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Wolverhampton Art and Industrial Exhibition, 1902, Gresham Chambers, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton. - Was very sorry to miss Trevelyan on Tuesday; the Committee had a 'long jangling quarrel which dragged like an Alexandrine'. Will send the Yeats book tomorrow, and thinks Trevelyan will like it. Has been reading Gorky 'with disappointment'; thinks Bart Kennedy, the author of "Sailor Tramp" which he recommended, is far superior and disapproves of too much philosophy in a tramp.

Newnham College, Cambridge. - It is not 'black ingratitude' which has kept her from thanking Trevelyan for the "New Parsifal"; she wanted to wait until re-reading it before writing, and 'simply hadn't a moment' until term ended. Then she re-read it with 'much delight'; thinks she enjoys it 'more read to herself', and hopes this is not 'rude!', since she has time to 'savour' it. Thinks she still likes the parodies of Yeats and Masefield best, as she senses Trevelyan enjoys writing them; hopes Masefield did not mint -'but he cldn't!'.

21, Theatre Road, Calcutta. - Since writing last, has discovered that one of the biggest colleges in Calcutta is to appoint a principal, and 'a book of poems, however bad' would probably get him the job as it entails teaching Shelley for an hour each day. Asks Trevelyan to see if he can get his poems printed privately with a good press, and whether it would be a good idea to include "The Indian Tragedy" and the whole of "The Jews - A Fragment": this is not because of vanity, or because like Yeats, whose "Dramatis Personae" he has been reading, that 'dead numb words bring out neighbouring poetical work', but because they are 'attempts at untraditional forms'. "The Jews" speaks of his 'religious feeling', as well as describing his dissatisfaction with the 'existing social order'. Leaves this to Trevelyan: remembers him once saying that he disliked all poetry of this kind and wondered how Julian could like it; publishers also obviously 'prefer violent & coarse language to quality'. He is not quite well and it is very hot, but the 'gold-mohur trees' are in full bloom in the Calcutta streets, and it is mango season. His cousin Soghra Ikramullah, whom Trevelyan met with him last year, will be in London for three years as her husband [Mohammed] has been appointed Trade Commissioner for India; Suhrawardy would be grateful if Trevelyan could go and visit her as she is 'very dear... almost a sister' and will be glad to see 'living English creative men' amongst all of her husband's dull colleagues. Asks him not to mention 'the peripaties' of his poems as government officials should not know about his failures.

42, Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin. - Thanks Trevelyan for sending "Fand", which he has just read: was a 'very charming invention' to bring the Yew Tree and the 'dead lover [?] Baile' into the drama; found the 'wavering rythms [sic] & the arrangement of the rimes full of emotion'. Trevelyan has 'learned a lot from the Japanese' which Yeats himself was 'shut out from' when he wrote his own play "On Baile's Strand". Is 'scratching' [?] this because he cannot sleep, his ''work or the weather is to blame'. Thinks Trevelyan should have 'used a dance for climax', which perfects this kind of play where a 'dramatic crisis of the ordinary kind' spoils it. Will read the rest of the book in a few days; his head is 'full of abstractions' as he is writing an essay about Berkeley.

Essay about modern verse. Translation of Lucretius, "De Rerum Natura" 1.503ff. Discussion of 'a new poem by Mr [Robert] Bridges' ["Testament of Beauty"], which also brings in 'Mr [Lascelles] Abercrombie, Mr [Gordon] Bottomley, and Mr [W. B.] Yeats'; translations of Lucretius 1.570-580, 1.581-640, and 1.641ff, as well as a few pages draft of Trevelyan's "Meleager" written from other end in.

Inside cover lists 'Elthea boots' by [R. E.] Tricker & Co, and 'Puce Silk at [S. M.] Francks, Camomile St', perhaps items for Trevelyan to buy, as well as Hubert Foss's address at the Oxford University Press.

Wolverhampton Art and Industrial Exhibition, 1902, Gresham Chambers, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton. - Apologises for not acknowledging the books and Trevelyan's letter sooner: he has been away from the office for nearly a week due to his brother being seriously ill. Sat up last night reading "Celestina" ["The Comedy of Calisto and Melibea / Comedia de Calisto y Melibea" by Fernando Rojas] and found it admirable; Celestina the character is a 'delicious person'. Is sorry that the Yeats book has not yet been sent. Asks Trevelyan not to send any more books until the ones he has already lent are returned; cannot read poetry here.

c/o Kidder, Peabody & Co., 56 Wall Street, New York; on printed notepaper for Tuxedo Park, P.)., New York. - Has read "Sisyphus" in print with 'much interest & some pleasure'; thinks this is the best thing Trevy has yet done, that he has attained an 'expressive' verse form, and from now on it will be 'a question of temperament and mind'. Has given his copy to the poet George Cabot Lodge, son of the Senator [Henry Cabot Lodge]: Trevy can have no idea how 'far away one is here from everything but the most sensational products of Europe', and even a 'cultivated fellow like Lodge' knows little of modern poetry in England, having 'never read a word of Sturge Moore's, or even Noyes'; 'happily' they agreed about those Lodge had read, such as 'Yates [sic: Yeats] etc'. Lodge had heard about Trevy and was 'eager' to read him, having himself recently published a 'quasi-drama', "Herakles", which Berenson will send Trevy in a couple of days. Following Trevy's advice, has got the Tolstoi edition published in England, and expects he will enjoy it; meanwhile is spending any 'serious time... for reading' in American history, particularly by Henry Adams, which he praises; Trevy must read Adams' autobiography, of which his father has a copy, one day. Saw [Hamilton Easter] Field two days ago in his 'watchtower' looking out over 'one of the most fascinatingly fantastically picturesque' views possible, 'New York in all its sublime monstrosity'; not surprising that Field loves it'. Hard to find a 'better cell' if one wanted a 'hermit's life', but as Berenson cares for 'contact [with his] fellow creatures' will not settle here: [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson probably more right than he knew when he said 'the one thing Americans lived for was "acceleration" and as Berenson though no longer wants to get to places half as much as he enjoys getting to them, this can 'never again be [his] home'. Is longing to return; expects they will be back in March and will let Trevy know in case there is a chance of meeting.

Laity Water, Torrington. - Has read Bob's essays ["Windfalls"], and thinks 'this kind of communication of gentle thoughts is a useful contribution in a force-ruled world'; those on literary subjects appeal most to him. Would like to have Bob's opinion on S. V. Benét's "John Brown's Body', about the American civil war. Thinks Benét may be 'better than Browning', as he 'never wilts as Browning wilts', and that only Yeats can better him. Returns Bob's book as requested, but would 'much appreciate' a copy when the second edition comes out. His autobiography ["But to What Purpose"] will be published in the spring. Has 'two books waiting for paper', and two others due to be reprinted, so things are 'looking up'. They are trying to sell this house and buy another, which is 'tiresome'; will be very glad to have it settled. Hopes he will be staying with his cousin Mrs Donkin in the autumn, and will try to visit Bob then.

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"'.

The Gallows, Ryton, Dymock. - The Gallows, Ryton, Dymock. - Has not yet spoken to Wilfrid [Gibson], but will do as soon as he sees him. He himself thinks 'very well' of Bob's scheme [for the "Annual of New Poetry"]; they should not worry about competing with "Georgian Poetry" and "New Numbers". True that "Georgian Poetry" 'is not asleep but sleepeth', as he understands, but "New Numbers" is 'dead as nail in door'. Cannot hurt "Georgian Poetry", which has 'never pretended to any monopoly', covers a 'much wider poetic field' and has a 'more aristocratic circulation'. Furthermore the first number of the "Annual" is likely to come out first, and will offer "Georgian Poetry" an 'attractive quarry to pick from', since it is 'frankly [Eddie] Marsh's own personal anthology [emphasised] of modern poetry', while in the "Annual" they would be 'trying to put as many of our wares before the public' as possible; however, would be best to see if Marsh objects. Regarding 'Mrs Lear' [Gordon Bottomley's play "King Lear's Wife], Marsh always said that Gordon's offer to let him print it first as 'great generosity', but the offer was on the understanding that "Georgian Poetry" would be published at once; since this did not happen, surely the offer is also off. Has always thought 'Mrs Lear' should be published as soon as possible.

Makes some tentative suggestions. The more poets on the magazine the less profit per poet; the poets should be chosen carefully, then there should be 'no editorial censorship on actual poems', since it would be difficult to choose an editor and communal editorship would be 'the devil'; the only control over contributions should be in the matter of space, and it would be best for the publisher to do this - suggests Constables as they 'are anxious to publish modern verse', and 'young Michael Sadler is... very nice & intelligent'. List of poets to contribute more important than the publisher: so far, provisionally, they have Gordon [Bottomley], [Thomas Sturge] Moore, Wilfrid [Gibson], Bob and Lascelles. Would also suggest Ralph Hodgson, W. H. Davies and R[obert] Frost; does not think there are others 'worthy to stand in our company, except of course [W. B.] Yeats & [John] Masefield', who would probably not join in. Frost thinks Walter de la Mare the 'greatest of living poets'; he himself does not rate him so highly, but would be happy to include him as a contributor. The profits for each number should be divided amongst the contributors, 'irrespective of space occupied'. Would like to talk to Bob about the scheme, rather than merely communicating in writing. Will see Bottomley when he goes to Grange [over Sands], and meanwhile may be in London soon; will let Bob know if he is. Feels 'honoured' to have been brought in so early the scheme's existence, and thinks it might be a great success. Catherine [his wife] is doing 'very well': apart from 'local effects of the operation' [for breast cancer] she feels better than she has done for a while; he thinks she also looks better. The two elder boys [David and Michael] are at Grange, and they will join them soon with baby [Ralph]. Was 'delightful' to see Bessie the other day.

Originally enclosing a copy of the petition for [Thomas] Sturge Moore. They have got [Gilbert] Murray to sign, and he thinks also [H.A.L.?] Fisher; they are trying to get [Arthur?] Balfour. Bob would like to get [Robert] Bridges, [Edmund] Gosse and [Thomas] Hardy; this copy would do for Gosse too if there is a chance of him signing. Thinks [Laurence] Binyon or [Henry] Newbolt is approaching Bridges. Thinks Eddie said [Siegfried] Sassoon knew Hardy well; has another copy of the petition if he thinks it is worthwhile asking Sassoon to try. They now have letters from [John] Masefield, [George Bernard] Shaw, Lascelles [Abercrombie], [John] Drinkwater and Gordon [Bottomley], and [William Butler] Yeats is sure to send one too. Sorry that he could not come to Eddie's prize-giving; it seems 'a very good choice'. Has told the Shoves to send Eddie Fredegond's latest poems. Sees that a number of Civil List Pensions have just been announce, and fears this may make it more difficult to get one for Sturge Moore.

Wolverhampton Art and Industrial Exhibition, 1902, Gresham Chambers, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton. - Hopes the promised volume of short stories by Yeats has reached Trevelyan; asks him to say what he thinks of it. Attendances at the Exhibition 'wretched'; the Gallery is the most popular part of it for its size. Sends his regards to [Roger] Fry.

40 Well Walk, Hampstead, NW. - Is 'pleased and honoured' that Bob, [Gordon] Bottomley, [Lascelles] Abercrombie and [Wilfrid] Gibson want to include him in their scheme for a Poetry Annual; thinks such a publication is 'needed' and would be glad to contribute. However, does not understand some of the suggestions, and has 'doubts about the wisdom of others': thinks it would not be possible to have a 'non-poet editor' who can hold a poem over for the next year, as the same poem is unlikely to be available in two successive years; also asks if contributors would be restricted to publishing in the "Annual", as he thinks this would be impossible'. Thinks [Marsh's] "Georgian Poetry" did better than "New Numbers" as it was more catholic; would like the Annual to be 'even more so'. Thinks they should form a committee of between three and five poets to decide the price and size of the Annual on financial grounds then offer an equal number of pages to, say: [John] Masefield, [W. B.] Yeats, [Laurence] Binyon, Abercrombie, [W. H.] Davies, [Walter] de la Mare, [Ralph] Hodgson, Gibson, Bottomley, himself, Trevelyan, and another. For the next number, the committee should be the only ones with a right to a place. Any untaken pages should be offered to 'people like [Robert] Bridges and H.D. the best of the Imagists for opposite reasons'; discusses how extra pages should be allocated. Thinks it important to invite 'all well known men' like [Henry] Newbolt, Rudyard Kipling, [Thomas] Hardy and [Maurice] Hewlett, 'whatever one thinks of their work' though not every year; some would refuse but 'that is their fault'. Should also invite 'as many as possible from enemy cliques' and those who have been well reviewed. Profits should be shared out by page. The committee should not 'judge of merit', except in choice of contributors, which would 'insure much more variety and a wider circulation'. The book must not seem bulky, so recommends using the 'very beautiful thin papers' available now used for bibles and the classics. Would like to 'rule out [Robert] Frost from the first list as not being a British subject'; thinks he and other Americans could be allocated a few pages but 'never be on the committee'. Discusses possible role of the publisher.

Asks Bob if in March, April or May there is 'any quantity of fallen leaves under Olive trees', and what the correct adjective formed from 'Medusa' would be. Sends love to the Trevelyans. Offers in a postscript to take responsibility for the 'physical appearance' of the Annual for no payment. Twelve may be too large a number for the 'inner list' but well-known names outside their set should be included; Yeats would be 'safe' as he would never want much space; dividing profits by number of pages would give Abercrombie & Gibson and others 'with a tendancy to metrical diarrhea [sic]' a chance of getting as much money as by the other plan. Expects to be here on the 22nd and 23rd and will be glad to see Bob; cannot invite him to the house yet as the children are ill and they have 'servant troubles to boot'.

Wolverhampton Art and Industrial Exhibition, 1902, Gresham Chambers, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton. - Thanks Trevelyan for lending him a second batch of books: he already has copies of the Balzac and "Aucassin [and Nicolette]", but has never seen the Cervantes and Rousseau before. Asks if Trevelyan knows any of the Sagas; he has been reading "Burnt Njal" and "Laxdaela" and feels they are closer to the 'red clay' than anything else he has read. Yeats' "The Folly of Being Comforted" is 'a very lovely little thing'; he quotes line 8 as 'Time cannot make her beauty over again' and compares it to something in William Morris's "Earthly Paradise". Thinks Yeats' novel will be very good; has read many chapters of it; the first chapter has a passage about 'an old sow grubbing on the sea-shore eating starfish', perhaps 'a Celtic symbol of the spirit of the Nineteenth Century'.

St Helen's , Co. Dublin - visiting Dublin to buy plays by Yeats, has spent 2 evenings at Abbey Theatre, met a bookseller who had acted in Irish plays at Cambridge:

Gresham Chambers, Wolverhampton. - When Trevelyan returns to Westcott, will be pleased to send him some Sagas. "Wuthering Heights" does give some sense of 'Norse life', but while the sagas give 'flesh and bone and good red meaty passion', Victorian tales are all 'upholstered'. Knows Borrow's books well and stayed recently at Oulton Broad in a house built on the site of Borrow's cottage; read "Gipsies in Spain" in the summer house which still stands. Discusses the "Newgate Calendar" and advises Trevelyan to read at least some of the lives in it, including that of Fielding's hero Jonathan Wild, who came from Wolverhampton; other 'good criminal reading' in Pierce Egan and de Quincey ["On Murder Considered as one of the Fine Arts"]. When he thinks about his own wanderings, he finds that 'the really strange events and people seem too real and too modern to be at all out of the way'. Yeats is keen on him writing an autobiography, but he is too flamboyant to write a plain narrative. Is anxious about the story he has sent to the "Speaker" and wants it to appear so that Trevelyan can give his opinion of it; describes his approach to writing it. Trevelyan must read [Borrow's] "Romany Rye' when he finishes "Lavengro".

Roundhurst, Haslemere, Surrey. - Apologises for not writing sooner: has taken him a while to gather his thoughts on English books for her to read. Has not read Browning's letters to his wife, but her father tells him they are quite amusing; if they are as good as the one she read out to him, they should certainly be worth reading. There is also Mackail's life of William Morris, which he intends to read as Mackail knew Morris well and is a 'competent writer'; saw an excerpt which looked fun, as it should as 'Morris was a magnificent joke himself as well as a splendid person'. Has not yet read Henry James's "The Awkward Age", which is said to surpass all his earlier ones in difficulty, but recommends "In The Cage", or "Daisy Miller". Next week T[homas Sturge] Moore's book, "The Vinedresser and Other Poems" comes out, but he is sending a copy to the Grandmonts; is not sure whether they will like it, as it has 'great faults, which people with classical tastes are almost sure to dislike', but believes many of the poems are 'nearly perfect in their own queer way'. Recommends his father's book, "The American Revolution Pt I" which is 'at least readable and amusing"; his brother George's "The Age of Wycliffe" has already gone into a second edition. The middle part of the letter can be found as 13/85.

Ends by telling Bessie to get the third volume of Yeats' edition of Blake, 'read all the poetry that is not mad' and "The Book [Marriage] of Heaven and Hell", and look at the pictures. Hopes Miss [Emma?] Dahlerup is well; expects she will be going to Capri or nearby soon. Asks to be remembered to the Grandmonts.

Wolverhampton Art and Industrial Exhibition, 1902, Gresham Chambers, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton. - Thanks Trevelyan for his letter and the loan of the books. Asks if he knows Yeats' book "The Shadowy Waters"; thinks it contains some of his best work and would be happy to lend it. Thanks for the offer of Housman; knows his books but cannot get much of what he wants out of them. Feels that the poem he wants to write about the Mediterranean pirates will have to wait unless he can find information he needs in Arrian, recommended by Binyon. Can't read Latin even with a crib, as he does not have 'the gift of tongues' and left school at thirteen. Reads French easily and has taken to reading the classics in French. Is trying to learn Irish, a 'dreadful tongue'. Has another book by Gorki, "Three Men" ["Three of Them / Трое"] which he thinks is far better than the short stories and will lend whenever Trevelyan wishes.

2, Cheyne Gardens. - Has sent Bob's letter to [Kenneth?] Swan. Glad that Bob is returning to the Lake Hunt. Has been hearing a lot about India from 'various persons, white and brown' and has become 'quite a Tagorite, under the teaching of Yeats, W[illiam] Rothenstein' and a pupil of Tagore. Tagore has 'stopped Yeats being mad on magic and small green elephants' and without 'his magic nonsense, Yeats is one of the really splendid people'. The [First] Balkan war 'bids fair to end very well'. Wonders 'whether Goldie [Dickinson] will like his Chinaman as little as the Webbs [Sidney and Beatrice] when he meets (and smells) them'. Sees from the address that Bessie has given that Bob will be there for this 'great meeting'; hopes that Goldie will not be like Matthew Arnold, whom H[enry] Sidgwick said judged 'everything by its smell' like a dog. Glad that Bob has had some good bathes, but tells him not to be 'eaten of [sic] crocodiles', since Mary would never be able to read "Peter Pan" again if Bob 'suffered the fate of Capt. Hook'. Has just finished writing "[The Life of John] Bright" and hopes to publish it in May or June.