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These items were given to CDB by W H Salter. They are perhaps papers that were rejected for publication in Collected Studies in Greek and Latin Scholarship edited by M A Bayfield and J D Duff as some of the annotations seem to be by Bayfield

5 Selwyn Gardens, Cambridge.—Thanks him for a copy of his Pastoral Poetry and Pastoral Drama.

—————

Transcript

5 Selwyn Gardens, Cambridge
June 15—1906

My dear Greg,

Never was any one more terribly in arrear that I am with my acknowledgement and thanks for your very kind gift of the ‘Pastoral Poetry and Pastoral Drama’. In a moment of weakness I thought I would write when I had read it through, and having begun upon it instantly, I expected to reach this consummation in a short time. But the necessity of preparing for term, lectures, etc made me lay it aside, and then came term itself, and the result is that my ‘short time’ is now nearly 3 months! Well, I hope you will believe nevertheless that I have greatly admired your learning, and shall go over the ground again, now that vacation has at last arrived—this very day I was released from College work—with increased profit, I am sure. Many of your little problems are quite out of my range of criticism, but I can appreciate the general discussion, and the subject is curiously interesting. I have to thank you also for your kind reference to my ‘Four Essays’.—I am quite alone at present, Mrs Verrall and my daughter having gone to Switzerland for a month or so. You probably know that I have become and continue to be very lame. But luckily I am able to carry on my work. Are you likely to be visiting Cambridge any time this summer? Until August my engagements are such that I can hardly count on being here at any given time. But in early August we shall certainly be settled for a time. Perhaps you could run down for a night.

Yours very truly
A W Verrall

The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking :- Apologises for not writing sooner [ee 12/71]: this is not 'due to indifference or to want of interest, still less to want of affection, but to carelessness and procrastination', to which he has always been 'very liable', and should therefore try especially 'to guard against'.

Will keep the Whitefriars Journal, since his father did not mention it, until Bessie returns at least. Liked his speech, and thought it 'admirably successful in saying some quite serious things lightly, and with grace'. Bessie is coming back soon, maybe on Thursday, but has not yet settled exactly when; Robert will probably come to London then and hopes they might see his parents. She has had a cold but is well now, and seems to have enjoyed her visit.

The 'difficulties about the house' seem to be finally settled, as the Vaughan Williamses have agreed to everything they asked; wishes they had done so several months ago, and saved Robert and Bessie 'this time and worry'. Building should begin this month if everything goes well. Will tell his father 'more about the terms' when they meet in London; their solicitor Withers is satisfied with the terms now.

Spent a week with some Cambridge friends at Woody Bay near Ilfracombe and left last Thursday, stopping to see Salisbury and Winchester on the way back; returned home yesterday. Much admired 'the outside of Salisbury Cathedral, and the close'; did not see Stonehenge, but left it 'for another time'.

Does 'not know how far Verrall has really proved his point about Tyrtaeus [see 12/73]', but remembers he fairly convinced Robert that the poems 'were at least very much rewritten in the Attic dialect, and probably added to, in the 6th century'; does not think Verrall suggested there was 'not an older form behind them', he supposes 'in the Spartan dialect'. Rather likes the 'old elegiac poets' such as Solon, Tyrtaeus and Theognis, who 'may not be very poetical or sublime' but 'can say what they want to quite clearly and with great force in a very difficult literary medium', and 'prepared the way for Simonides and the later epigrammatists'.

Sends love to his mother, and hopes to see her this week.

[On headed notepaper for the Harrow Philathletic Club; 'Trinity' added in pencil]: - People are now beginning to go down: Cambridge is 'becoming much quieter', and he is 'rather glad to be able to stay up until next Friday'. Will come home then, and go to Tunbridge Wells on the following day [to see his aunt Anna Maria Philips, and Sophie Wicksteed]. Asks when they are likely to go abroad: he supposes 'as soon as Georgie comes home'. There are no more lectures, but he will go to Lendrum [a coach] once more; thinks he will continue to see him next term, as he 'learn[s] a great deal from him'.

Several people are coming up from Harrow tomorrow 'to pass [their] matriculation', including Tommy [Macaulay] Booth and [J.W.?] Sandilands. Robert is going to pay all his bills this term, including his kitchen bill; will then be able to 'see more or less what the term has cost'. Thinks Charlie is well, though has 'not seen him much for a day or two'. He himself has had a cold, but it is 'almost gone now'.

Hopes 'all is going well in politics', but they [the Liberals] 'can afford to have a few reverses after London'. The Magpie and Stump debating society dinner 'was a great success after the election [of the new President]': Verrall and Ja[c]kson were there, and it 'was not too rowdy'. Lord Herschell's meeting was also a success, though Robert was 'a little disappointed in his speech'. Hopes his parents are well.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Sends a report of the Whitefriars dinner, as it contains 'some personal circumstances' which might interest Robert. Hopes Elizabeth is sharing the 'glorious weather' at Welcombe. Is 'easing off work'; has finished Lucretius and begun Bergk's "Poetae [lyrici] Graecae": 'the perfection of poetry, in a society exactly suited to it'. Has Robert's old letter about it; questions Verrall's dating of Tyrtaeus to the sixth century [BC]. Lionel [Holland] is one of the party coming next week.

Letters dated 20 Jan. 1903 - 1 Aug. 1911, the last in the hand of his daughter Helen de G. Verrall.

Marked in red crayon A, B, C, F and J, with accompanying explanatory pages. Lectures contain emendations, annotations and amendments. Lecture on Coriolanus accompanied by a letter dated 22 November 1909 from A.W. Verrall to Mrs Sidgwick. Lectures and notes are accompanied by an envelope labelled 'Henry Sidgwick Shakespearean Lectures', with notes on lectures A-J inclusive. With envelope.

Title on first leaf: "J. H. McCubbin, Trinity College, Cambridge. Compositions & translations 1908-9, A. W. Verrall, Litt. D., Director of Studies & Lecturer". Trinity student notebook comprised of pasted in printed pages of Trinity College Lecture Room Latin and Greek Compositions, with Latin or Greek on one side, and the translation on the other, with MS notes on both, some of them quoting A. W. Verrall on points of grammar and his praise or censure for the translations. Most of the compositions are dated between October 1908 and April 1909, with two earlier compositions, from 14 Oct. 1895 and 10 May 1905.

5 Selwyn Gardens, Cambridge. - Returns the proof, which he thinks 'excellent'.

Scores for: 'Love of Good'; 'Love of Beauty'; 'Pride of Intellect'; 'Lust of Power'; 'Desire for Independence'; 'Kindness'; 'Sensationalism'; 'Sensuality; and 'Love of Work' given for 'O. B.' [Oscar Browning], Dr Johnson, Montagu Butler; Verrall; Welldon; Plato; and 'Ashley B[ickersteth]'. Plato scores highest with a total of 62 out of 90, and Butler lowest with 43. On a separate sheet, the characteristics are drawn in a spiral from 'Love of God' out to 'Love of Work'.

Funeral of Arthur Verrall.

Trinity College, Cambridge. - Has been invited to dinner with the Jebbs on Saturday the 17th: if Bob does not go to the Verralls, is welcome to dine in George's rooms 'which are in a way common family rooms as the pictures proclaim' and invite guests as he likes. George will write to Moore or Dickinson, say, if Bob says he would like to see them there. Is also engaged for lunch on Sunday, but hopes Bob will breakfast with him, and dine if he wants to.

London Road. Dated 23 June, 1912 - Thanks him for 'Letters of William Cowper' but objects to the phrase 'Warren Hastings and his enemy Impey'; also tells the history of one of letters attributed to Cowper that is not his; clarifies where Charles Lamb's 'divine chitchat of Cowper' appears; was annoyed to see Cowper's house had been pulled down in Dereham; mourns [Arthur] Verrall.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Thanks for the 'information about Ecology' and the account of Robert's talk with [Robert] Chapman regarding the Jane Austen emendations; thinks the reading of 'trio' for 'two' in a paragraph of "Northanger Abbey" might be Jackson's [actually Verrall's, see 12/191]. Encloses the Junior Bursar [of Trinity College, Cambridge]'s letter; likes to read of 'these hospitalities', and would like to be there 'in some one else's scarlet gown, with my own solitary Order'.

Thanks him for 'Letters of William Cowper' but objects to the phrase 'Warren Hastings and his enemy Impey'; also tells the history of one of letters attributed to Cowper that is not his; clarifies where Charles Lamb's 'divine chitchat of Cowper' appears; was annoyed to see Cowper's house had been pulled down in Dereham; mourns [Arthur] Verrall.

Happy to have returned to Leeds, Verrall on Euripides, Grant believes the Alcestis to be a black comedy: 4 Oak Bank, Shaw Lane, Leeds

Grimsby Farm, Long Lane, Coldash, Newbury. - Since, 'like Alice [in Wonderland]' he always takes 'a great interest in questions of eating and drinking', he is worried that Trevy is under-eating, unless risotto is 'very comprehensive and satisfying', like the dish described [in Aristophanes' "Ecclesiazusae/Assemblywomen" in a long compound word of which he quotes the beginning. Other than that Trevy seems to be having a 'perfect time', much better than he is himself. Wants very much to see Trevy's work; tells him to 'leave Paul as he is' [see 15/274] or just change the name so he will not recognise him; expects the book will be 'uncommon good'. Oswald [Sickert] nearly finished his book at Christmas, but did nothing more between then and Easter, as he was too busy with "Beautiful B[retain": published by the Werner Company]; he says a great deal work needs still to be done on it. [Stanley] Makower's book ["The Mirror of Music"] should be out soon after Easter. The 'great literary event' has been [Arthur] Verrall's "Euripides the Rationalist"; does not think he has ever read 'anything so clever'; will not say anything about it as it would spoil it, and it seems 'perfectly convincing'. Has been 'getting on very well with [Robert] Bridges': went with him to Oxford for a day last week; he seems 'the biggest man I've ever known anything of, perhaps equal with [William Gunion?] Rutherford'; cannot think of anyone else so 'thoroughly serious, thoroughly humorous, and thoroughly consistent', except perhaps Sickert who does not seem to be 'exactly "great" at present', though may be at forty. Bridges is bringing out an edition of Keats soon which will, for example see 'plain "Endymion" as an allegory". They went to the Bodleian, which is 'a delightful place'; Lady Shelley has recently given them 'a fine collection of Shelley MSS etc'. Roger [Fry] is coming to Yattendon soon after Easter, but unfortunately Marsh will have left by then. The 'great thing about Maeterlinck is the sound'; "L'Intruse" was a 'complete failure on the stage'; "Pelléas et Mélisande" 'delightful to listen to'; afraid the 'beautiful M. Lugné Poë' 'is gone for good, and won't come back, the theatre was so dreadfully empty' though the 'decent critics' were all in favour has not seen [William] Archer's articles, but Shaw 'praised the company highly' who has been in Fiesole, will soon go 'for a sail down the Adriatic', and return to England at the end of April. Asks if Trevy has seen the reports of Russell's brother [Frank]'s case; believes it will be settled on Tuesday week; thinks [Russell's wife] 'the Countess and her mother exposed themselves pretty fully'.

Heard from 'dear [Arthur] Shipley this morning, he's in solitary splendour at Cambridge'. Asks if Shipley is Trevy's 'idea of Horace', as he is Marsh's own, both physically and in character. Has also had a 'very gay letter from T. T. [Phelps?], furious' with Trevy for writing twice to Marsh and not to him. Has heard from 'the Seatollerites': George [Trevelyan] and [George] Moore both wrote last Sunday and the party seems to have been a success up to then. Has been 'working very hard' himself, but does not think he is getting on and worries about his Tripos [examinations]; the only reading he is doing apart from revision is de Quincey, of whom he is becoming 'very fond'. Thought the murder Trevy told him about at Wallington, '[William] Winter's murder [i.e., that committed by Winter]' was in "Murder as a Fine Art [de Quincey's "Murder Considered as one of the Fine Arts"]', but read that this morning and there is nothing about it there; asks where Trevy 'got all the details'.

Grimsby Farm, Long Lane, Coldash, Newbury. - Hopes Trevy has received the letter he wrote to Naples, otherwise he will think Marsh 'rather a beast'. Glad Corpo di Cava was not snowed under, since it has turned out to be 'so delightful'; he himself would have 'preferred Capri for the sake of Tiberius' [see 15/318]. Has just got away from London and finished his first day of work here; his 'flesh crept to such a degree' when he woke on Monday night and started to think about his tripos [examinations] that it 'must have moved on about an inch all round'. Stayed in London a little longer than he should have done because of a 'superior French company' who performed [Ibsen's] "Rosmersholm" and "Master Builder" and a play by Maeterlinck under the direction of M. [Aurélien-François-Marie] Lugné -Poé who 'seems to be a descendant of Edgar Poe'. He is 'a very beautiful man with a pale face & black hair', and reminds Marsh of a 'portrait of some poet', perhaps Poe himself; he 'acts very respectably' and played the Master Builder as 'an American with a straggling beard & a drunken complexion' and 'quite revolutionized' Marsh's idea of the part, since 'the rather vulgar arrogant manner he put on in certain parts' made the character seem more consistent than 'the suavity of Lewis Waller'. Asks if Trevy has ever read Maeterlinck, as it is 'useless to try and explain what he's like' if not; in the 'mixture of great simplicity with an entire rejection of realism' he thinks it goes back to 'the Burne Jones & Morris kind of thing'. Sat next to William Archer, who was 'very nice' to him. Saw many friends at the Ibsen plays: [Erskine] Childers, Crompton [Llewelyn Davies], Gerald Duckworth, J[ohn] Waldegrave, 'the Babe' [William Haynes Smith?] etc. Thinks the Independent Theatre must be 'the worst managed concern in the world': the performances usually begin late 'after the curtain has gone up two or three times, to encourage the audience. You're never safe from the irruption of a cat in the most moving scenes', the actors miss their cues, or the curtain does not go down at the end of the act. The man who is called the Acting Manager [Charles Hoppe] is 'the greatest crook [he] ever met with in a responsible position', who seems unable to sell tickets without asking for assistance and did not even know how many acts there were in "Rosmersholm". Marsh took the Verralls to that play; comments on Arthur Verrall's reaction to theatre: 'he never is, or lays himself out to be, in the least moved by a play' but responds to 'the cleverness or stupidity with which it is written'.

Very glad that George [Trevelyan] got his scholarship, though there was no doubt he and Buxton would; 'very hard luck on [Ralph] Wedgwood. Went to see [Charles] Sanger yesterday in his new rooms at Hare Court. No-one has heard 'anything of [Bertrand] Russell for some time'. Only saw Oswald [Sickert], who had influenza, not serious, once; he has just got 'free from the Werner Company, which has used up the Beauties of Britain, & gone on to Paris [ie, finished publishing "Beautiful Britain]'; hopes he will have time for his novel now. [Maurice] Baring took Marsh to supper with Edmund Gosse on Sunday: a 'most amusing man', whose conversation is 'described in Stevenson's essay on conversation ["Talk and Talkers"] under the name of Purcell. He was in the teakettle mood'. Met [Henry] Harland, the editor of the "Yellow Book" there; thought him 'an awful little man', but 'on getting accustomed to his manner' next day he thought him 'like-able on the whole'. Hopes to go to supper next Sunday with 'the even more distinguished [Robert] Bridges', though he has not read his recent works so 'feels rather ill-equipped'. Met John Davidson briefly recently; he 'seemed a genial and light hearted little man, with a nice Scotch accent'.

5 Selwyn Gardens, Cambridge. Dated October 8 1906 - Thanks him for 'Adonis, Attis, Osiris'; theorises that the the removal of the Osiris Feasts in the Roman calendar to the beginning of November is due to the Celtic Feast of Souls at that time, and that the Roman Army was attempting to consolidate holidays; remarks on the origin of Anthesteris, and doesn't see reason to call it a flower festival.

Admiralty, Whitehall. - Thanks Bob for writing out his poem 'so neatly' ["For a Fan", see 15/280]. Bob will 'never' be forgiven for not coming to Trinity last night; he himself had 'great fun, chiefly with Moore and Barran'. He then stayed for Verrall's funeral; glad he was able to be there as Verrall is a 'great loss'. Hears Mrs Verrall and Helen are 'wonderfully well'. Has to speak at the [Apostles] dinner and can't sleep 'for thinking of the shame and misery of it'.

Trinity College, Cambridge. - Has been 'distracted all day' by Trevy's letter [15/269]; is afraid his mind is 'made up against his wishes', since there are many reasons against him going to Italy with Trevy and for it only that he 'should like it so enormously'. His tripos exams are in May and he must work for them; knows he would not be able to work at Paestum; he has already refused to go to with [Nathaniel] Wedd to Greece, with [Charles] Sanger and [Arthur] Shipley to the Netherlands, and with [Maurice?] Baring to Florence. Has also asked James to come to London in Easter week, and wants to see lots of other people there. Will pass over what Trevy says in his letter about [his theories on] the English language, but hopes that both of them have 'improved since that fearful day at Mottarone'. Barran has come in 'in all his customary magnificence' they had great fun at the Verralls' last night. Has got to take tea with 'the little Miss Conybeare's [sisters of his college contemporary William Conybeare?] now'.

5 Selwyn Gardens, Cambridge. - Printed thanks from Margaret and Helen Verrall for the condolences of their friends, with handwritten message from Margaret Verrall thanking the Trevelyans for their sympathy and what they write about her husband. Nobody 'ever got more pleasure than he did from his younger friends' and 'the knowledge that they loved him' is her greatest consolation now.

Begins with a quotation in Ancient Greek [from Theocritus Idyll 1] to praise Eddie's [recently published] translations of Horace into English, 'outstanding' for their 'unfailing musical charm'. Has not read them all yet, but is 'amazed' how often Eddie has found 'a felicitous solutions to what seems an impossible difficulty'. Lists some of his favourites; mentions a criticism of "Quis desiderio..." [Odes 1.24]; discusses the text of "Aequam memento" [Odes 2.3] with reference to the edition which belonged to Macaulay annotated with Bentley's readings - Bob finds A.W.V. [Arthur Woollgar Verrall] 'unconvincing' here. Generally the book makes what Bob said about Horace being 'really untranslatable... look rather foolish'; he has himself found them so, whatever method he has tried, but Eddie has 'indeed made an artistic success' of his method. Does not know whether Eddie is still in Derbyshire, but is sure this will be forwarded if not.

Will send his autograph to [William Henry] Davies . Has just read the memoir of [Arthur] Verrall; thought Edward's contribution 'very good'. Supposes he himself is the 'nameless priggish youth'; does not remember the phrase about 'indolence of mind', but knows he told Verrall that he had read [Shelley's "Laon and Cythna"] about eight times'; also seems he called the poem "Laon and Cynthia", which Verrall must have told Edward.

Is sending back Edward's book with his fan ["For a Fan"] written in; it was 'a great pleasure to read the poems'; the "Oasis of Sidi Khaled" [by Wilfrid Scawen Blunt] is very fine, but there were many others he had 'never seen and was glad to know'. Verrall's death is sad, but 'seems to have been a release from continuous and intolerable pain'. Will see Edward at the [Apostles] dinner.

Hotel Bristol, Naples, Corso Vittorio Emanuele [printed notepaper with line drawing of the hotel]. - Marsh must be 'made of very distractable material' if Bob's last letter [15/269] distracted him for a whole day. Never expected that Marsh would be able to come with him to Italy, and is enjoying solitude; calls solitude and 'a plunge in cold water' as 'fundamental instinct[s]' deriving from the evolution of mankind. Is staying at this hotel for two nights before deciding where to go next; it belongs to [George Parker] Bidder, 'grandson of the calculating infant [also George Parker Bidder]'; the younger Bidder is 'known to all his generation at Cambridge, and the Verralls talk of him'. Hopes to see Bidder and get his advice [note that if Bob was actually staying at the Hotel Bristol, this was not in fact owned by Bidder, whose hotel was further along the Corso]; had intended to go to Corpo di Cava, but it would still be cold, as the hills are still covered by snow. Capri is currently the 'most inticing [sic]' possibility, 'certainly the most secluded and remote'. Is going to the Museum when he finishes this letter, which 'T.T.' [Thomas Tettrell Phelps?' calls 'the most fascinating place he has ever seen'; went with 'T.T.' on his last night in Britain 'to see A. Roberts, and found that it was bad'.

Marsh 'would like Pisa'; Bob saw a band playing in the market place there for the king's birthday, as he and Marsh once saw at Como, and caught sight of a beautiful woman with a 'face such as you seldom see in England'; he later saw her in a box at the theatre, where he saw two acts of Verdi's "Falstaff" before catching the train for Rome. Only had an hour and a half there; 'smoked a cigarette over the ruins of the forum' and thought of Teufledrock [sic: Teufelsdröckh, in Carlyle's "Sartor Resartus"]. Cannot even 'glance' at the 'wonderful things on the journey to Naples', and should keep a journal. Must get an Italian hat to wear in town, as he only has a straw one, and being the only person wearing one of these in a crowded street means he cannot escape 'intense' interest. Hope that Marsh will lose his 'nausea for Lucretius, or rather for his science' during the vacation; encourages him to go to Holland with 'S. and S.'; asks him to write. Says in a postscript that he can hear an American 'defending New York in the smoker', saying 'the negro really is a silent factor now'.

Trinity College, Cambridge. - Hopes Bob will come to Cambridge before the end of term: 9 December is Commem[oration], and 10 December the 'last Soccer [Apostles' Society] meeting this term'. Quite likely to elect [Sydney?] Waterlow before the end of term, so Bob would be 'extra welcome'. Verrall has done what Bob 'kindly offered', and has gone carefully through the first half of George's book ["England in the Age of Wycliffe"], 'prevented a lot of bad things', and will look at the second part soon. Will be very interested to hear how Bob's play is getting on.

Fen Ditton, Cambridge - Thanks him for [the second edition of 'The Golden Bough']; is glad to hear from Mrs Frazer how he fares in foreign lands; has been put on the Caius Governing Body, and then the University Council, thinks it would be helpful as the next four years will be important for the advancement of anthropology there, 'I know that you will consider me a jackass for going into University business', [Francis?] Jenkinson and [M. R.?] James both voted against him, 'to keep me from wasting my time'; is about to publish volume one of his book, going ahead even though new discoveries are made during every spring's diggings; A. J. Evans gave a lecture on Cnossus; [John?] Capstick is flourishing and the Fellowship dividend has gone up; [Henry?] Jackson is much better; [Arthur?] Verrall still poorly; [Solomon?] Schechter is better; encloses a document sent him by C. H. Read [not present]; [Herbert Hope?] Risley is a splendid fellow; Ridgeway is pushing for a new museum of anthropology, has an old Caius friend, wealthy, childless, interested in archaeology, who will help and will work the City Companies for him.

Embossed stamp of Queen's College, Cork - Discusses a passage in Greek mentioning spiked shoes; is distressed to learn that [Henry?] Jackson will not stand for the Greek chair; [J. P.] Postgate had already told him of Frazer's jest at [Ridgeway's] expense about the Greek chair; wonders why [Arthur?] Verrall doesn't go up, as good a literary man as [Richard?] Jebb, 'ten times more original, though a little wild at times'.