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c/o B[ernard] Berenson, Poggio allo Spino, Consuma (Prov di. Firenze). - Glad Julian is having such a good time; expects he will be at or near Aulla by now. Unsure whether he himself will be able to get to Aulla; expects he will stay here until the end of the month then go home; hopes Aubrey and Lina [Waterfield] will not be annoyed with him. Might be able to come for a few days early in September, but fears Julian would have left by then. B.B. [Berenson] likely to go to Paris then so Julian would probably miss him, or the house would be full since Mary is coming from England with some guests. Nicky [Mariano] and the Anreps [Alda and Egbert] are here at the moment, and [Alberto] Moravia is staying in the village nearby. Julian could maybe arrange to do this, but will probably want to go on to Ravenna.

Spent some time in Paris with the Allens [Clifford and Joan], and saw [Hasan] Suhrawardy and [Maria] Germanova; then went with the Allens to Bolzano for almost a week. Clifford Allen seems much better in health; they will return home soon via Heidelburg. Bessie writes that the 'last difficulties to the building contract have been removed'; she has probably signed it by now. Roland [Vaughan Williams] will not allow the house to be 'plastered smooth', so the 'old part shall remove rough-cast, and the new part be brick': he is sorry, but Julian may prefer it. Is reading a lot, but has done little work, except on translating the "Medea" for Germanova, who 'seems to want very much to do it in America next year'. Received Julian's letter at Bolzano about 'adventures in the Pyrennees [sic] and in wolf-caverns'; glad Julian is seeing [Frederick] Porter, will pay for any lessons when he returns so he should keep an account. Sends love to Lina and Aubrey; will write soon to let them know whether he can visit.

c/o [Bernard] Berenson, Poggio allo Spino, Consuma (Prov. di Firenze). - Glad Julian is having a good time at Aulla, and would have liked to join him but cannot manage it. Will start for home around the beginning of September, and may stop at Paris for a few nights. Julian unlikely to have time to stop here on the way to Venice or Ravenna, but there may be room, or he could stop at the hotel at Consuma; Nicky [Mariano] will have written about that to Lina [Waterfield]. The countryside here is in some ways the finest he has seen in Italy, hard to be beaten 'even by Aulla'; Julian should see it some day, perhaps next year. Went to Laverna [sic: La Verna], where St Francis received his stigmata, on Monday by car. [Umberto] Morra has left, but [Alberto] Moravia is still staying at the hotel and comes to the house every day; the Anreps [Alma and Egbert] are here most of the time. His hotel in Rome was the Albergo Elyseé; if Julian stays there he should ask whether he can get a room looking over the Borghese gardens; his own looked the wrong way, but he used to go to [Guglielmo degli] Alberti's. Sends love to A[ubrey], Lina, Kinta and J[ohn], and to Adelina and 'the Fortezza itself'. Morra almost certain to be at Cortona and glad to see Julian.

Villa Morra, Cortona. - Assumes Julian is leaving on 5 or 6 January, so is coming to Florence on the 4th; will take a taxi from the station unless he finds the car from I Tatti there, as he has let Nicky [Mariano] know when his train arrives. Has not heard from [Roger] Sessions yet, but assumes he would like him to come to the Villino; if necessary he could go to the Anreps [Alda and Egbert], or to I Tatti at once. Wonders if Julian got a permesso di soggiorno, or whether the Waterfields [Aubrey and Lina] thought that was unnecessary. Expects there will be a concert in Florence on Sunday the 15th, and might go; Mary [Berenson] may have an extra ticket for him. Was rather relieved when [Alberto] Moravia left 'as he talked so much', but 'liked him in a way'. Expects Julian has written to [Hasan] Suhrawardy. [Umberto] Morra is not coming to Florence until the 6th or 7th. Hopes Julian had a 'good New Year's festa, probably at the Anreps'. Tonino [Morra's attendant] made them some punch; this morning they 'had to eat grapes for breakfast' to bring 'plenty of money all this year'. Will visit from the Villino one day after lunch if Julian is there.

c/o Signora [Alda] Anrep, Villino Corbignano, Settignano, Firenze, Italy. - Is 'comfortably settled' in a little villa near the Berensons' villa [I Tatti], with 'some very agreeable friends. He [Egbert von Anrep] is an Esthonian land-lord, expropriated by the Revolution, and his wife is an Italian'. The Berensons are in Egypt, but will return in April, some time before Robert goes home. The weather has been 'beautiful, but the country is in great want of rain'; it is raining today, and he hopes this will continue for a few days, as 'the fields are parched, and the wells empty'. Bessie writes 'cheerfully' from the Shiffolds. Sends love to his mother, and hopes both his parents are well.

Had lunch yesterday with 'a friend of George's, Fillippo dei Filippo [sic], a Central Asian explorer, who lives in d'Annunzio's old villa at Settignano'. He has 'travelled a great deal in Thibet', and knows a lot about 'Oriental history'. But Robert does 'not see many people', and has 'not even been into Florence yet'.

Casa al Dono. - Cannot remember whether he ever sent Trevy this snapshot, taken on top of Monte Secchieta last September. Read B. B. B. the extract from Trevy's 'Autobiography'; 'he liked it very much and was much amused by what you say about him and his "mytho-poeism". Will answer Trevy's letter properly as soon as she has 'got through a ghastly accumulation of letters' on her desk.

Clotilde [Marghieri] is staying with them, and also enjoyed Trevy's letter and autobiography. 'She has aged a lot too and her hair is quite white but is even more attractive mentally and as a companion than she was as a young woman'. Berenson and Nicky are happily settled at Casa al Dono; 'grieves' Nicky that Trevy has never seen it, as he would love it as she does.

Sylvia [Sprigge] is visiting next week; [she and her husband] like their home on the Via Aurelia very much. Thinks Trevy will see them in September. Alda [Anrep] is in Sorrento and Bertie [Anrep] at Forte dei Marmi.

Postscript notes that B. B. was 'delighted' to get Elizabeth's letter; thinks he has answered it.

Pensione Ideale, Via Ginori 7, Firenze. - Thanks Trevelyan for the introduction to Baronessa Anrep and Berenson. Had lunch today with Berenson, Baronessa Anrep and her sister [Nicky Mariano], Miss Lewis and Professor Perry, and saw the library, pictures and garden. Last night went to dinner with Baronessa Anrep and her husband and afterwards visited the Brewsters. Klo-Klo had hurt her knee but was 'vivacious & charming' and sent love: they talked about how Trevelyan used to read Edward Lear aloud, and Baronessa Anrep did an imitation of him. Is very sad to be leaving Italy.