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3 Hare Court, Inner Temple:- Is setting off tomorrow morning 'by the train de luxe', and will reach Florence on Friday evening; his address will be c/o B[ernard] Berenson, Via Camerata. Expects he will stay there over Christmas. Went to tea with Mrs [Helen] Fry last Sunday: she was 'still better than last time', and will 'leave Roehampton quite soon, possibly has already'. Will see Roger Fry this afternoon at Fry's lecture. Mrs Russell Barrington and her 'majority on the committee have behave[d] abominably to him in the matter of payment'; his solicitors say he has an 'absolutely safe case' if he choose to fight it but he 'does not want to have a row'.

Is glad his mother 'liked the wood-cuts'; thinks the 'round Shannons were the best on the whole' and bought two of them, the Pegasus and the Diver. Some of Robert's friend [T.S.] Moore's Bacchantes and Centaurs and his Wordworths [illustrations] were 'very charming in quite another way, and of course he is not so accomplished an engraver as the others'.

[Robert] Binyon, who 'should know as well as anyone' recommends Dyer of Mount Street, who 'looks after the National Gallery pictures' to 'varnish the Holl'. Supposes his parents are 'sure it wants varnishing': pictures are 'so often over-varnished now', but Binyon says Dyer 'would be quite certain not to over varnish it'. Will however ask '[G. L.] Dickinson's father' whom he will see later today and 'ought to know best, as he is a good portrait painter of long experience'; Robert also thinks he 'knew Holl himself'. Will let her know in a few days.

Encloses a review [of his book Mallow and Asphodel] from the Speaker, which is 'quite favorable'; is 'still waiting for a real criticism, favorable or the opposite', but supposes he is 'asking too much of Reviewers'. Hopes his parents are well.

Postmarked Hampstead. - Could not find a bed in Hampstead - [Ernest] Altounyan said he spent a week looking for one for his father - but Mrs Gardener kindly offered him one at her house. Has spent a pleasant evening with Shannon and Ricketts, and yesterday saw three sets of friends as well as the play.

1, Wellington Place, Tunbridge Wells:- Thanks his mother for her letter, which arrived yesterday. Is staying the night at Tunbridge Wells; his hosts [his aunt Anna Maria Philips and Sophie Wicksteed] are 'both in good spirits, and Sophie certainly not ill'. Is going for a few days next week to Failand near Bristol, the 'country house of Roger [Fry]'s family'. Will then go on to Welcombe, he thinks taking the places of the Webbs [Sidney and Beatrice, friends of his brother Charles?], 'for we have to wait our turn like aspirants for office'. Will be glad to get away from London, where he has been leading 'a miserable bus-riding rattle-of-bus-fretted existence since September'.

Thinks it will become a 'downright cruel winter' soon, as it is quickly getting colder 'after a long merciful delay'; if it does, London will be 'uninhabitable for a season, at least to work in', and he does not expect he will return. Will not come to his parents in Rome, as it 'would be absurd' not to see the sights which she 'describe[s] so temptingly' on his first visit, and this would 'not fall in with' his intention to work. Believes [Edward] Marsh is in Rome, or 'will be soon', since Robert 'just missed him in London'.

Will send the Pageant [magazine recently published by Ricketts and Shannon, see 46/38] if she likes, 'though there is much bad in it'. For him, its 'chief value' is that it has 'several old [D. G.] Rossettis and Mi[l]ais', as well as Rickett's Oedipus. Shannon's drawings have 'both been badly reproduced, and are by no means his best work'; in fact several contributors, such as Swinburne, Bridges, and Robert's friend [T.S.] Moore 'have not done themselves justice'. Does not know if his mother has 'ever tasted of Maeterlinck's strange vintage before'; he himself 'neither scoff[s] nor adore[s]' but the play in the Pageant is 'fairly typical' of him; thinks his poem, as well as Verlaine's, good. The Pageant should 'amuse [her] as decadent in an extreme though not particularly offensive form'.

The 'American affair is deplorable': fears it 'may lead to real trouble', though the general view in England, both among individuals and newspapers is that 'Jonathan will begin to see in a few days that he is making an exhibition of himself ['Uncle' is written before 'Jonathan' then crossed out: perhaps Robert Trevelyan confused 'Brother Jonathan', a representative figure of New England sometimes used to stand for the entire United States, with Uncle Sam - or was about to use the latter term then changed his mind]'. Glad she finds Italian politics interesting; he 'used to read the political articles in the Sera and Tribuna' to 'pick up a little of what was going on'.

29 Beaufort St, Chelsea:- Has just returned from Harrow, where he goes to 'get a game [of football] once a week' to keep himself 'very fit in body and mind'. Bowen had got up a 'team of masters and old boys' against the boys of his house, 'which is very good this year'. Robert's team were 'Somehow' beaten 6-0, but Bowen 'covered himself with glory, playing better than he has done for years'; he also told Robert he 'played like a hero'.

Met Charlie in the morning at the B[ritish] M[useum] Library, 'getting up the question of State Railways'; he is 'much interested in a scheme for a progressive periodical [the Progressive Review] which [William] Clarke, late of the Chronicle, and a young Socialist, [Ramsay?] MacDonald, are going to start next year. It is to be to these dregs of times what the Edinburgh Review was to be to those other dark days'. It 'promises to do well', and Robert wishes it 'God-speed', though they say it 'has as yet no Brougham, much less its Sidney Smith'. Bernard Shaw, whom Robert saw recently in a restaurant, told him 'with his usual superb egotism', that if they had wanted the paper to succeed, they ought to have asked him to 'write a series of articles, as he knew the secret of making a splash and drawing the gaze of the public'. However, 'Clarke cant stand G.B.S., calling him an anarchist and a Jacobin', and Shaw is a 'little piqued at being out of it'.

[Roger] Fry has a cold today and has taken to his bed 'as he always does at the slightest alarm'; this is sensible as 'his colds are both more sudden and more formidable than other people's'. He is doing well otherwise, and has 'just finished some theatrical scenery for a friend [a pencil note suggests this is 'Badley - [at] Bedales']' - the wood in Midsummer Night's Dream] - which is as good as anything Robert has seen by him, 'though you can't get very rich colour effects in tempera'. Their next door neighbours, Ricket[t]s and Shannon, have 'just brought out a magazine... a single Christmas number [The Pageant]' for which they have obtained contributions from 'all the great names in the literary and artistic word' such as Swinburne, Bridges, Maeterlinck, Verlaine, Burne Jones and Watts. There is 'some fine work in it, and some very queer'; Robert's friend [Thomas Sturge] Moore has two short poems included, though Robert does not think them his best. Will show his parents the magazine when they return. Shannon and Ricketts are 'taking to publishing poetry'; he believes they 'make a great success', and hopes that knowing them 'might be useful in the future'.

Is putting this letter into an envelope he finds 'on C[harles]'s table' with his parents' name on it but not yet their address. Expects they will soon be in Rome. Is going to see Aunt Annie [Philips] next week' does not plan to go abroad as he is 'very well, and do not feel the cold'. He will go to Welcombe for a few days, but otherwise stay in London unless 'the frost gives [him] colds'. Is glad their travelling is going so well, and that they like Gregorovius: it is 'always pleasant work welcoming a new historical star', though he doubts this one is 'of the first magnitude'.

Ivy Holt, Dorking. - Was good to get the Trevelyans' letter and hear good news of everyone at Ravello. Has done the composition but not yet the drawing [for another frieze at the Trevelyans' house or the illustrations for Trevelyan's "Polyphemus and Other Poems?"]. Has lots of writing to do: another "Monthly Review" article is just coming out. Is becoming 'quite Berensonian': his lectures have been plagiarised by Julia Cartwright Ady in her book ["The Painters of Florence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century"] but it is useless to make a fuss. Is glad Lina D. G. [Duff Gordon, later Waterfield] has been praised so highly [for "The Story of Assisi"?]; his review will soon be published. He and Daniel have written about [Herbert] Cook's book on Giorgone; Maccoll has blessed the book. Has had a disagreement with Tom Moore over Fry's qualified praise of [Charles] Shannon. The baby [Julian Fry] is in no hurry to appear; Helen is well but bored with a quiet life.

29 Beaufort Str[eet], Chelsea. - Hears that Marsh has done well [in his civil service exams] but not 'what particular function' - colonial, military, or financial, he will choose; hopes he is 'satisfied and happy'. Sorry that Marsh could not come to Wallington, and hopes he has good hunting and fishing in Scotland. Asks what he thinks of the Czar; would like to meet 'a live deer-stalking tyrant'. Has taken Copse Cottage, near Friday's Hill [home of the Pearsall Smiths]; Bertie and Alys [Russell] left for America today, and Logan is soon leaving for Italy, so Bob will be glad of occasional company. Intends to hire a piano for Marsh and [G.E.] Moore; has four bedrooms, three sitting rooms and four sculleries. Tells Marsh to return from Scotland 'not too religious, and... without loosing [sic] your artistic instinct' as he is 'required as a patron and lover of young art to guarantee a guinea of the... fund for Roger [Fry's] exhibition at Cambridge, which will include works by Conder, Ricket[t]s, Shannon, Steer, W[alter] Sickert, Rothenstein, Maccoll, Savage, Houseman and Tonks [emphasised]. Also wants Marsh to get [Desmond] MacCarthy and [? Francis] Balfour, for whom he himself does not have addeses, to contribute; promises to do so should be sent to A[rthur] E[verett] Shipley at Christs [College Cambridge]. Has been writing letters all morning, imagining what he will look like in the new frock-coat which he is having made for the wedding of Roger [Fry] and Helen [Coombe], at which he is to be best man.

Would be 'fatal' to write to the Colonel; asks whether Trevelyan would like him to send his letter to [Edward?] Thomas to Bottomley. Trevelyan does not seem to have enjoyed ' grubbing with R. & S [Ricketts and Shannon?].' very much; they are the 'De Goncourts of London, flourishing bravely in unsuitable soil'.

Green Farm, Timworth. - Birth of the MacCarthys' son Michael; Molly is doing well and reading about Albert Durer; mention of the Trevelyans' son Paul. Has been to judge spaniels at the Kennel Club dog show but otherwise has done little work. Is delighted to hear that Trevelyan is 'astride of that Hippogriff again'. Visited [Charles] Ricketts' and S[hannon's] show; thinks Ricketts has 'real imagination... of peculiar intensity, but it flags very soon'.

8, Grosvenor Crescent, S. W. - Saw [Edward] Chandos Leigh recently, 'a sad wreck after some terrible medical experiences'; he is old enough 'to have played against Winchester at Lords, when the Winchester eleven wore tall white beaver hats!', and spoke in a most friendly way about Robert. The "Manchester Guardian" praises "Winter", by C[harles] Shannon, at the Academy; does not know whether it is he who is Robert's 'principal friend' or J. J. Shannon. Had a 'famous' lunch at the Courtneys' on Saturday: Lord Courtney, Henry James, Lord Welby and himself, as well as 'the grand figure of old Lady Airlie'. Caroline looked 'quite juvenile', as she always does to him. The Sargent portrait of Henry James is 'very fine indeed'. They look forward to seeing Elizabeth.

Draft [?] letter from Trevelyan, Roundhurst, Hazelmere, to 'My dear Censor' [Thomas Sturge Moore], with 'a few timid verses'; Trevelyan does not think highly of them. Has written 'a great deal of the longer poem', though is now 'a little stuck'. Is coming to London on Tuesday, and staying with [Edward] Marsh until Saturday; asks if he could stay with Moore in Highgate, as his other evenings are taken up with concerts. Has just received a notice for the "Dial" [Shannon and Ricketts' 'occasional magazine'], which looks good; is 'especially glad to see "Centaur" in it. Asks why there is only one woodcut [by Moore] in it. A version of "Archilochus, serving as a hireling..." [published in "Mallow and Asphodel"] follows, with many corrections in both pen and pencil; a note from Trevelyan at the end says that he does not like the 'end part, apart from its not being particular [sic] original'.

Two bifolia with draft version of "The Sadness of Neobule, when the Spring returning does not bring Archilochus with it" [published in "Mallow and Asphodel"]. Two sheets of paper with draft verses, beginning "Her bright authentic image", and "But a sudden wind..." [three lines only]. Three sheets of paper with drafts of the first part of "For a Fan" ["Mallow and Asphodel"]. Two sheets of paper with draft poems, first beginning "Ah! will Joy come back again..." and "Therefore to bright Aphrodite..."

Book contains various drafts of verse, and a small section of prose [f 12]. Trevelyan uses the book from each end. Six loose sheets from this book folded together, with poem, "Come little fishes, gather round my hook" [between ff 40-41]. Draft (incomplete) of "Epimetheus" [published in "Mallow and Asphodel"], 35r-28r.