Garrick's Villa. - Enjoyed his luncheon with Bob very much; he seemed well, especially given his long journey; was sorry not to have a good report of Bessie and the sad news of Miss Simpkins. He and Bob were by far 'the best dressed men in the Athenaeum'. Would like to visit the Shiffolds before 'the magic wood' has stopped flowering. Is lending two books which may suit evening reading: some short stories by Trollope and Lermontov's "A Hero of Our Time". She should tell Bob a new variation of chess, played on a board with an extra row down each side, has been invented. Molly is fairly well, 'both anxious and pleased' about Dermod's engagement. They are going to Ocford on 16th May, and on the 20th he turns seventy: says he '[doesn't] feel more than seventy-five'. Marie Moore has written him a letter; he feels she must be very lonely. She says she misses 'delightful conversations' at the Shiffolds, and would like Tom's friends to send her their memories of him. Will try, and hopes Bob will too.
Garricks Villa. - Thanks Bessie for lending him his letters to Bob, which help him to remember many things; her reading 'the shaving book' came back to him: he must have heard fragments of several books, including a chapter of "Robinson Crusoe". Has so far only looked at the letters in the canvas envelope, not the ones in the big box; was not sure how long he was going to stay at Leith Hill Place or he would have saved her the bother of posting them. Will return the letters when they next meet, he hopes in early July, unless she would like them sooner. He and Molly are going to stay with Dermod tomorrow, then go to Cambridge for him to receive an honorary degree on 5th June. Thinks how much more Bob deserved the honour: MacCarthy persuaded Roberts, then Vice Chancellor, to put Bob's name before the Senate in 1950 and he was nearly chosen. Would not be surprised if his own degree was to make up for his disappointment then. Enjoyed their talk very much: of course she can keep some books [from Bob's library], but it would be then nice to leave them to the Birkbeck library; she should not be disappointed if they do not raise the full £600.