120 Maida Vale, W. - Asks whether Trevelyan thought he had 'forgotten all about the Centaurs and the Amazons', or had no mannners because he did not write with thanks for "[The Bride of] Dionysus". Was much 'preoccupied', but has now 'broken the back of [Samuel] Butler's notebooks' and is reading through the typescript of the book ["The Note-Books of Samuel Butler"]. Feels 'rather exhausted' as the editing has been so 'long and troublesome', and he does not know how much he will have to redo. Has however read Sturge Moore's two poems and returns them; they 'contain many fine things' but are not really in 'his line' and he finds them 'a little dull'. The piece Desmond [MacCarthy] showed him and sent to the "New Quarterly", about 'a man in the Bible who got into difficulties with his dramatic gods' was 'duller'. "Dionysus" is his next job, but he may be distracted by organisation for the fifth Erewhon Dinner: Edmund Gosse has fixed the date for 12 July, and cards are being printed. Hopes that Trevelyan will come. Turned sixty-one the other day and cannot do as much as he used to, so the quantity of correspondence associated with the dinner will be tiring. Looking forward to going to Sicily the day afterwards. Went to Paris at Easter; then to Scotland at Whitsun, where he went fishing for the first time and thinks he hooked a fish though 'he wriggled off before I could get him into the boat'. Thanks Trevelyan for sending the book; hopes [Donald Tovey's] music will please him, and that the opera will 'be a great success & cause a furore'. His sister has gone to Norway for a month's holiday. Asks whether Trevelyan has sent the names of people who want to 'become Erewhonians'.
8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Glad to get Elizabeth's letter; thinks Julian will prosper even more with warmth and sunshine. She is recovering, though too slowly; hopes to go down to tea as Annie [Price?] is coming to see her. Mary and Pauline entertained her yesterday; wants to have them painted, probably in miniature. Sir George is reading "Mr Polly" [H. G. Wells: "The History of Mr Polly"] aloud to her, which is very amusing; is reading [Samuel Butler's] "Erewhon" himself, which she will return when he finishes it. Would very much like to see Elizabeth if she comes up again; glad she has 'put things right with nurse'. Nice 'to have a little W.L.A. [Women's Liberal Association]'; likes that the work 'brings one into contact with people you cannot reach in any other way'; was never able to do 'charity visiting' and there are 'such nice women in the WLA'. Asks if Elizabeth would like to represent the Upper Wansbeck W.L.A. at the Council meeting on 10 and 11 May; could put her up. Has sent five pounds to the People's Suffrage Society [Federation?] since she 'approve[s] their principles, though... cannot be bound to one plan'. Asks in a postscript whether Elizabeth has a photograph of Julian.
9, Swan Walk, Chelsea. - Asks if it is on literary grounds that Trevelyan wishes to shorten Minos's invocation [in Act I of "The Bride of Dionysus"], as if not he prefers the earlier version. Intends to finish his sketch of Act I, then to work on his two string-quartets and symphony. Will then try scoring Act I; if this goes well he will sketch the others. In Act III, wants Ariadne to mistake the voice of the Satyr for that of Theseus for a second. There will be several difficulties with Dionysus: wants some real duet between him and Ariadne. Feels the line in the Labyrinth scene in which Ariadne refers to 'father & mother dear' must go: 'What would Samuel Butler say?'. Would like there to be 'more of a conventional love-duet' with Theseus in the Labyrinth. A paragraph headed 'a week later' states that Tovey feels the difficulties with Act III can be solved by getting the Labyrinth scene right, setting up two contrasted duets.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Bob's visit was timely, as Sir George was not well and it did him good to talk; he has recovered now. Hopes Elizabeth will see Dr Cornish; the nettle rash shows she needs treatment. Does not think she should eat porridge: she herself gets a rash when she eats it. The children are stopping until Monday since the weather is cold. Though Marjorie was indeed 'very dull & stupid' when Robert was here, she has brightened up; she is backward in learning but 'quite intelligent... and rather good with her fingers'. Hopes Miss Clark will teach her. The little one [Florence] is a 'vigorous clean little imp'. Glad Julian is improving; thinks children gain self-control as they grow. Wonders whether Elizabeth will get to London soon; would be good for him to see other children's work. Is interested to hear about Jan Hubrecht [his diplomat posting to Tokyo] is 'a fearful long way to go', and she half wonders at him taking his wife and children. Booa is definitely recovering, but slowly; she has been ill for three months. Sir George liked 'the Butler book' [Henry Festing Jones's edition of Samuel Butler's notebooks?]. Caroline would like to read the Tagore. Read 'the Poetry Annual' ["An Annual of New Poetry", edited by Robert Trevelyan?] with interest; 'if not very striking [it] is thoroughly pleasant reading'; asks when she should order it.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Elizabeth and Julian 'arrived very punctually', and they were glad to see them. Robert knows how much he read Sam Butler; likes his favourite pieces 'more than ever' and had looked forward very much to the appearance of the "Life and Letters", writing to (he thinks) Festing [Jones] long ago about it. Was struck by Bernard Shaw's article in the "Manchester Guardian" [ "Samuel Butler: The New Life", "Manchester Guardian" 1 Nov 1919 p 7] as Shaw had 'always made a speciality of his feeling for Butler'; Shaw said the 'conventional ecstasies of the Reviewers' were a scandal to British reviewing'. Someone has send him the article originally enclosed with this letter; agrees with Maurice Hewlett that 'Miss Savage's letters vouch the very lowest moral point' he can remember. George and his family leave tomorrow.
8, Cheyne Gardens, S.W. - Has seen George [Trevelyan]. The difficulty with MacCarthy's Butler article [for the "Independent Review"?] is that Butler's friend Jones has let him see Butler's private diary and papers, and MacCarthy must show him what he has written before publishing. Is busy on Cobden, but is not sure whether he will get it into the "Westminster [Review]" before Saturday. Will try to see Trevelyan on Thursday but does not think he will be able to stay the night. Spent an hour with George and Janet yesterday evening; George read some of his "History" out, then MacCarthy 'discoursed about Japan'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Has ordered the fifty pounds to be paid into Robert's account with Drummonds'. Started Robert's "Annual of [New] Poetry" last night, which is a 'beautiful publication'; praises him for publishing, as he has 'no patience for the fastidiousness which refuses to publish because the world has so much to occupy its attentions'; has been waiting for three years for the publication of the life of Sir Charles Dilke. Will send back the [Samuel] Butler books; was very glad to see them, though they are not as good as Butler's "Notes", "Alps and Sanctuaries, and "The Way of All Flesh". [Edmund] Gosse has sent him his life of Swinburne, which looks very good; he and Caroline will read it aloud. Very glad that his 'tribute to dear Paulina Trevelyan comes out as it does'; it is a 'work of gratitude' that has been on his mind, and is 'better than a long biography'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Very kind of Robert to send his [Samuel] Butler books; will be glad to look over the Festing Jones, about whom he has a special interest from Butler's account of him in "Alps and Sanctuaries". Started reading and 'laughed immoderately' about [John] Frost's "Eminent Christians" [in "Quis Desiderio...?], though regarding the turtles ["Ramblings in Cheapside"] he thought Butler's "Paradoxes" 'read better than in a half page of the Notes than in a complete Essay'; the last paragraph, however, is very funny. Expects to get enjoyment throughout the book. Sees that the first [Butler] dinner Robert attended was 'named' by Marcus Hartog; wonders whether he knew Butler. Old [George] Hallam wrote him a long letter from "Ortygia" [his house in Harrow] recently; since Hallam was an old Shrewsbury man Sir George wrote to him about 'the life of Butler πάππος [grandfather]'; would like to have a 'good talk with a Shrewsbury man about it', Hopes the weather will allow Julian to visit the pictures, and that his were 'well hung'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Thanks Robert for [Herbert Macartney] Beatty's letter; the last letter of this 'extraordinary correspondence' appears in yesterday's "[Times] Literary Supplement" [January 18, 1917; pg. 34; Issue 783], and he asks Robert to cut this out and send it; [John] Timbs must have been 'an awful impostor', and Sir George has never heard of him before. Thinks the long first article on Keats will interest Robert. Praises the "Supplement". Wrote to [A. C.] Fifield to ask when Sam Butler's "Memoirs" were coming out as he is 'getting old, and anxious to see them'; Fifield wrote a nice letter back, telling him 'the reason why they cannot appear yet'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Encloses a cutting from the American "Nation", with a letter about [Rabindranath] Tagore, and a poem by Lord Crewe which is 'about as good as his father would have written'. The poem reminds Sir George of the 'very pretty memoir' by Lord Ribblesdale about his son [Charles] Lister [who died of wounds sustained at Gallipolli] which has recently been published. Thinks the long article on Emerson in this week's "[Times] Literary Supplement" is by the same writer as the one on Keats; strange to see how the author in both cases 'admires and loves' quite different things to those he does himself. Most interested in Robert having known 'Jones Festing' [sic: Henry Festing Jones], and will want to talk to him. Now Robert knows 'all about it', can say that Mr [Arthur] Fifield told him the same about what seems to be now the only surviving sister of Samuel Butler.
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his father for his letter [12/265], for arranging to pay £50 pounds into Robert's account, and for sending back the [Samuel] Butler] books. He and Bessie were reading Charles Darwin's autobiography in his Life and Letters [edited by Francis Darwin] and thought the account there of Shrewsbury and Dr Butler, 'though quite short, might be of interest'.
The Annual [of New Poetry] already seems to be selling well; if they 'get some good reviews, it may prove quite a success'. Expects the 'relative dearth of new books' helps. Robert's name was mentioned in the Supplement to the Nation as the editor [see 20/64], a 'bad mistake on somebody's part', and he had to ensure that it was corrected in last week's Nation. Has 'had to do all the business with Constables' and 'get the contributions out of the contributors, which was sometimes not an easy task', but has 'no right to reject' anything submitted by anyone asked to contribute, so does not have 'in that sense an editor's responsibility'.
Bessie and Julian are both well. The Russian Revolution 'seems to have been proceeding very satisfactorily so far'; it is 'the most hopeful event' that has occurred in his lifetime, and 'completely good in itself', quite apart from the fact that it 'ought to make the right kind of peace easier', even if it delays peace a little, which is not certain.
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Caroline much enjoyed her time with Elizabeth and her visit from Robert; hopes that Wallington will give her the strength she lacks. The garden is very beautiful: they have a 'fine new greenhouse' where they have dianthus 'worthy of Kew'. Read [Samuel] Butler's "Alps and Sanctuaries" at Welcombe, and understands why so many went out to 'follow in his footsteps'; Butler is 'unique' and 'not less amusing for his extravagancies and absurdities'; Sir Charles Holroyd has been to visit, and gave them a fine account of when he 'as a young art student used to go on [Butler's] tramps with him round London'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Has finished reading all of Samuel Butler's notebooks; completely agrees with what Robert says about him, and agrees with him about selecting "Borrowing in Music" and his thoughts on Handel. Quotes from an approving note he once made on Butler's essay on "Borrowing...". Thinks Butler's notes on writing are 'the best treatise' he knows, and yet Butler's own books were so often 'such mare's nests'; he and his 'worshippers' made too much of "Erewhon". Caroline agrees with Robert about [Joseph Conrad's?] "Chance", so he will try it. Have not yet seen what happened in the House of Commons last night; was never more 'indignant and disgusted about any public event than the encouragement of mutiny by the Conservative party' [re the Curragh incident].
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Envies Robert going to dine at 19 Portman Square [home of the Yates Thompsons]; they have 'delightful letters' from her. Agrees that the estimates [of expenditure for the forthcoming Budget] are 'shocking'. Was also pleased with the review of "Parsival" [Robert's "The New Parsifal"] in the "Times". Asks if [Arthur?] Clutton-Brock 'is the same as' Charles Brock, and calls this 'an Irish form of construction' which he 'picked up as Irish Secretary'. Has been reading all of Samuel Butler's notebooks since his illness. Glad Julian only has a slight cold, and that Elizabeth and Robert are enjoying London. Is correcting the early part of his book, and has cut out 'at least ten pages of type'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Glad to hear that Robert has landed safely; 'awful to read' of the passengers on the cross-Channel boats kept at sea all night by bad weather; asks 'is even Assisi worth such a price?'. Would love to see Arezzo again and wants to know what the hotel was like; it used to be spoken of as the 'best hotel between Florence and Rome', before Brufani [at Perugia], and he thinks his parents and sister were 'the first names in the hotel book'. Notes what Robert says about [Samuel Butler's] "Fair Haven" and will see to it. Cannot 'manage Conrad as a novelist', nor Chesterton as an essayist. has been reading about the Phalaris controversy with great 'interest and amusement'; George gave him a copy of Attenbury's 1698 book a while ago, and he got Bentley's "Phalaris" as a prize at Harrow; they bear out everything that [Thomas] Macaulay says. Good to be 'in company with so strong and able a man as Bentley', whatever the topic; he is an even greater controversialist than Newman, Porson, Gibbon or Pascal.
Vernon House, Hartington Place, Eastbourne. - Caroline is at last 'really convalescent' and will stay at Eastbourne for a week; he himself goes to Welcombe tomorrow. Booa [Mary Prestwich] and Pantlin will stay with Caroline. This is a 'spick-and-span watering place', ready for a crowd which has not yet come. Is 'rather overset' by the King's death; reminds him of when he was invited, 'as a sort of typical undergraduate' to dine at Madingley [Hall] on the day of the Prince's coming to Cambridge. Only Sir George, [the Duke of] St Albans, and the Prince 'a pretty, very young boy' were there; Sir George was by some years the oldest, and now is the only survivor. Has had opportunity to observe the new King well; the old King is, politically, 'a terrible loss, with his immense authority and popularity and his tried Liberalism!'. Agrees that much of [Samuel Butler's] "Erewhon" is 'rather pretentious'. Sends love to Elizabeth. Was delighted by the picture of Robert and Julian.
The Shiffolds. - Is sending his mother Chanticleer, and also [Samuel Butler's] Erewhon in case she has not read it; she 'may not care for it, as not everyone likes it'; need not hurry to send the books back. Was 'very glad' to see her a little, and hopes she is still improving. [Donald] Tovey was not at the concert, but 'turned up at the station in time'. Robert 'found Julian quite well': thinks he is 'improving a little every day', though not quickly; this morning he 'did not cry so much in his bath, which is very good'. He 'does not always sleep well, but seems less fretful than a few days ago, and takes his food well'.
Hopes his father 'enjoyed the House of Commons'.
I Tatti, Settignano, Florence. - He and Bessie are just starting for Ravello, and will arrive tomorrow evening. The last few days' weather has been 'perfect', and they have had a 'very pleasant time with the Berensons'. They do not see much of Florence, since the house is some miles outside, but 'go in sometimes in the morning', and they see 'a good deal of amusing people, English, American, or Italian', who live in or near Florence. One day a 'future Henry James would find an excellent subject in a life of Berenson, after the memoirs of Story's life [a reference to James' William Wetmore Story and His Friends].
Has recently been reading Butler's Way of All Flesh, which might interest his father; perhaps it is 'rather depressing reading', but the 'satire on clergymen etc... is at times masterly. Butler was apt to be perverse and cranky', which comes out in the book, but it is 'very sincere' and has for Robert 'the fascination of a pyschologist's autobiography' as he imagines the book is 'autobiographical to a great extent', though expects 'the incidents... are mostly invented'.
Their [new] house seems to be getting on well; plans are now being made for the stables, which will be 'quite small'. Wonders whether his father's farmers 'will get a visit from the Tyneside wolf'; does not 'quite understand where his haunts are', but he supposes nearer Hexham than his father's lands. He and Bessie are both well, and looking forward to Ravello; mentions the sighting of a wolf by a friend walking in the mountains near there, which 'made off as fast as it could'. The few wolves left 'never seem to do any harm, at least they don't attack people'.
Asks his father to tell his mother that he took Fry's drawing of him to Hampstead, and that Fry 'will see what can be done for it. Mrs Fry seems very well again now'. The other day they went to see Mrs Ross, who 'sang some Tuscan songs on her guitar, with great vivacity and still with a good deal of voice left'. She always asks after his father. He and Bessie 'find her amusing, and rather like her, in spite of her being rather coarse and often very absurd'. They both send love, also to C[harles] and M[olly] if they are still at Wallington.