The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - Met the 'old postman' on his way back from the station so got her letter early; tipped the postman a shilling last week so he did not mind handing it over, and probably 'knows the sort of person these constant Dutch letters come from' and sympathises with Bob's eagerness. Glad that her letter was so cheerful. If the legal papers are long delayed, expects he will be able to sign them in Holland; if it is just a matter of a few days will be better to wait and sign them here. Thinks she is right that the Flushing route is best to travel back on. Does not know which hotel his parents will stay at [in the Hague]; thinks his father mentioned this in the letter to her uncle; thinks he himself will stay at the Twee Stede. Needs to get a topper; if he gets one in the Hague this will save taking a hat box. His mother has knitted him a white tie; asks if this would do. If his father's letter does not decide her uncle against it, she must tell him that Bob is 'very strongly against it'; though he would give in if there turns out to be a reason such as her aunt wanting it. Aunt Annie [Philips]'s silver candlesticks have come and are 'very splendid'; Mr [Charles Augustus] Fitch, the Trevelyans' clergyman in Northumberland, 'has sent a very pretty little silver mustard pot'. Hopes that Madame Dolmetsch, who sometimes visits the Frys, will come to play the clavichord; Dolmetsch could get them the Bach clavichord music; Bob is sure Bessie could play it 'well enough to please [him]', anyway he looks on the clavichord 'more as a picture than as an instrument. The roses are coming up well. Thoughts about married happiness Glad she likes 'P. & P.' ["Pride and Prejudice"] which is 'great fun'. May go to Roundhurst for a night with the Frys if it is fine on Saturday; will probably go to London on Monday. Expects she will bring her bicycle over.
Welcombe, Statford on Avon. - Glad Elizabeth has arranged a time [to go up to London for medical treatment]. Suggests sending [Mary] Prestwich to stay at Gr[osvenor] Cr[escent] so that she can visit Elizabeth every day, send news of her to Wallington, and take her home. Will return to Wallington on Thursday afternoon and arrange it then if Elizabeth would like it. The Mass [by Beethoven, at the Leeds Festival] was 'splendid'; hears Dr Joachim said it was 'overwhelming' and she 'felt it almost too much': the strain on the sopranos at the end almost distressed her. Nice for Elizabeth to have some clavichord lessons; 'such a good way to help them [the Dolmetsches?]' and hopes they are getting on better. Is going to Birmingham tomorrow for a committee in the afternoon, and will sleep at the hotel in Newcastle.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Encloses a reference for Nurse Haydon. Very sorry for Elizabeth's 'domestic troubles'; it is very difficult to get good young servants now; expects she will have to get a permanent one once they return from their travels as 'Mrs E[nticknap] will find, after once having tried it, that she cannot do without'. Asks when they expect to set off. Glad the Dolmetsches 'are started again, poor people'; wishes she could hear Elizabeth play the clavichord; would often be good if practising other instruments "was as silent to the rest of the house". Asks if she can play the violin again without discomfort. They have not yet read George's article ["The White Peril", "The Nineteenth century and after : a monthly review" Vol. 50, Iss. 298, (Dec 1901): 1043-1055]' but it seems to be interesting.
Ivyholt. - Apologises for the delay in writing: Helen wanted to address a poem to Trevelyan about his flowers though Fry has warned her Melodie Dolmetsch [sic: Elodie, Arnold Dolmetsch's second wife] had no success that way. Thinks they will not visit till the end of the month. Is reading Balzac. His portrait of the 'O.B.' [Oscar Browning] got very like but he has made him 'a little sanctimonious': thinks he will be able to put this right, but doubts whether he is good at likeness or character. The proofs [of his book on Giovanni Bellini] have gone; mocks himself for his Gallicisms. Offers to talk to White regarding the disagreement over Trevelyan's taking a lease on a house: thinks it would be best to insist the lease is terminable in case of building. Doodle of Pegasus. A line in Helen Fry's hand should introduce a poem, but nothing follows: incomplete letter?
Boveney, nr Windsor. - Should have answered her 'kind letter' before, but has been very busy. Had the 'public examination' yesterday in the Bankruptcy Court, which went as well as possible; the trustee advised him to apply for his discharge at once saying he would not oppose it. He therefore hopes to be 'out of all this trouble' soon. Thinks her idea of having lessons on the clavichord 'excellent'; sure she would do well and 'become very fond of the instrument'; it would also be 'very convenient' for the Dolmetschs as the Frys also want to continue their lessons. His wife likes the idea and will write tomorrow suggesting a day. Has not yet made the clavichord key, but will do soon.
Boveney, near Windsor. - Melodie [his wife, Elodie] says that Mrs Trevelyan may lend her clavichord for the Turin exhibition; he should have given his answer on 2 December, but 'under the circumstances' has asked for a delay; still must let them know by Friday night. Asks her to let him know at once whether she is sending hers. This is a 'most important exhibition'; the request to send something is a 'great honour'. Melodie cannot come to Dorking on Friday, as she has some ''extremely important music to perform' at his next concert and 'all [emphasised] her time' is needed for Surrey. They both send regards to the Trevelyans.
2 Seymour Place, W. - Very kind of her to send the cheque for four pounds for the clavichord and to trouble to recover the money. Will be glad to come to give her the tuning lesson [for the clavichord] later. Has just returned from Zürich, where he has been granted a divorce from his wife; it 'was a joint petition... Swiss laws are wise enough to separate people who cannot live together in peace'. The 'circumstances which have brought this about', added to his 'former troubles [bankruptcy] have been hard to bear'; glad it is all over. Has 'secured a very clever harpsichord player... and good singer' who is now ready to take part in his concerts [Kathleen Salmon]; is arranging concerts at Clifford's Inn for November.
3, Hare Court, Inner Temple, London E.C. - Apologises for 'the fatness and grossness of [his] interminable epistles', written on English paper and thus costing her extra in postage; liked her pun on the 'value' of his letters. She has been more punctual in writing; warns her that if she delays writing, a 'poet may at any moment turn Satirist'; he knows enough about her to be 'dangerous' and could write about her 'behaviour in a thunderstorm perhaps'. She would have her revenge, as he is sure she has 'discovered far more follies and weak spots' in him; she always seems much wiser and sensible than him. Had tea and dinner today with the Frys; she is finishing 'a lovely clavichord' she has been painting for [Arnold] Dolmetsch; has not painted anything for two years, but this is as good if not better than anything she did before. Elodie Dolmetsch, whom they call 'Melodie', played them some Scarlatti and Purcell on the harpsichord; liked it much better than on the piano, and would have liked to see what Bessie thought. Does not necessarily prefer antique music and instruments to modern, as Fry seems to now; he is 'never happy untill [sic] he has got his orthodoxy'. Hopes that Bessie will play to the Frys; she should play Bibers [Biber] for them; they were worried that it might be too stormy to cross, but he does not think that is lightly. Does not matter that Bramine forgot to give him their letter. Glad Bessie thinks she will like "Citio" [the prospective new summer house at Doorn]; a good beginning, since he thinks she disliked Ede at the beginning, and in general takes a while to find out how much she likes something. Is still in London as his house is taking a while to be ready; a bore, since he wants to work and cannot here; the 'dreary' British Museum Library is always 'either too stuffy or too draughty'. Refreshed himself today with a Turkish bath which is 'bliss indeed'; if he were a millionaire, would spend no money on art, but would build 'magnificent baths' like those of Diocletian at Rome; Bramine and Mrs Fry would decorate the ladies' baths. Went to a music hall last night and saw a wonderful Spanish dancer. The account Bessie read of the Trafalgar Square meting was 'certainly exaggerated'. Discusses the [Second Boer] war; the 'Cape journalists and fire-eaters' got 'that idiot [Alfred] Milner into their hands' and between them have let the government into 'this awful mess'. Is going to say goodbye to Haslemere tomorrow.
Boveney, near Windsor. - Will be very pleased to come and give her a clavichord lesson next Thursday if that day is convenient; is also writing to Helen Fry. Would go to Kingston on Thursday morning, give her two lessons there, then come to the Trevelyans' house for an evening lesson and accept the 'very kind invitation' to stay the night before giving Mrs Fry her lesson the next morning. Her lessons are usually six guineas when students come to her house; there will be a difference given railway expenses, but she expects not too great if the Frys pay half; expects that if she charges 7 guineas for twelve lessons Mrs Trevelyan will 'make very rapid progress' since she is so 'clever'. Asks her to excuse the poor English; it would be better if she were 'not in a great hurry'. Very glad she liked the walnuts; asks if she may bring a pot of her plum jam on Thursday, which she has made fifty-eight pounds of.