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The Shiffolds. - They are glad to hear his father is 'beginning to get about', and has even been out on the terrace; the weather here is now 'delightful', and he hopes the same is true for his father, so that he will be able to 'get out each day'. Bessie and Julian went this afternoon on 'a long expedition to Ewhurst Hill, the second hill west of our Leith Hill', where the view is 'even better... if possible'. The heather is in full bloom; expects the leaves will begin to fall before long. Many of their oaks 'seem blighted this year'.

Has been reading [Macaulay's Battle of Lake] Regillus with Julian, as well as Macbeth and Henry IV part 2; they read the first part last year which 'seems rather the better of the two, both in the comic and serious parts', though there is not much between them. He and Julian have also read the fables of Phaedrus; yesterday they did the first two stanzas of 'Vides ut alta stet nive candidum' [Horace Odes 1.9], which Julian 'has nearly learnt by heart'. But their current 'chief business is the irregular verbs'.

Sends love to his mother, and to George and Janet if they are still visiting. Is reading Diogenes Laertius' 'gossip about philosophers. It is full of interesting things, also of really silly ones'. Is going to 'try Athenaeus next'.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary. - Thanks his father for the fifty pounds paid into Robert's account. Julian returned to school yesterday, and Bessie is on a brief visit to a friend near Marlborough. Robert is 'just starting for Berkhamsted, for a weekend with George and Janet. Julian 'seemed quite cheerful at going back to school, more so than in old days'.

They are very glad Sir George is 'so much better, and are able to go about as usual, and also to start on Thucydides again'. Diogenes Laertius 'has a certain interest, but there is a lot of legendary gossip in it'. Has got Meineke's Fragmenta Comicorum Graecorum from the London Library, and finds 'a great deal that is worth reading from Philemon, Alexis and others'. There is 'too much about cooks and guzzling, but that is because Athenaeus... quoted everything anybody ever wrote about cooks'. But Stobaeus chooses 'many really fine passages'.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Is not writing much now, but must reply to Robert's letter [46/307]; drove as far as the garden yesterday, and saw Whitley and the carriage for the first time in a month; has felt well enough this last week to return to his Greek, and has been reading in the last book of Thucydides of what Jackson calls the 'Whig Revolution' at Athens, though 'Antiphon and his myrmidons were a queer sort of Whigs'; does not know how anyone can doubt this book is by Thucydides. George has just left to visit the Walter] Runcimans, and Janet for the funeral of 'Aunt Fanny', the 'last survivor of Doctor Arnold's family'. Very interested to hear what Robert is reading with Julian; looks forward to hearing about [Diogenes] Laertius and Athenaeus.