54 Cours Napoléon, Ajaccio, Corse - In the letter of 15 Feb., he thanks her for the Frazer Bibliography and 'La crainte des morts; is also reading Paul Valéry; in the letter of 18 Mar. he mentions the procession of [Notre Dame de] la Miséricorde going on that day and is happy to hear they are back in Britain, knows things will get better as they adjust to the new ways of doing things; in the letter of 10 Apr., he recounts a visit to the town where his parents lived and has his brother-in-law visiting for a week; later that month he comments that he is ashamed of his work compared to her active life and notes it is a pity that their trip to Glasgow is complicated by [Sir James] Macfarlane's absence; is happy to hear of their return to Cambridge (4 June); later that month he thanks her for her letter full of details of Berne and admires the second volume of ['Worship of the] Dead'.
c/o la Baronne de Watteville, 22 Avenue Victor Hugo, Boulogne S. Seine - His visit is nearly at an end, and he thanks her for making introductions to Madame de Pange, la Duchesse de La Rochefoucauld - through whom he met Paul Valéry, Madame Renan, Mr and Mrs Jules Toutain, la Directrice du British Institute, Mr Lévy-Bruhl, and Mr Varagnac.
Paris, 40 Rue de Villejust. - Miss [Natalie Clifford] Barney has showed him the letter which Trevelyan was kind enough to write to her about M. Teste [in Valéry's "La Soirée avec M. Teste"]; he was very flattered by the terms in which Trevelyan spoke of that work of his youth, which contains, in caricature, a figure resembling Valéry himself at that blessed time full of the torments of the will and clumsiness of first energy'. Does not know why he has taken the fancy to see this 'sketch' translated into English. Miss Barney has taken on the 'thankless task'; the text is difficult, and she has done her best to make it acceptable to an English reader. Discusses the problems of translation, particularly of 'pure literature'. Thanks Trevelyan for taking an interest and giving Miss Barney 'such precise and precious advice'. Did not know, when Trevelyan gave him such pleasure by reading those 'admirable verses by Keats', that he would give in response the 'torment' of M. Teste. Hopes to see Trevelyan if he travels again through Paris.
1 rue Budé, IVième, Isle Saint-Louis. - Is 'ashamed' not to have answered Trevelyan's 'two kind letters' for so long a time, and 'very grateful' to him for taking so much trouble; Trevelyan's second letter reached Du Bos on the 'very day Pearsall Logan Smith [sic: Logan Pearsall Smith] was here'. Still hoped then that he might be able to carry out 'so very pleasant a plan' [see perhaps 4/195, a postcard from E. M. Luce suggesting that Du Bos could stay in her room in London while she is away in June] but regrets that he will be 'tied down to [his] work all through summer' and cannot hope to get away. Will keep Trevelyan's 'invaluable indications' and hopes he will be able to use them one day. Much regrets that Trevelyan will not, as he offered, be able to introduce him to Desmond MacCarthy: admired MacCarthy's 'article of Souvenirs on Henry James' very much; if MacCarthy ever comes to Paris, asks Trevelyan to give him his address. Was unable to go to Jelly d'Arányi's concert due to 'pressure of work'; heard through some of his friends at "La Revue Musicale" that the Bela Bartok concert was very successful, and hopes she will come to visit Paris for a longer time one day, and will 'then report herself to the Ile Saint-Louis'.
Asks if Trevelyan's article on Shelley's "Epypsychidion" has appeared in the "New Statesman": is 'very impatient' to read it. Their conversations 'two years ago and the other day' on the 'tempo' of both Keats and Shelley were 'very interesting and fruitful': is increasingly interested in that subject and feels 'starved' of it when Trevelyan is out of Paris. Is sending a 'little notice' of his "Collection d'Auteurs Etrangers" [series published under his supervision]: now seems decided they will also publish either "Heloise and Abelard" or "The Brook Kerith" by George Moore. Has seen the Countess de Rohan-Chabot; is revising B.B.s translation [into French: of one of Berenson's books on Italian art] with her and has just written to him about it. Heard an interesting lecture by Valéry at Adrienne Monnier's recently on the 'ideas of Edgar Poe'; wishes Trevelyan could have been there. [John Middleton] Murry was there and 'enjoyed it greatly'; he is 'kindly' trying to get Du Bos 'regular employement [sic]' at the "Times". Sure if Trevelyan hears of anything permanent at the "New Statesman" or elsewhere he will remember Du Bos. His wife sends 'many messages' [of regard]. Adds postscript saying they lunched with [Edmond] Jaloux recently, who asked lots of questions about Trevelyan.
Bound album of 72 cuttings and offprints, primarily reviews of 'The Fear of the Dead in Primitive Religion' and 'Aftermath'.
Reviews of 'The Fear of the Dead' include a presentation offprint of a review in 'Revue de Synthèse' signed by André Varagnac (possibly originally with his letter to Sir James and Lady Frazer dated 18 Sept. 1935, housed as FRAZ 33/433); other reviewers include Ruth Benedict ('New York Herald Tribune'), Warren Dawson ('Folklore'), E. Dhorme ('Revue de l'Histoire des Religions') and Paul Valéry ('Revue de France'). Reviews of 'Aftermath' include those by E. N. Fallaize ('Manchester Guardian'), R. R. Marett ('The Observer'), E. E. Kellett ('News Chronicle'), Sir Alexander G. Cardew ('Literary Guide'), E. H. Blakeney ('Record'), A. L. Morton ('Criterion'), and H. J. Rose ('Man'). There are also several miscellaneous cuttings, including the announcement of William Wyse's estate bequests, with a description of the bequest in support of social anthropology; and Frazer's poem 'Trumpet Call of Peace' printed in the 'Times' 17 Oct. 1935, and a manuscript translation of the poem into French in an unidentified hand.
40, Rue de Villejust XVIe - Is sorry to hear about Sir James' eyesight; will be happy to translate 'The Fear of the Dead', and asks for a proof of the book immediately.
40, Rue de Villejust XVIe - Thanks her for her nice words about his preface, was pleased to be able to introduce the French reader to Frazer; asks them not to visit, as he is not often home and lives many floors up, but will come visit them.
22 The Spain, Petersfield, Hants. - Thanks for the letter and card, and for Mr Mulready's address. They are sick of builders, and have left their house 'with rain pouring through the roof'. Is to go to Holland at the beginning of February and would be glad of any introductions or addresses. Hopes Marie will come with him. His poem has appeared at last in "Hommage des écrivains étrangers à Paul Valéry" and has written to ask about copies; he is the only English contributor and hardly knows the others, except Rilke and Curtius. Postscript in French: would like to have Bessie's sister [Abrahamina?]'s address; asks whether Bessie has a copy of "War and Peace" in French which she could lend to [his daughter] Riette.
40 Well Walk, N.W.3. - It is very kind of Bessie to have brought Valéry's "Literature" for him back from Paris: he only knows a few extracts from it, in Julien Monod's "Morceaux Choisis", and "Sur la diction des vers" proves that Valéry agrees with him on a subject on which 'all other poets, actors and elocutionists' are opposed to them. Now has his complete poems, and likes him better than ever. Hopes that Bob gets well speedily.
Cortona (Arezzo). - Apologises for not writing sooner because of ill-health and the heat; Trevelyan has had a token of his regard in the book about Machiavelli which is not meant to be scholarly but has charm and 'is not in the least stupid'; he could tell Lowes Dickinson that Machiavelli has only one 'c'. Trevelyan will see the 'B.B.s' [Bernard Berensons] soon. Is reading Virginia Woolf, and does not think her very entertaining; finds it easier to read, for example, Valéry. Is also reading [Dostoevsky's "Brothers] Karamazov" in what he hopes is a faithful Italian translation, to which he reacts with enthusiasm though says he 'can't think of it as literature'. Sends love to Bessie and Julian if he is there.
La Graulet, Bergerac, Dordogne. - Got Trevelyan's letter in the country; will be there for a few more days, so cannot therefore go to the concert by Madame [Adila] Fachiri and her sister [Jelly d'Aranyi] this evening. Hopes however to see Trevelyan before long, as he has to go to London at the end of the month for the inauguration of the plague on the house where Verlaine lived [in Howland Street], and will be there for three or four days.
40 rue de Villejust, Paris. - Apologises for only now replying to Trevelyan's letter of last 14 June. Received the book by [Arthur] Waley with great pleasure, and has read part of it with interest; has been very tired and busy recently. As for 'pauvre [poor]' M. Teste [in Valéry's "La Soirée avec M. Teste"], he continues to bother Miss [Natalie Clifford] Barney. Knows the difficulties: when he wrote that 'fantaisie', he was 'half-living in the eighteenth century', loving the 'tone, the sharpness and the dryness' of the time of Louis XV, though the 'exaggeration' of his character belonged to the nineteenth century. He wrote it in Montpellier, in the fine old house his family then occupied; Auguste Comte had also lived there as a child, and his bedroom was the room in which Valéry wrote. Thanks Mrs Trevelyan for her offer of hospitality; has not been to England since 1896. Unfortunately he has little hope of seeing his English friends out of Paris as he is so busy.