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Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - He and Bessie send many thanks to his father for the 'duck and hare': they did not realise until they received his mother's letter [11/109] that he had shot the hare himself. They had it for dinner yesterday: George and Janet were visiting, and have just left, both seemed 'very well and cheerful'. George 'seems relieved to get the history [his England under the Stuarts] off his mind'; has been reading the chapter on Queen Anne and it 'seems very good', though George is dissatisfied and thinks it 'too sketchy'. He can always 'treat the subject more elaborately someday' if he wishes. Thinks the book should be successful.

Last time they were at the [new] house, ten days ago, the roof was being finished, almost a fortnight earlier than expected. They have been making arrangements for some of the work on the garden to be done this winter: a 'trained lady-gardener... is to be responsible for the work'. The house looks good and has been 'well built'; since no alterations to the plans have been needed so far, there ought not to be any extra expense.

The 'Sunday Tramps, led by George' came for tea yesterday: 'young [Thoby] Stephen, and J. Pollock, and [George?] Barger, a Dutchman, and [Sydney] Waterlow, and R. Mayor'. All but Mayor are tall, and in their 'rather low rooms they seemed to Bessie like giants; they have never had 'so many and tall people' in the house together. Encloses two Chinese poems; the 'longer one, by a kind of Chinese Horace' was suggested to Robert by his father shooting ducks, but he sees from 'Professor Giles' translations' that it is actually geese; the rest of that poem 'scarcely applies' to his father, but the shorter, 'on Retirement', may. Understands that the translations are 'fairly literal, though the metres of the originals are quite different'. He and Bessie both send love, and Bessie thanks Caroline for her letter. Robert's book [The Birth of Parsival] has already been printed, though probably will not come out till February.

Separate sheet on which two poems [from Giles' Chinese Poetry in English Verse] are copied out: Discontent by Han Yü [title not copied out] and In Retirement by Li Chia-yu.

Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - Thanks his mother and father for their letters; will reply to his father from abroad. The Chinese poems [see 46/102] were by Professor Giles, not him; one day he will bring the book [Giles' Chinese Poetry in English Verse] to Wallington, as some of its poems are 'very amusing, and others quite pretty'. Copies out one he might send to George, An Agnostic, by an anonymous poet, 'a contemporary of Voltaire'.

Thought George's article 'a little over-emphatic in places', but essentially agreed with it, and thought it 'much better written' than his previous articles in the Nineteenth Century, Heart of the Empire etc; is glad to see his book [England under the Stuarts] is getting good reviews. He himself plans to write 'a comedy... or else a comic prose story', although he may change his mind when he reaches Italy; he does not want to write 'any long serious poem or play'. They are glad Meg Booth can come out to Italy later; thinks she will 'prove an excellent companion'.

The [new] house is getting on well, and is now 'quite roofed'; they have been 'arranging for a more satisfactory approach by making the drive longer', which will cost more but 'be better in the end'. Will not decide finally until they have estimates. The Vaughan Williamses are not putting 'difficulties in the way' of their new plan, which is good. Bessie has made arrangements for some work to be done in the garden while they are away in Italy; she will write to Caroline as soon as they get there; their address will be care of Bernard Berenson at I Tatti. Bessie also thanks Booa [Mary Prestwich] for her letter, but is too busy packing now to reply; will write from Italy.

13, Hanover Terrance, Ladbroke Grove, W. - Apologises for not writing sooner; has heard 'a good deal' about Trevelyan from Francis [Birrell?], [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson and [Harry] Norton. Is working on Li Po 'in deference to the wishes of the public', translating, amongst others 'about 15 that have been done before' by Giles, St-Denys, Pound and so on; when it is printed, it may 'amuse' Trevelyan to compare the versions. Has not changed his own opinion of Li Po at all, but is 'taking a lot of trouble with him', he thinks he may be 'making him seem better than he is'. Impossible to get across in translation that Li Po is 'so largely a patchwork': for instance, the reference in the "River Merchant's Wife" to Wei who appears in 'the "Robber Che [Chih]" (chapter 29 of "Chuang Tzu" [Zhuangzi])", or that in another poem to the sailor with whom seagulls played in "Lieh Tzu [Liezi]"; St-Denys had obviously never read Lieh Tzu. The Oxford [University] Press has accepted his "Japanese Poetry: the Uta", which will come out in the spring. Heard a story about Alix [Sargant Florence] in Cornwall: she wanted to try the cream, but was told it 'would only be sold in compliance with a doctor's certificate', so she wrote to James [Strachey] to get one from Noel [Olivier] who refused; supposes this was when she and Norton were in Cornwall. Now she is there with James, who has flu. Lytton is also ill, with shingles. Rather likes Fredegond [Shove]'s poems ["Dreams and Journeys"?] except for 'the sonnets & the mysticism; Norton 'complained they reminded him of country holidays'. Has talked to Adrian Stephen a few times at the [1917?] Club, and likes him 'better than Norton, or Clive [Bell], or James'. Asks if Trevelyan has seen W. H. Davies's new book; has not read it properly himself, but there are some 'good things in it'. Davies was recently annoyed that the newspapers had described his clothes at a poetry reading as 'homely', when his 'buttons alone cost more than anything Yeats had on'. Has had a 'very kind and generous letter from Cranmer-Byng, a quite unsollicited [sic] "peccavi"'.

2 Garrick's Villa, Hampton-on Thames, Mddx. - Will be relieved to hear that the anthology ["From the Chinese"?] is out. Was quoting the verses about the scholar and spring from memory. Had a nice letter from [Herbert?] Giles's son [Lionel?], who thinks that Waley's versions cannot give an idea of the rhythm of the originals.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Thanks Robert for his letter of 21 November [46/102], which only arrived this evening due to one train being snowed in near Reedsmouth on Monday night and the other 'opposite Donkin-rig'. There was four foot of snow on the road to the station, the telegraphs were broken, and they were cut off from the outside world for three days. It is 'like the Siege of Londonderry or (to please Elizabeth) the Relief of Leyden [Leiden]'. Good to hear about the [new] house and garden; Robert and Elizabeth are lucky to have had fine weather for building, as Sir George and Caroline were for their kennels and farm buildings. Very much liked the 'Chinese pieces', though cannot tell from Robert's letter whether they were by him or Professor [Herbert] Giles; Bessy can tell Caroline when she next writes. Is eager to see Robert's book.

Emsworth House, Emsworth, Hants. - Has looked into his notes for the story he wrote, and found a copy of an article about Sven Hedin's discoveries in the Teklamakan desert which had a short passage with the information that served as his inspiration. Responding to 'Uncle Don's' offer to do research into the story, he quotes from this passage at length. Comments that 'Mr Trevelyan' will be probably be able to tell Uncle Don about Fa Hsien, who introduced Buddhism into China, and, 'having travelled through the desert to China' returned with a tale about a beautiful city in the desert, destroyed because of the wickedness of its inhabitants; would like to know more about Fa Hsien and his book, and believes there is an English translation as 'Kipling mentions it as "Beal and Stanislas Julien" in Kim'. Does not expect Mr Trevelyan has the book, but would be very grateful if Uncle Don could find a fuller account of Fa Hsien's tale, or any more information about the desert cities; wonders if [Herbert?] Giles discusses them in the book Uncle Don told him about. Hopes he is well, and that Aunt Grettie is better; tells him to come to the sports [day at school?] if he can; it will probably be about the middle of June.