his parents' hotel is a good one, so hopes they are comfortable.
Is very sorry that Charles 'has not got a place [in Campbell-Bannerman's government]'; had expected he would, and hopes 'his chance may yet come' soon. Is sure he will 'take his disappointment in the best spirit'; he 'cannot have long to wait' if he continues to do as well as he has so far as a private member. Generally, 'it seems a very good Government'; glad that even the Tories seem to respect Campbell-Bannerman now.
Has just bought Jebb's edition of Bacchylides, an 'excellent book'. Jebb 'made a beautiful speech at the [Apostles'?] dinner' a few years ago which made Robert 'like him very much'.
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking. - Has received his father's letter [12/89] and is sorry to have annoyed him by not writing more often; this is 'not through indifference', and he hopes in future to write more regularly. He and Bessie go abroad next Tuesday, and hope to reach Aulla [home of Aubrey and Lina Waterfield] on Thursday; hopes by then Campbell-Bannerman will have formed his cabinet. The Times's 'assertion about Sir Edward Grey' yesterday caused great alarm, but so far it seems unfounded. If they had indeed failed to agree, someone would be much to blame, but Robert thought George was being 'unduly pessimistic'; he thought if there had been a split nobody but 'strong radicals would vote against Protection' and the election would be a 'fiasco' for the Liberals. Robert doubts that 'principles are not just now more important than men in most minds'. Quotes [from Julius Caesar Act 4, Scene 3, 2115-2132], with Grey in Cassius' place, Campbell-Bannerman playing Brutus, and the Times the Poet.
He and Bessie are both well, though have had bad colds. Has sent the first act of their translation of Vondel's Lucifer to the Independent [Review]; George and Dickinson 'seem to like it' so he hopes they might print it; there is more of the translation, but the first act stands well alone. George, Janet, and Mary seem well. Sends love to his mother.
P & O. S. N. Co. SS 'The Malwa', Marseilles. - Is leaving France in a few hours. Apologises for not replying to Trevelyan's letter of farewell; he was too on edge due to his departure. Now he feels 'better & reconciled', though would be happier if he were coming back to some work in Europe. The man who got him his job at Geneva is also on the ship, and has been telling Suhrawardy about other Indians who have got permanent work there, and he is an 'ignoramus' who does not know the difference between Victor Hugo and 'the man who has written a book on French without tears'; this is bitter to him. Supposes it is too late to convey his views on the minority question to Trevelyan, but will try, hoping that some of it 'might appear plausible to Clifford Allen'.
Believes that the British government really are determined on 'putting India on her feet and help[ing] her in her logical constitutional - & not revolutionary - development'; has faith in [Ramsey] Macdonald, who should not be doctrinaire, and approach the India question as 'terre vierge'. The 'Muhamadan' wish for a majority of seats where they are the majority of the population, and 'weightage' seats in other areas due to their historical importance, should be refuted; they are not really worried about 'tyranny' by majority Hindu rule, as they pretend, but that other Muslims who will not adopt their intransigent position will be let in. Reservation of seats is sufficient, the idea of separate electorates is retrograde, and Suhrawardy is personally against reservation though realises it perhaps should be conceded. Gandhi is astute and even concedes the point of separate electorates, so they will 'rally to his view about obtaining virtual control of government at the centre', but not to the 'depressed classes & the Indian Christians'. A helpful politician would support him in this, and resist the 'cynical principle of divide (in partibus) et impera'. Supposes Macdonald will have to allow the principle of separate electorates, since the Moh[amedans] are 'fanatical' and have 'worked up their community to such a frenzy'. The Punjab and Bengal present special difficulties, where the Hindu minority demand 'weightage'; Sir Geoffrey Corbett has suggested a redistribution of the Punjab to create a substantial Muslim majority; Suhrawardy does not think this necessary. His view is that separate electorates might be granted, to the Muslims and Europeans only, and only in provinces where they are in a minority, while introducing the principle of joint electorates for all majorities to encourage them to create national programmes. Believes this should be combined with adult franchise, despite the opposition there will be from Anglo-Indians, Muslim leaders in London and other groups, as from his experience in Russia, despite his hatred for many things under the Soviets, he thinks this will create a 'consciousness of political self-respect' and allow for the provincial and central legislatures to be 'the culminating rung in a ladder of smaller representative bodies'. Sends love to Mrs Trevelyan; asks to be remembered kindly to the Allens.
Printed copy of a manuscript petition to A. J. Balfour, unsigned; and a printed petition to Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, signed in print, and annotated with the signatories' addresses in Frazer's handwriting.