Thanks Bob for sending "Windfalls" as a gift: the essays are 'delightful' and have the 'intimacy and the graciousness of [Charles Lamb's?] Elia'. Has increasingly enjoyed Bob's later work, which he thinks has 'grown in humanity steadily'. Very grateful for the criticism, such as that on 'the movement of Shelley', which he has always appreciated; believes timing to be 'the secret of humour and drama' and 'greatness of acting or of wit'. Imitated R[obert] L[ouis] S[tevenson]'s 'admirable' technique in his own mountain stories. They [he and his wife] move to London in October '[w]orn out by Camb[ridge] climate', and hope to see Bob and Bessie there at 12 Holland Street. Postscript saying that George's great book ["English Social History"] has 'put the cap-stone on his reputation and unique position'.
The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - Apologises for not writing sooner; never managed to write when he had so much spare time at Wallington, and now he has returned and begun work 'can easily find time'. Bessie may not yet think the house perfect, but it is 'already far more beautiful and comfortable' than he ever thought a house of his could be; she gets on very well with the housekeeper [Mrs Enticknap] and he can hear them talking at the moment; sometimes after they have had long talks there are 'such wonderful vegetables for dinner, cooked in some delightful out-landish fashions'. Even the vegetables at Wallington improved, 'especially the carrots and peas'. Bessie has been translating her "Nederlandsch Volksliederenboek" for him; some are very pretty, and he would one day like to translate them himself; he has not yet translated [Joost van den] Vondel. Hopes she, her husband, and the others will like [Thomas Love] Peacock's stories; some of the allusions to 'contemporary literary or political ideas which are now almost forgotten' may be difficult, but he thinks they will find them amusing; rememberes that the best are "Headlong Hall", "Nightmare Abbey" about Shelley, and perhaps "Maid Marian". Bessie has sent Bramine "Emma" by Jane Austen; sure she would also like that. Sorry she is not quite well, and hopes she will recover before winter. Very sad that Tuttie [Marie Hubrecht] is so unwell; hopes she will be able to get to Switzerland soon. Glad that the Grandmonts may build a house in the country; remembers the country by Doorn as being very pretty. He and Bessie went to Haslemere last Friday to visit the Joachims and some other friends and enjoyed it very much; was his first meeting with 'old Mr [Joseph] Joachim'; went for a walk with young Harold and visited his 'old haunts' like his old house Roundhurst, while Bessie stayed at home and talked. Hears that Bramine is painting Maria's portrait in the lace dress she wore at Elizabeth and Robert's wedding, which he so much liked; asks to be remembered to the family. Herbert Jones is getting married tomorrow, and they will send a telegram.
8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Glad to hear that Bessie is 'driving about' and safe. Interested by what Robert tells him from Miss Forster's letters. The review in the "Times" on [Georg] Brandes was very good; praises Brandes's judgement of poetry; thinks it was he who observed that 'Wordsworth might have been a parson, or Shelley an agitator, but that Keats could not have been any thing but a poet'. He himself tends to take the favourable 'Continental view' of Byron. Liked the "Times" article on Robert very much. Countess [Elizabeth von] Arnim took tea with them yesterday: a 'plump, merry, rather common ladylike woman'; her husband is the son of the 'celebrated Count [Harry von] Arnheim whom Bismarck ruined'. She and Miss [Ethel] Sidgwick are his 'favourite contemporary novelists'.
Mountside, Guildford. - Very much enjoyed his 'little stay' with the Trevelyans'; thanks Trevelyan's wife for 'all the trouble she took' to make him comfortable. Very glad to spend some time with Goldie [Lowes Dickinson]; is sure he must miss his sister Janet very much. Meant to ask Trevelyan about some books on Shelley, in whom he is currently very interested, but with his 'usual presence of mind, forgot!'.
Grand Hotel de la Cloche, Dijon. - Glad to hear from Robert about [Henry] Jackson and Vernon Lushington, and about the reading at Harrow; good that it 'is so much out of Macaulay'. Has just finished Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations", and likes him increasingly; he 'supplies a need' which, at Sir George's current age, no-one else does. Liked Robert's article in the "Review'. Had a very interesting evening at Geneva: always thinks that the 'most wonderful combination of young genius... without an atom of pretention' was when Byron, Shelley, Mary Godwin, and [Claire Clairemont] were living on Lake Geneva [in 1816]; mentions 'amusing' letters from Byron to Hobhouse; he and Caroline were allowed to see all over the Villa Diodati since the occupants were away; Caroline has sketched both the Villa and Shelley's house nearby. It was as interesting as Keats's and the Brawnes' villa at Hampstead, but much more beautiful. Will be home on Saturday.
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.
Newport, I[sle] of W[ight]. - Sends passage from Coleridge's Table Talk; hopes Milnes has talked at length with C. Cowden Clarke, who knows more of Keats' early life than anyone. Severn's devotion to Keats in his last days. Transcribes passage from Table Talk Vol. 2 p. 89 on Coleridge's meeting Keats and predicting his death; Coleridge's unnamed companion on that occasion was Leigh Hunt; doubts about the alleged prediction as Keats was in perfect health at the time. The Examiner of c. 1815 introduces three would-be poets, Shelley, Keats, and himself; Reynolds has done very little but Keats' Muse will take care of him.
Sending a parcel to Spedding, congratulations to Blakesley, thanks him for a copy of Tennyson's "Timbuctoo", "beauties of Shelley" recently published and any hand that Blakesley may have had in it
c/o Aulla [on headed notepaper for Poggio Gherardo, Settignano, Florence]. - Is going to Florence, probably next Monday, and will stay at Poggio Gherardo with the Waterfields; around 8 December will then go on to the Berensons at I Tatti, where Julian will join him, until about the 22nd or 23rd; they will then return to Poggio or perhaps visit [Umberto] Morra at Cortona for a while. Nicky [Mariano] writes that the Berensons hope Julian will come on the 10th or 11th. Suggests arrangements for reaching Florence via Bologna; Julian and Elizabeth must decide when he will start. Tells him to remember the Italian, French and Swiss money he left with Elizabeth, and the Baedeker; would be best if he brought dress clothes as the Berensons dress for dinner; also tells him not to put his feet on the train seats or he will be 'reproved and fined by the black-shirt who wanders along the corridor, seeking whom he may bully', and to check whether he needs to disembark for his luggage to be examined at borders or whether this will be done on the train. He should bring pocket dictionaries, but not more of other books than he needs, as 'there are millions of books here'. A shame that he will not see Aulla, which has finer scenery than anything else he knows of in Italy. Hopes the ballet goes well, and the scenery [painted by Julian?] is a success. John Waterfield and his sister [Kinta] will come out later, and Julian will see them at Poggio. Spent two nights at Lerici last week, and saw Shelley's house. Expects Elizabeth is now in Scotland, and will soon come to Cambridge; sorry that Julian is missing Donald [Tovey]'s concert.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Elizabeth seems to have had more snow than they have at Welcombe. Will be very good to see her and Robert again; asks if they will stop a night on the way through London, or prefer to get home then come after they are settled. Is thinking of hosting 'a weekly dinner on Tuesdays in March, & a "small & early for MP's & young people afterwards'; Elizabeth and Robert must come to one. Henry James arrived last night and is 'most amusing & delightful on his American experiences'. Audrey T[revelyan] and the Bells are coming today. She and Sir George go to London on 23 February. Will give Elizabeth her club subscription when she returns; she will then have to make enquiries about which is the best club and change next year; Caroline thinks the Gr[osvenor] Cr[escent] club has 'become very common & inferior'. Is glad Elizabeth saw Shelley's villa; the coast where Byron burnt his body is 'wierd [sic] & beautiful too'. Asks if she has read Mrs Shelley's "Life" of her husband, which Caroline thinks is better than [Edward] Dowden's. Mary has had to give up nursing Pauline, having done too much over the election and got run down. Charlie has accepted the position of Parliamentary Charity Commissioner, which is unpaid and not much work, but 'keeps him "in the running"'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon [on headed notepaper]:- Has arranged for a copy of the Pageant to be sent to her: thinks it will arrive before his parents leave Rome, though he forgot to have it sent 'till rather late'. Would have written before, but was waiting to receive her letter to answer it. They are 'all at Welcombe now': Miss Martin [his old governess] has just left, and [Maurice?] Amos arrives today. He himself came on Saturday and leaves on Friday. Crompton Ll[ewelyn] Davies and his sister [Margaret] have been; now staying are [G. L.] Dickinson, [G. E.] Moore and 'Gr Wallace [Graham Wallas?]'. They have had two fine warm days, but wintry weather is now returning; there is a 'fire in the drawing room, and Moore and Dickinson play the piano or sing'. The piano is a 'marvel[l]ously beautiful one'. There is currently general conversation about 'Bobbie Philimore's sudden marriage': wonders if his mother knows Philimore's new wife, 'who was Miss Fitz-Patrick, alias Sister Lucy'; it is 'a regular Shelley business, though in this case the parents have been brought round to approve'.
Intends to go abroad immediately after Welcombe, as he has a cold which he 'can't quite get rid of, and which would probably become bad in a frost'. Thought of going to the South of France, though 'Several friends have strongly advised Tangiers' for the greater likelihood of warmth and cheapness, though he does not think it much matters; wants only 'to be warm, and alone so that [he] may write'.
Had a few days at Failand 'keeping Xmas in the bosom of the Fry family': they 'read Hamlet aloud in the evening, each taking the Prince for an act. George [Trevelyan] makes a most excellent garrulous Polonius, while [Robert? - 'I?' supplied in pencil] shine as ghost and the ranting player'. They all concluded that 'Hamlet's character has no mystery', except for doubting 'how far, if at all, he loved Ophelia'.
The company at Welcombe are 'just off to Chalcote [Charlecote], to walk off a New Year's day plum pudding and Turkey'.
Embossed notepaper for Privy Council Office - Hopes Milnes will fulfil his promise to review Shelley. Admires Shelley's poetic genius but it is not matched by morality or philosophical insight; the poet's lawlessness and weakness of character.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - He and Caroline have recovered from the journey, but he supposes he will remain 'at a lower level than before [his] long illness'. Has never read any Plutarch in Greek: he is one of the great writers 'to whom one pays the hightest of compliments of reading them with reverence in English', as he did for so long with [Dumas's "Count of] Monte Cristo" and "The Three Musketeers". Would like to know what Robert thinks of Plutarch's biography of Alexander; he himself is planning to re-read Lucian's "Alexander Pseudomantis" and "On Salaried Posts in Great Houses"; has just finished the "De morte Peregrini"; expresses his 'distaste' for the "Dialogues of the Dead" and 'something stronger than distaste' for Lucian's many imitators. Caroline 'really fancied the Shelley book', but they both got bored by Dowson last time they read him; [James?] Hogg is 'above, or beside, or somehow sacred from criticism'.
8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Is not going to Egypt, but will come to Bob; will spend from 25-30 January happily at Pisa 'up to the heart in Shelley', then will come on to Ravello; looking forward to seeing Bob there. Will do an 'expedition' to Sicily, especially Syracuse, from there, and hope Bob will come with him; plans to go to Florence when the weather is warmer. Interested to hear how Bob's play progesses; liked "The Mulberry Tree" and 'dear old "phaselus ille" [a translation from Catullus]' very much: Bob should send it to Bowen 'as an alternative for modern side boys [at Harrow] to learn when they are late for dinner'. His own book ["England in the Age of Wycliffe"] will be out in about a month; their father's [the first volume of his "The American Revolution"] has been 'extremely well received'.
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'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Robert's letter has brought 'a breath of Italy'; wishes he could be there; asks to be remembered kindly to Robert's hosts and wishes he could see Berenson's library. Books now his 'medium for everything': foreign countries, past times, 'vanished friends and opponents'. Has now read the elegiac and iambic fragments in Bergk, and will go on to read the '"Melic poets" as one reads Keats and Shelley'. Has also finished Plautus's "Casina"; a great coincidence 'utterly unimportant in itself' like all great coincidences, that the last time he did so, in 1916, Morton and Kate Philips came to stay as they are doing tonight for the first time since then. Is reading Robert's Tchernov [sic: Chekhov] and thinks the stories may give even 'more vivid and real' a picture of Russian life than Turgenev and Tolstoy, while being 'far less repulsive' than Dostoevsky; though he does not approve of the 'sordid little pictures of conjugal infidelity', which is better done in many French novels and he is 'many years too old for it in any language'.
Postmarked Cambridge. Addressed to 'Mrs Conybeare' at Weybridge; signed 'S. E. S.'
Extract from Prometheus Bound, Act II, sc. v, l. 39: Asia is the speaker.
Chadstone, Northampton. - Thanks for book, received via Lord Northampton; the Clephanes are also delighted with the poems, which convey 'Truth in the symbols of world-enduring beauty'; contrast with Shelley, who 'seems a sealed book to so many, I suppose it is from the difficulty of sympathising when one's fancy is perfectly bewildered'; regrets absence of the Roman sonnets.
62 Rutland Gate. - Unable to discover when last volumes of Hogg's Shelley are to be published as Moxon has taken the secret to his grave; what a reception Rogers will give Moxon for the Table Talk; [unnamed] contributor ('almost as deeply read in the Russian Classics as yourself') is preparing an article on the Emancipation of Russian serfs. Tourgeneff should provide useful material. Milnes' opposition to attak on Froude's defence of Henry VIII. Starting for Rome next week. Longman will send Shelley if it appears.
I Tatti, Settignano, Florence. - Thanks his mother for her letter; is 'now quite recovered, and none the worse for having mumped a few days'; the swellings were not large or painful, and he did not have a temperature until he 'caught a chill by getting up a day too early and had a high fever for a night or two'. That is now long gone, and he is quite well. The weather has also been 'horrid' and there has even been some snow, but today looks more promising. The Berensons are leaving Egypt and will arrive in about 10 days; Robert will stay his last week with them, and will remember his parents to them.
Now he has recovered from mumps, he gets on quite well with his work. Sends thanks to his father for his letter [12/340]; will write to him soon. Has hardly been into Florence at all; visited the Uffizi for half an hour one day. They 'have rearranged the pictures, on the whole for the better. Also, many have been brought across there from the Ac[c]ademia, so that all the Bott[]icellis for instance are together now. If primitives had been in fashion a hundred years ago, how congenial Shell[e]y ought to have found Bot[t]icelli. But he seems only to have been interested in second-rate sculpture, and the Leonardo picture of the Medusa's head'. Does not suppose 'anyone of taste looked at the Bot[t]icellis, except probably Reynolds'. Bessie seems to have had an interesting time in London; is writing to her today at Amsterdam. Julian seems well.
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.
Hopes that Nora is well. Reports on the weather at Haslemere, and on the nesting of the birds. Refers to two of Henry's comments 'on two "Initial [Society]" notes started by H.W. Eve', which he encloses [not included]. States that Eve sent him the series a few days previously, and that he [Dakyns] thought that Henry's comments were interesting in themselves.
Has not yet had his 'long talked of meeting with Arthur', but expects to be summoned by him to Oxford in the near future. Announces that he is going up to Cambridge for a Memorial [for Henry] meeting the following Tuesday, and puts forward two proposals as to the type of memorial; one being 'a lectureship in Moral Science to be called the Sidgwick Lectureship', and the other ' a studentship in Philosophy... open to men and women to be given every second or third year as the income of the fund may permit'. Expects that the Peiles will know Nora's own feelings on the subject. Adds that Miss [Jane?] Harrison will not be there, as she has set off the previous day for Rome, after which she plans to go on to Athens, and hopes that Dakyns would join her 'in a Cretan expedition' in about a month.
Discusses his wish to travel. Refers to Gilbert Murray, who lives close by Dakyns, 'with his verse translations of the Hippolytus of Euripides and his Greek [ ] readings of Shelley's Helios'. Refers also to Egypt, where he wishes he could take his son Arthur; states that they would then go to Luxor, where they would see Nora, and know that she is well. Sends Maggie and Frances [his wife and daughter]'s love.
Dakyns, Henry Graham (1838-1911) schoolmasterWallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - The notes on the enclosure he returns interest him very much; is not surprised by the feeling about Swinburne they indicate; any man, even if Swinburne is not 'his' poet, as Browning is Sir George's, or Shelley Harry Knutsford's, must acknowledge him as a 'marvellous and genuine phenomenon'. Has sent a short letter with his own recollections of Swinburne to [Edmund] Gosse, to go into the "life"; Gosse much appreciates the early letters Sir George gave him; the things Sir George did not give to Gosse, he did not show him either. Looking forward very much to Robert's visit; glad they are settled with Miss Barthorp [as governess to Julian]. Has recently read "Humphry Clinker", which he thinks [Smollett's] 'most readable, and least unpleasant, book'.
1 rue Budé, IVième, Isle Saint-Louis. - Is 'ashamed' not to have answered Trevelyan's 'two kind letters' for so long a time, and 'very grateful' to him for taking so much trouble; Trevelyan's second letter reached Du Bos on the 'very day Pearsall Logan Smith [sic: Logan Pearsall Smith] was here'. Still hoped then that he might be able to carry out 'so very pleasant a plan' [see perhaps 4/195, a postcard from E. M. Luce suggesting that Du Bos could stay in her room in London while she is away in June] but regrets that he will be 'tied down to [his] work all through summer' and cannot hope to get away. Will keep Trevelyan's 'invaluable indications' and hopes he will be able to use them one day. Much regrets that Trevelyan will not, as he offered, be able to introduce him to Desmond MacCarthy: admired MacCarthy's 'article of Souvenirs on Henry James' very much; if MacCarthy ever comes to Paris, asks Trevelyan to give him his address. Was unable to go to Jelly d'Arányi's concert due to 'pressure of work'; heard through some of his friends at "La Revue Musicale" that the Bela Bartok concert was very successful, and hopes she will come to visit Paris for a longer time one day, and will 'then report herself to the Ile Saint-Louis'.
Asks if Trevelyan's article on Shelley's "Epypsychidion" has appeared in the "New Statesman": is 'very impatient' to read it. Their conversations 'two years ago and the other day' on the 'tempo' of both Keats and Shelley were 'very interesting and fruitful': is increasingly interested in that subject and feels 'starved' of it when Trevelyan is out of Paris. Is sending a 'little notice' of his "Collection d'Auteurs Etrangers" [series published under his supervision]: now seems decided they will also publish either "Heloise and Abelard" or "The Brook Kerith" by George Moore. Has seen the Countess de Rohan-Chabot; is revising B.B.s translation [into French: of one of Berenson's books on Italian art] with her and has just written to him about it. Heard an interesting lecture by Valéry at Adrienne Monnier's recently on the 'ideas of Edgar Poe'; wishes Trevelyan could have been there. [John Middleton] Murry was there and 'enjoyed it greatly'; he is 'kindly' trying to get Du Bos 'regular employement [sic]' at the "Times". Sure if Trevelyan hears of anything permanent at the "New Statesman" or elsewhere he will remember Du Bos. His wife sends 'many messages' [of regard]. Adds postscript saying they lunched with [Edmond] Jaloux recently, who asked lots of questions about Trevelyan.
Remarks on the fact that Myers has had 'recourse to the strong stimulant of the Sensation Novel', and urges him 'to continue the Tale of the Fair Tasmanian, at least for one more chapter.' Reports that he has been waiting to hear from his candidate Stirling, 'who is apparently hesitating' because, Sidgwick suspects, 'the pay is too small to tempt him. [Note in Myers' hand relates that Stirling is 'the man whom H.S. thought fittest to be Professor of Moral Philosophy at Cambridge' for which Myers urged Sidgwick himself to stand]. If Stirling's case is hopeless he himself 'shall probably stand'. Believes that Venn should be given the post 'if Stirling is out of the question'. Discusses Venn's and his own relative merits in relation to the post.
Declares that he shall probably leave Cambridge if either Venn or Pearson is elected, as he wishes to concentrate himself on 'Practical Philosophy', and they would both be active in that sphere; cannot make up his mind whether he wants to stay or not.. Refers to his interview with the [Poet] Laureate, who impressed him by his 'great kindliness and simplicity, also his sensitiveness to the opinion of inferior creatures like Simcoxes male and female.' [Note in Myers' hand explains that Sidgwick refers to G.A. Simcox and his sister]. Relates that he attempted to flatter the poet by comparing him to Milton, and that Tennyson 'insisted that the blank verse of Keats and Shelley was good in it's [sic] way'. Remarks that he does not think Mrs Cameron suits Tennyson, 'though he is amused with her. Announces that he must turn to his female correspondence.
Sends a 'brief Postscript' to his letter to Bessie to thank Bob for "Windfalls", "From the Shiffolds", and his translation of the "Eclogues and Georgics". Has told Bessie what he thinks of "Windfalls", which is 'much the same as what [his son] John says of them'; jokigly criticises Bob for using 'different to'. Asks him to write another volume of literary criticism: Bob is so 'right & just... here, & how interesting!' with 'living racy slants' on those he loves or hates; "Solitariness" is a 'masterpiece'. Was 'amazed at [Bob's] youthful vigour' on a long day climbing on the Untersberg [in 1935], and has the 'same feeling' about "Windfalls" and how 'fresh & fit' Bob's mind must be. In the Christmas carols ["From the Shiffolds"], he got a 'savage satisfaction' from "Rabbits and Foxes"; also thinks "Helen", in the metre of "Rose-cheeked Laura" is 'masterly', asks whether the metre is the invention of [Thomas] Campion or classical. Would love to read an essay by Bob on Campion - or on Fulke Greville, Herrick, Marvell, Donne, Gogarty, Ford or Waller: 'Everything almost'. Also much more to say about Milton; asks Bob to write more on Shelley as he has read 'nothing so fine about him as "The Poetry of Ecstasy" since Mrs Campbell's book ["Shelley and the Unromantics" by Olwen Ward Campbell?]. Bob must also have 'thousands of things to say' about the Greek poets.
The New Statesman, 10, Gt. Queen Street, Kingsway, London, W.C. - Keen for Trevelyan to write one of the articles he suggests, but as this will not appear for eleven weeks sends a new edition of 'Epipipipsychidion' ["Epipsychidion"], perhaps his favourite of Shelley's poems; promises the review will be signed and unaltered. Asks Trevelyan if he wants a silk scarf he left in the office; if not will put it with the things he collects for 'the poor clergy'.
Pages 1-7: review of "Gruach and Britain's Daughter: Two Plays" by Gordon Bottomley [published in 1921]. Pages 8-13: review of book by Bernard Berenson ["Three Essays in Method", published in 1927]. Pages 13-14, review of "Studies: Indian and Islamic" by S. Khuda Bukhsh, published in 1927.
Notebook also used from the back in: on first back page there is a draft of some verse, 'Withdrawn to the gloom of her inmost vave in dark disconsolate anger...', and Neville Lytton's address and telephone number. Next page, list of poems, perhaps for proposed "Collected Poems", with numbers beside them which may indicate the number of pages. Ten pages of essay on Shelley [perhaps the one printed in "Windfalls", 1944].
Many loose sheets and bifolia inserted, with drafts of works by Trevelyan including "The Bride of Dionysus"; "Sisyphus"; "Archilochus on a Lemnian Trireme" [from "Mallow and Asphodel"; the two drafts of this poem are on sheets of Welcombe House notepaper]; "The Thrush's Song", Trevelyan's translation of Catullus 63 ["Attys"].
Also inserted in this book is a grouping of pages from another exercise book, most still bound together, with drafts of "The Rooks" and a long piece of blank verse; these notebook pages also contain a bifolium with extract from "Sisyphus".
Trinity. - Found a manuscript poem about Epimetheus in London and was interested as he is himself 'engaged on a work yet unfinished'; pretends not to realise it was written by Bob; was charmed by the story of the Gods and Titans in the first canto, though thought 'the author' lost 'command over the metre and style' in the second; declares that his own mistress is Clio [muse of history', a 'great breeder of the imaginative and epic character of mind'. His heart is 'as warm as it ever was' towards Shelley; hopes it will always be so towards 'living poets and their trade', especially his brothers.