Showing 32 results

c/o Professor Utrecht [sic: Ambrosius Hubrecht], 2 Janskerkhof, Utrecht, Holland. - Has received six copies of his "Polyphemus" and hopes J. [Johnson] has sent Fry the same number. Fry's illustrations look very well, though expects he will not be happy with the printing; has found a mistake in the "Ode to Dionysus". Is sending a copy to [Robert] Bridges but not [George] Meredith. Asks Fry to let him know how it sells. Going to spend some time with B.B. [Bernard Berenson] on their way; his wife says he is 'rather out of sorts'. May stop at Verona on the way.

8 Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. [London] :- Thanks his parents for their letters. Came up this morning to go to the Dolmetsch concert. Bessie is well except for a 'slight cold', and says the rehearsals are going well 'though some of the players are rather weak, including the new Madame Dolmetsch'. Is sorry his father's rheumatism 'has been so troublesome', and hopes he will be all right at Zermatt. Has just seen her letter to Bessie, which came this morning.

Is going to see George this afternoon to 'go over the corrections of the first two chapters [of George's England under the Stuarts]; this is 'rather severe work', but he and George agree that these chapters need corrections more than the rest. George seems to like Robert's article [or the Independent Review], as do others, though 'they are not all convinced that Moore's poems are as good' as Robert thinks them. However, did not expect to persuade many people. Does not think either that George will persuade him to like Meredith's poetry 'in his coming article, though it will no doubt be very interesting'.

He and Bessie have not yet heard anything about their building estimates; supposes these are 'in the hands of the builders', but that it will 'come all right now' although they may still have to wait a while. Is going to Seatoller to work for a few weeks in early July; Bessie may join him there for a while, when she leaves Mrs Salomonson. Hopes they might see Caroline at Dorking before then. Is glad Aunt Margaret is 'so well again'.

[In Bessie's handwriting] Wants to 'add a line' to say she is glad Caroline and Sir George are enjoying their trip, and that Sir George's rheumatism has gone. It is 'so very comfortable' being able to stay at Grosvenor Crescent, it is 'so quiet' and 'it makes such a difference not having to bustle about noisy hotels'. Maria looks after her 'like a mother!'. They are just going to lunch at the Moores' before another rehearsal and the concert tonight. Sends love from them both; asks if Caroline could visit them on the 26th or 27th, or the 2nd July, but she must do what is most convenient for her.

Refers to the fact that she is off to Florence in early April. Asks her to send him a postcard to let him know whether he shall find her at home on the following Monday, or whether he had better come on Tuesday. Announces that he and Nora and Arthur [Sidgwick or Benson?] are going to be in London for two or three days, and reports that they are not quite well again after a bout of influenza. They think that they have had enough of sea air, and that Arthur will give her the details. Claims that he has not quite got over 'a certain depression of energy and spirits', which were a result of his illness, but 'can detect no flaw' in his organic condition. Reports that he has been reading much light literature, but none that has left much impression on him, apart from the last story in George Meredith's book of three stories.

Stocks Cottage, Tring. - Has sent on a cheque from Robert with one of his own; hopes they will 'buy a nice acre, lots of bracken and birches and part of a beck'. Agrees that the landlords may 'blackmail' them, but every policy has dangers. So far the Society [National Trust?] is only buying land threatened by building. The proposed Academic Committee of the Royal Society of Literature seems 'likely to be a harmless, if useless and unimportant, body', whose object is to 'prevent the fatuous dons who compose the so called 'British Academy' from posing as the official representation of Literature', as for the Tennyson centenary and the death of [George] Meredith.

Cud Hill House, Upton Saint Leonards, Glos. - Bob has given him great pleasure [by sending him his book "Windfalls"]: finds himself drawn first to the essays with personal names: Browning, Virginia Woolf, Meredith; these are all '[d]elightful', with '[s]uch sensitive discrimination in the literary criticism', combined with 'personal pictures - so vivid', such as 'Meredith's thumps with his stick in honour of the lovely Lucy Duff Gordon'; asks which of Meinhold's works Duff Gordon translated. Praises Bob's literary criticism: calls his defence of rhetoric 'timely needed & excelled'; might not have had Marlowe and the University poets 'without the Schools of Rhetoric of Oxford & Cambridge', and without Marlowe, there might have been no Shakespeare. Comments on 'how neatly' Bob 'refute[s] Edgar Poe's heresy!'. Likes what Bob says about Shelley's "Music when soft voices die": has sometimes read the last stanza as 'addressed by Shelley to himself'; cites 'Less oft is peace in Shelley's mind...' [from "To Jane: The Recollection"] as another instance of self-address. Diana [his wife] and the children are going to Sennen at Land's End on Monday; he himself is not, since he always finds South Cornwall 'too damp'; will go instead to the 'Brit[ish] Ass[ociation for the Advancement of Science]' in Broghton from 7-14 September. His eldest son [Oliver] is engaged to be married to Rosemary Phipps, a 'charming girl' living at Fairford on the upper Thames; she and Oliver have been to visit. Tom [his other son] is staying with Lodge's sister [Barbara Godlee?] near Manchester, but will join the rest of the family in Cornwall. He is 'very musical-studying'. Bob's grandson Philip is here, playing in the garden with Colin; he is a 'dear little boy'. Sends love to both Trevelyans; hope Bob's has a 'good holiday & enjoy[s] Italy'. Asks if 'the cause of Virginia Woolf's death [was] ever known'. Adds a postscript to say her heard a 'marvellous Beethoven piece' on the radio last night, the String Quartet in B flat, Op. 18 no. 6.

G[ran]d Hotel Trinacria, Palermo. - Was fortunate that he received a telegram saying the baby [Julian] had recovered before any letter on the subject; is very sorry that Bessie and Bob had such anxiety, and hopes that all is well now. Arrived here last night, and likes it as much as he hates Naples. is reading [George Meredith's] "Rhoda Fleming" again, and now agrees with Bob about its 'inferiority', and that it is 'melodramatic' and beneath the writer; feels that the 'alleged "illegitimate-son-of-Ld-Lytton element"' which gives 'a necessary spice' to most of Meredith's works here completely takes over. It is 'no use writing or even talking' about politics; hopes 'God will inspire our leaders to retrieve the situation that some insane Devil has induced them to throw away'. Necessary to be loyal, so 'the less said the better'. Can 'imagine Bertie [Russell] talking on the subject of Sir E[dward] Grey!!'. Met a 'very nice Oxford, Balliol Don' at Naples, not A.L. [Arthur Lionel] but J.A. [John Alexander] Smith; George thought him a good philosopher and a 'very good man'. He admired Bertie [Russell], and discussed [Henry] Sidgwick and McTaggart 'excellently and critically. George expects 'there are good things about Oxford': there are 'a few great philosophers' at Cambridge, while at Oxford 'the young men are taught a little philosophy', this is 'perhaps not a bad division of labour'.

Postmarked Palermo. - Forgot to congratulate Bob on his election to the Athenaeum Club; but it is George who will want Bob's 'countenance', since he has been 'notoriously worse dressed' than Bob ever since Bob 'discovered the fact on a famous occasion at Taormina' [perhaps involving Bessie?]. However, George has been told that 'many people wear squash hats' at the Athenaeum now; perhaps they will meet Goldie [Dickinson] there one day. Is today visiting ''an Enna of fields beyond sun" as the poet [George Meredith] sings'.

Lanercost Priory, Brampton, Cumberland. - Thanks 'Uncle Bob' for sending his poems ["From the Shiffolds"]; likes several of them 'very much, particularly "The Prison-House" which reminded her of a poem she herself wrote recently that was liked by Frances Cornford. Feels as Bob does about the 'modern poets - sure there is a spring of pure poetry there, but not very successful at making it flow!' Wishes 'somebody would write a book explaining T. S. Eliot, like Daddy did for [George] Meredith'. She 'hardly dare[s] ask, fearing the worst', whether Aunt Bessie has head any news about her Röntgen nephews, or whether Professor [Pieter] Geyl 'survived the ordeals he underwent'. She and her husband are 'very happy here, and thoroughly enjoy country life'; the church is 'superb - the ancient 12th century Augustinian priory'; the house 'partly consists of a tower built by Edward I', who came several times. They are just twenty miles from Hallington, which has been released from use as a hospital; her mother spent a few days there before Christmas organising redecoration, but it is 'still full of hospital furniture'. Saw Aunt Annie [Philips] before October, who is 'very old now, and tired, but her interest in things is undiminished' and she 'much appreciates Aunt Bessie's letters'.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Bob's letter gave George 'the very greatest pleasure'. Will be in the south in the middle of October, and will come to see Bob and Bessie then or as soon as he can, which will be 'great fun'. The 'other poet that inhabits that neighbourhood, Meredith, has invited George to visit him this autumn with Theodore [Llewelyn Davies]; has often discussed Meredith's poems and 'view of life' with Theo, and Goldie [Lowes Dickinson]. When George visits Meredith, he will see what he can do [in terms of arranging a visit?] for Bob and Roger [Fry]; asks Bob not to tell anyone else that George knows Meredith. Sends love to Elizabeth; Bob should tell her 'not to break all the dishes' before George comes in October. Postscript: Tom [Sturge Moore] has sent George his "Altdorfer"

12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Asks for permission to include Trevelyan's poem about a peacock in an anthology he is editing on birds with Stanley Makower; afraid the publishers will not pay, but any acknowledgement required will be made. The anthology will be mostly 'old masters' but they want some modern poems, which are not easy to obtain; George Meredith's publishers have declined, but he is almost sure of permission for one by 'Toby Brown (the Manx poet)' [sic: T. E. Brown] and hopes to get 'a Stephenson [sic: Stevenson?] and a Henley'. Oswald [his brother' is at Sidmouth for a week.

Hopes that Arthur has enjoyed Dresden. Reports that he has seen many Rugby people that term, which, he predicts, will be a long one. Relates that he has several pupils and six hours a day 'at the least', but does not feel at all hard-worked, and that he breakfasts every day at half past seven. Extols the virtues of brooding and musing, but claims that 'a certain amount of Drudgery is necessary to longevity: that idleness and creative tension alike exhaust the creative force'. Reports that Kingsley 'is preaching sensation sermons on the Psalms of David'. Intends to go to Oxford the following Saturday 'for a refreshment' [probably for the first Ad Eundem Society dinner]. Asks his mother to tell Arthur to 'beg, borrow, or steel' Emilia in England, which had 'such an effect' on Henry that he spent his 'spare cash' on [George Meredith's] other works.

10 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at 3 Hare Court, Inner Temple, London E.C. - Asks if Bob really had the vision he describes in his letter or whether he is just amusing her; talks about their ritual of 'kissing the wall' before sleep; sends a lock of her hair and asks for one of Bob's in return. Thanks him for his explanation of his sonnet in "The Speaker", which she now understands. Returns to the letter after some business over shares at the bank with her uncle, which they were both glad to finish. Discussion of post times. Foolish of "The Speaker" not to put Bob's translation in; asks if he is going to send the "[Lady's] Bat" or anything else to the "Spectator" or "Athenaeum". Discussion of arrangements for the house. Asks who Sophie, who has offered to give Bob a set of books, is; Bob ought to decide what he would like; asks if he has a complete set of Browning in Smith and Elder's edition; she does not like Meredith enough and the Frys have a set, but if Bob is a great admirer he should ask for that. Hope [Charles] Sanger feels better; asks about Bob's lease on the Temple rooms, and whether he is still keeping daily accounts or whether he has not opened his account book since they 'sat together in Charles' room one morning at Grosvenor Crescent'; does not like to nag but he must think about such things.

[Beginning of letter missing]. - About an unknown individual, says 'The detail of reform floors him. It brings out his distrust of any judgment but that of himself & his class'. A bonfire was lit for St. John's Eve [23 Jun] 'on the Kippel [?]... seen no doubt by chill spirits of the mountain perched on the Jung Frau'. So far they have met only one acquaintance, 'an insipid feeble Trinity man', going up the Kippel today 'in boots that may have been patent leathern', with two ladies 'in their Sunday best, who shrieked' when Charles told them they might have to go through over ankle-height snow; did not mention the risk of the reflected sun to their 'pretty untanned skin'.

The journey from Vevey the day before yesterday went well; they travelled by boat to Villeneuve, passing Clarens and Chillon and 'getting more in love with the Lake [Geneva/Léman] than ever'. The Rhone valley was as 'dull as can be', the only remarkable things being a 'beautiful waterfall', he thinks near St. Maurice, and 'a queer sanctum of some monkish order nestling in an almost inaccessible rock'.

Everything is better than expected - 'Bless the weather for it'. Is 'reading with delight' Meredith's Vittoria, [John?] Morley and Byron. Began Carlyle's Cromwell today: 'Ha! Ha! How about 7 volumes'. Soon there will be 'some difficulty' about Italy, since he is 'so determined to get well' that he will not 'go down and be roasted on Como, even if there are no mosquitoes', but Bob is 'bent on going'' there will have to be a compromise by which he crosses a pass with Bob but does not go much further, and lets Bob travel on for a couple of days by himself if he wants. All is however 'amicable' at the moment.

His parents should write to this place when they get this letter: he and Bob are staying at least until Wednesday. Further plans will follow in the next letter. After that will try and write alternately to his parents and George, so there will not be a need to send letters on to or from Skye [where George is going for a holiday]; asks them to send this on to George.

Whingate, Peaslake. - Likes Bob's style in his "Epistles" 'increasingly, and thinks the form good; it manages to 'introduce argumentation, which is generally... a mistake in poetry'; Bob's [translation of] Lucretius had the 'same tone'. It is 'pleasant to read', though he expects it cost Bob 'toil of craftsmanship perhaps travail of soul'. Sees Bob in the epistles as 'a wise, & mature, elder brother' who sympathises with the reader's 'infirmities' since he 'feels his own'; he does not seek to force agreement on the reader (Buxton quotes Browning, "One Word More"), but is 'gently persuasive' and allows the reader to doubt when he '(perhaps)' doubts himself. Bob is no 'more sceptical' with age, nor 'less sweet and gentle and inclined to reconciliation', which Buxton appreciates as 'a (would-be) Quaker'.

All this applies to a certain extent to the two new poems as well, though they are different to the epistles and have 'vast & terrifying' subjects. Has been discussing the same question, about civilisation and books, with V. [his sister Victoria?], [his wife] Dorothy and [daughter] Eglantyne: he has been claiming that no great harm would be done if historic buildings and old master paintings were 'bombed out of existence', but that ideas must be cultivated and books kept, so the people living in Bob's 'little green settlements would not be civilised men'. Knows that he is taking Bob too seriously. The '"Piers Plowman" vision' poem is a more serious piece; remembers the theme of Bob's earlier poem; thinks he remembers Goethe saying that even the devil 'could be (or did he say would be?) redeemed in the end'; does not know what to think himself, but Bob seems to him to present the theme correctly. Would like to learn why Bob wants to '"deflate" the rhetoric of an earlier handling'; this might illuminate Milton, Goethe and Meredith's practice in their own later years; sympathises with the feeling though does not know why, as he has never succeeded in finding 'any essential difference between "Youth" and "Age", though everyone says there is'.Values Bob's 'assertion that there is [underlined] a sprig of Justice and Lovingkindness among common men, which will somehow assert itself'; doubt about this is 'the most terrible scepticism of all'. Thinks this 'declaration of faith' is the modern equivalent of the creeds of Athanasius and others.

Returns Bob's two poems with thanks [no longer present]; also includes a few chapters of his "Essay" ["Prophets of Heaven & Hell: Virgil, Dante, Milton, Goethe : an introductory essay" ?", with an outline, to show what he 'dream[s] of' writing; Bob should not trouble too much about it, but any comment from him would be 'highly valued', and there is no great rush.

Trinity College, Cambridge. - Apologises for not replying sooner to Bob's letter; blames the weather, which 'has brought germs of indolence'; has done no work for a fortnight except reading Euripides' "Medea" and "Electra". Stops writing as his 'hands were dripping with heat'; continues on Monday morning when it is cooler. Has been to breakfast with [Jack?] MacT[aggart], who sold him Dal[housie] Young's "Defence of Oscar Wilde"; this 'makes the mistake of imitating Oscar's style' so readers will 'say that the good sense of it is discounted because it is obvious that the writer was under Oscar's influence'. Says he will not talk about the [General] elections; asks if Charley minds; was very sorry [that Charley was not elected], though he did not want Lord Rosebery to be in again just yet, and expects 'the enormous majority will bring the Tories to grief sooner'. Wonders if Bob is still at Wallington; hopes he was not 'awfully tired' by their trip to Shap. He himself had a 'pleasant journey' reading "Lord Ormont [and his Arminta]"; does not think he has ever read anything 'so exclusively spiritual... nothing of what George Moore calls exteriority, & scarcely any action'; could call it 'the revolt from naturalism' except that [George] Meredith has never been in that movement. Enjoyed their time in the Lakes very much; shame 'we & the weather weren't in better form', but they saw some 'beautiful things'. In London, saw Duse in her 'finest part, Magda' [in Sudermann's "Magda"]. They have been "very frivolous" in Cambridge, and '"Gerald Eversley's Friendship" has been a great delight' and has been read aloud; is afraid their 'brother [in the Cambridge Apostles] Welldon has done for himself.' Is reading "Don Quixote", and finding 'delicious things every now & then, but much dulness [sic]; has a 'wretched old translation', whose only recommendations are that Swift was one of the subscribers, and there are 'some funny old pictures which open out like maps'. Is leaving today; will spend tomorrow night with the Russells and start for Germany on Thursday evening; gives his address for the next month in Hildesheim. Gives a limerick beginning 'There was a young man of Madrid...'

Dun Bull Hotel, Mardale, Via Penrith. (printed notepaper with photograph of the inn). - Meant to write to Trevy last Sunday, but since Barran and Childers 'forestalled' him he waited. They were all glad to hear 'how happy everyone is at Cambridge' . Childers and Malim are at church. They are 'mourning the departure of Cony [William Conybeare?]' whom Trevy will see before he gets this letter, but Barran will return tomorrow; he has 'been revelling at Winchester, and turned aside to go to a garden party at home'. Childers has 'turned us all into fisherman'; Marsh himself 'became perfectly brutal when I'd seen 3 trout knocked on the head'; he got a fish out of the water, but was unable to land it. Has not yet finished [Meredith's] "Vittoria"; has been reading "Harry Richmond" [also by Meredith], 'one of the liveliest & most delightful books' he knows. Is now reading [Zola's] 'Débâcle', as Trevy should; wishes he had a map of Sedan. Childers has 'gone perfectly wild over Balzac. They went to Seatoller and Mrs Pepper was 'very affable'; the Miss Peppers have 'become goddesses... divinely tall etc'; Trevy 'should have been there for the treacle pudding, which surpassed all its previous manifestations'. Their landlady and cook here, Mrs Hudson, also 'has real genius, besides being like a picture by Romney'.

Translation of "Medea" lines 774-1080; 1116-end; 1081-1230; 627-759. Stage directions for Trevelyan's "Sulla", including sketch of scenery; some lines of play text. Translation of Lucretius, "De Rerum Natura" line 96-199.

Book also used from other end in: Translation of "Medea" lines 184ff. "The Fig Tree"; "Cortona"; one of Trevelyan's "Epistolae ad Amicos" (in part written over pencil draft of "Sulla"). List of recipients of poetic "Epistolae": 'Julian. Hasan [Shahid] Suhrawardy (Rex [Suhrawardy's dog]), Nicky [Mariano]...', also list of topics for verse/essays. Verse, 'I have a friend who loves all homely things...'. Two loose sheets with list of poems from "Rimeless Numbers" and draft for a letter [?, no addressee's name] 'I don't know why, unless it be because I am fond of you and so welcome any excuse for writing a letter...'. More draft verse.

List of names under the heading 'Letters' on inside cover - [George?] Meredith, [Walt?] Whitman, Lascelles [Abercrombie] and others - as well as a draft of a piece on 'metrical theory and analyses' for 'Rimeless Numbers' [1932], which continues onto the flyleaves and other inside cover. Also a note of 'Madelina', corrected to 'Marlena' Dietrich's name with 'German film actress. Blau[e] Engel' written underneath.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Expects that Elizabeth has returned home and that the weather is 'cooler & pleasanter'; it was fine yesterday for the school treat. Sir George has been out fishing twice, which is very good for him. Does not think there will be fine weather in the North for some time, so perhaps Robert will not stay so long; thinks September will be better than August this year and is glad Elizabeth is coming then. They are alone at the moment, but expect Mr Milnes Gaskell and his daughter on Tuesday. Hopes Janet [Ward] will be able to visit Elizabeth; she and George have taken a house in Chelsea and are very happy; their prolonged engagement obviously suits them. Is reading [Elliot's] "Daniel Deronda"; thinks it is 'much too long, and rather tedious', though some minor episodes such as Klesmer's 'talk about art' are very good; also has 'the last new Vol. of Le Gorce [?]' and the newspapers; Sir George is reading Meredith's "Egoist" aloud, which she thinks better every time she reads it. Hopes the negotiations [about the land and house at Leith Hill] are going well; asks whether Elizabeth and Robert intend to build themselves, or whether the V[aughan] W[illiamses] will build and let it to them. Sad that Aunt Margaret [Holland] is laid up for so long and unable to write. Asks how 'the little maid' is getting on, and Gussy [Enticknap]'s violin lessons.

Declares that a 'Friend hopes that "Fortune" is merely deferred - as also Fame...' [Note in Myers' hand explains this is a reply 'to some mock-heroic lines announcing (Myers') relinquishment of any project in the Direction of (word deleted)]. Thanks him for the enclosure.

Claims to begin gradually 'to have a conception of [Cyril?] Flower.' States that he is reading [George Meredith's] latest novel [Harry Richmond] 'with a painful sense of genius wasted'. Thinks 'the Septimus [Felton]" will [come] out a fair Hawthorne, not more.' Announces that he expects to hear of Hayman on Saturday from Arthur'.

Laity Water, Torrington. - Thanks Bob for sending a second copy [of "From the Shiffolds", see 17/203]; has two friends he wants to lend it to 'in succession'. Bob is right to say it is a 'difficult time to feel creative in'; human live is a 'frightful and appauling [sic] prospect'. Asks if Bob has seen a book he recently read which 'throws a little light': "The Fear of Freedom" by Elrich [sic: Erich] Fromm, which he discusses in detail. It shows that 'the sado-masochistic symbiosis... is not only peculiar to Germans, but is lurking in all of us' and that 'further repression is not the cure for people who have lost their power to spontaneous action'; finds it most interesting that 'the Germans themselves have anticipated and lamented over the course of their national development', such as Holderlin, Heine and Nietzche; feels that 'super-human daimons are stirring, and like Saturn are devouring their own children'; asks Bob if he knows Rubens' picture on that theme. However, 'poets still write', and he often finds that old poems 'retain all the wonder' they had in his youth; thinks Meredith and Whitman 'just as charged with wisdom as ever they did', and that there are 'ways of real emancipation' for individuals. Would much like to see Bob's essays ["Windfalls"], and thanks him for offering to send them. Is sending the book to which his "The Leaves Return" is a sequel.

Harkstead Hall, near Ipswich, Suffolk. - Levington, near Ipswich, Suffolk. - Glad to hear again from Trevelyan, even though he needed a corkscrew to extract the letter. Likes to think of 'the small company of the resolutely civilised' near Dorking; has recently read a thriller in which England was destroyed in a war and 'a stout-hearted simple-minded sergeant major', backed by 'a Sturge Moore and a Bob Trevelyan' ended up buying the Bodleian Library 'for a bull and a small herd of heifers' to preserve civilisation. Says that no-one in his own part of the country would give a rabbit for the Bodleian. Tells a story about 'the literary barmaid' at the Wheatsheaf, Dorking, where he stayed at the time of Edward VII's coronation: she knew Marie Corelli's works almost by heart and believed they were written by George Meredith. Will be glad to subscribe to the "Abinger Chronicle", but has lost the form; has bought a bicycle, and spent some time fishing nearby. Tells Trevelyan not to look at his new book ["Secret Water"] which is 'all about mud and maps'; asks for a subject for another. Continues to read Trevelyan's poem "Pusska" aloud 'with great success, even among the uncivilised'. Sends thanks to Sturge Moore for his letter; is sorry to hear about the results of his 'gallopping [sic] up Leith Hill' and hopes he gets properly well soon; wishes he would write a "Nursery Sequence" to put beside the "Little School".

2, Cheyne Gardens. - Thanks Bessie for the 'long letter from Aulla' about a month ago; apologises for taking so long to answer 'as usual' but knows she is 'of a kind & forgiving spirit'. The letter came in the middle of the General Election, when 'one thought of nothing else'; it was a 'glorious time', and she even went to the Strand on the first night and saw the 'great Manchester results' [such as Arthur Balfour's defeat]. Generally though she was rather solitary, since George was away almost all month working for Charles, or Francis Acland; had to 'console [herself] by chalking in the map with more & more red squares every day'; her 'feelings got very torn' about her brother, standing in Wiltshire as a Protectionist, since his opponent [John Massie] was the sort of Liberal she has least sympathy with, 'the narrow-minded Nonconformist sort', beginning to hope Arnold would at least cut down his majority. Instead it was doubled, and Arnold had only the 'poor consolation of being invited to the Party Meeting at Lansdowne House'. Words 'quite fail' her over Balfour's 'last manoeuvre'.

The family then all went to Welcombe, so that Charles, George, and Molly could rest 'after their fearful exertions'; of course Mary and Pauline were 'by far the most important members of the party'; contrasts Pauline's placidity with Mary's 'rampaging'; in fact they discovered Pauline was underweight, so Molly has stopped breastfeeding on doctor's orders and now she is 'flourishing'. Very 'jolly' about Charlie's Charity Commissionership; 'makes one feel he hasn't been left out after all'; he says the work is quite interesting. Mary is now one, which makes Janet 'feel tremendously old too!'. George has almost finished the proofs of his book on Meredith ["The Poetry and Philosophy of George Meredith"]; her own translation [of Wilhelm Bousset's "Jesus"] has just come out, though she is sure '[n]o one will ever buy it'. Hopes that Bessie and Bob are returning in the middle of March; things are 'buzzing over here'.

25 Grosvenor Place, S.W. - Apologies for not replying sooner to Bessie's letter; the 'days fly by under these peculiar circumstances', but she loved getting it and often thinks how sad it is that Bessie and Bob will not be at the wedding - though they are quite right that she and George do not think it is 'anybody's duty to be there!'. Asks her to think of them on the 19th (the day has been changed). Everything is getting very exciting: 'house, furniture, clothes...'; they hope to get the house 'into a state of rough-finishedness before we go', but everything is taking longer than planned; it is great fun and since George is busy with his book she does most of the 'fussing' by herself. He has now gone for three days walking in Wales so that on their honeymoon he can be content with her length of walks; they are going first to 'a little place in the wilds of Surrey called Borough Farm', where she used to go each summer with her family, about halfway between Godalming and Hindhead; when George wants some 'real exercise' he can walk to see George Meredith at Box Hill. They then go to Cornwall for about ten days, return to arrange their house properly, and will leave for Italy about 10 April; they are taking their bicycles and will 'wander from Ravenna down to Volaterrae [Volterra] & back via Pisa to Como'. Glad Bessie and Bob are having a 'delightful time at La Croix [-Valmer]; wonders how much longer they are staying.

Stocks, Tring. - Apologises for not writing at once to say she and George could not come ; Bessie's letter came just as they were leaving to pay two visits, and when George is there she 'still find[s] it fearfully hard to remember anything else!'; she therefore forgot it on Sunday at the Youngs' [the family of Sir George Young, 3rd Baronet?]. On Monday they were in Bessie's neighbourhood 'on a mighty walk from Box Hill to Guildford' so Janet hoped to pay a call but there was not time and she had to telegraph; feels 'much ashamed' of herself and hopes Bessie can find someone else. They had 'a wonderful half-hour with the old man of Box Hill [George Meredith?]', and generally 'a heavenly 3 days'.

List of books on flyleaf, including [R.G.?] Collingwood's "An autobiography". Autobiographical fragment, including Trevelyan's childhood 'courting' of a girl at dancing class, friendships including two 'of an emotional, romantic kind' at Harrow, and thoughts on Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale". Translations: of first part of Sophocles' "Philoctetes"; the "Homeric Hymns to Pan, Dionysus, Aphrodite and Demeter; fragments of Greek New Comedy by Menander, Alexis and Philemon.

Book used from other end in: draft verse [translation?] on inside cover and flyleaf; list of possible topics under the heading "More Windfalls", including '[George?] Meredith', Reminiscences', '[Donald] Tovey'. Draft piece, "On losing one's bearings". Verse, 'Oh sea and shore, dearer to me than life...'. Ideas for "Less Simple Pleasures" under headings such as 'Literary', "Of Friendship', 'Of Walking'. Essay of pleasures of the senses. particularly touch. Piece about Horace and his friendships, perhaps as introduction for Trevelyan's two fictional dialogues about him, or part of the subsequent discussion of conversation. This mentions Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson, Roger Fry and Donald Tovey (Virginia Woolf and Lytton Strachey are also mentioned but Trevelyan then crosses this out)'; Henry Sidgwick, his father's friend, is mentioned as a 'perfect artist in conversation'. Discussion of philosophical dialogues. Biographical sketch of Thomas Sturge Moore. Piece on aging and desire. Notes on playing chess with Dickinson. Notes on Montaigne. Bertrand Russell and Bernard Shaw. Essay on the self, Buddhism, and change.

2, Cheyne Gardens, S.W. - Has arranged with [William] Rothenstein to go to be sketched by him early next year; is too busy before Christmas. Has told the publishers to send a copy of the [George] Meredith poems to Bessie at the Shiffolds when they come out next week; Sir George and Caroline will get a copy at Wallington, so she can leave her copy at home or send for it as she likes; the letters, out this week, are 'well worth reading'. Adds a postscript sending 'love to the Stadtholder'.

The Mill House. - Continues the explanation of his sonnet from the last letter [9/116]; after jokingly describing the poem as 'terse, weighty, thrilling, magnificent, Dante-Baudelaire-Rossetti lines', he confesses that he does not think much of it, and wishes they [the "Speaker"] had published the translations they have returned. Is getting on 'fairly well' with the new plan of his play. Has only seen the Frys once since Sunday; he is 'very busy'. Is going to see Sanger in London on Monday before he starts [for Greece]. [George?] Moore has invited to join him, MacCarthy and another on their 'wonted Easter exhibition', this year to the Lizard in Cornwall; has been the last two years and liked it, but will decide nearer the time. Suggests that she might use the library as her study while he keeps the little room; noise does travel from the kitchen, but a baize or felt door would improve matters, and the Enticknaps are 'very quiet people'. Gussie is at school all day; he has in the past been 'a little noisy' in the evening, but is improving. Sophie has asked what books he would like [as a wedding present], suggesting an edition of Thackeray, or Browning (which he has); Thackeray would be good but perhaps he prefers Meredith. Has a Goethe and Heine; has read some "Faust" and means to do more; gets on quite well with a translation and dictionary, but very slowly.

Poggio Gherardo, Via Settignanese, Firenze. - Discusses Trevelyan's corrections for her book ["Florentine Villas"] which will not be published till April as 'Miss [Nelly] Erichsen is behindhand with her drawings'. Will be 'very pleasant' to see Trevelyan and make his wife's acquaintance. Afraid he will find Mr Ross 'very much altered and aged'. [Bernard] Berenson is staying with them as the Frullino is let; today Mrs Costelloe [Mary, later Berenson's wife], her mother, brother and two children went to the new villa [I Tatti], which is 'delightful'. Berenson will stay with the Rosses until the marriage on about 16 December. Lina is then probably going to Rome, or to visit the Curries; she was going to go to Egypt, but now does not want to leave her uncle in his illness for so long. Sends love to 'my Poet ([George]Meredith)' when Trevelyan next sees him; he is 'delightful company, when there is not a large audience', though 'apt to pose' when he has one. Feels guilty for taking up so much of Trevelyan's time [with corrections]; is very grateful and wishes she could do something in return.