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3 cartoons, including one of Lloyd George from 'Punch' April 6 1932 (Item 98), and two of Adolf Hitler (Items 100 and 101); and one article about the revival of reading during World War II (Item 102). Also, 'Review of the Year 1939' in 'The Times' dated 1 January 1940 (Item 99).

26 Nassington Road, Hampstead, N.W.3. - Is 'pleased and proud to have these two noble volumes' [Bob's "Collected Works"] with an inscription. Has just written a short review of the first for "English" [Wilfrid Gibson, "The Collected Works of R. C. Trevelyan . Volume i: Poems", "English: Journal of the English Association", Volume 2, Issue 12, Autumn 1939, Pages 387–388] but fears it is 'not very satisfactory' as he did not have room to treat the poems in detail; trusts he has at least 'said nothing to hurt' Bob, and hopes he has 'managed at least to express some of the pleasure' he had in re-reading. Hopes to repeat that when he has the leisure to re-read the plays. At the moment, everything is upset, and he is writing in a 'half-denuded house'. He and Gerald [his wife] have taken a 'tiny cottage in Berkshire "for the duration"', and hope to keep [their daughter] Audrey's baby there in safety; Gerald has already gone and he will join her soon after getting some 'necessary business' done. Jocelyn's firm has evacuated to Glasgow, and Michael is working at an aeroplane factory in Gloucester, so 'Certainly Hitler has managed to dislocate our lives for us!'. Hopes things are not going too badly for Bob in this 'infernal world'; wishes success for the "Collected Works".

W[est] H[ackhurst]. - Thanks 'dearest Bessie' for her letter; was waiting for Bob's to write, as she said he was going to send one, but perhaps had better write now; though as he has been shopping all morning in Dorking, he doesn't 'feel much on the spot'.

Agrees that he should have 'made the reference to Versailles [in a broadcast or pamphlet?]' and wishes even more that he had 'referred to our mistreatment of refugees: this would have diminished the feeling of smugness, and the feeling that England, unlike Germany, is always right'. But does not think that 'this apology - which I make to you both very gladly' brings them into agreement, as his 'main theme would still be that Hitler, being what he is, would destroy our culture, such as it is, and I don't want this to happen: both for personal reasons and because I think it has value to the world'. Does not at the moment see 'any way of saving it except by shooting down his aeroplanes and sinking his barges and smashing his communications'.

Bessie, when they talked, seemed in one way 'more bellicose' than him, appearing to suggest that after that was done England 'must proceed to liberate the continent'; Forster does not think himself that 'we still have either the power or the moral integrity for such a task'. His 'best hope' is that this struggle will end in 'a mutual exhaustion, out of which some good, at present unimaginable, will spring. All action at present is a choice of evils. Withdrawing into oneself is good, dispassionate recording is as you say also good, but neither of these has any practical influence on the course of affairs'. Has had a 'very nice letter rather on the same lines', which he will enclose if he can find it; thinks the writer is a pacifist.

Florence Barger is here, and 'making us her home, to our great joy'; forgets whether Bessie knows Florence's home has been 'made uninhabitable by a land mine'. Neither she or her maid were hurt; her furniture was 'only very slightly damaged' has been put into storage. Florence is 'in very good form', and looking forward to seeing Bessie. Mrs Mawe is also back with them; his mother is 'a bit fatigued by the fidgety unselfishness of the two sweet ladies', but does a little of that herself, and seems all right.

Was 'grieved at [Nathaniel] Wedd's death'; wrote to Rachel but has not heard from her. Wonders if Bob has had any news. Will write to him about his poem, which he enjoyed.

W[est] H[ackhurst]. - Has been meaning to write and send the enclosed from [F. W.?] Ogilvie, who ‘also came and talked to me after my Broadcast - or rather listened to me, for I waxed quite lyrical. He is a darling, but weak, and the more friendly jogs he can receive the better’. Will try to ‘get up the statistics about German music’ and write to Ogilvie or see him. Meanwhile, thinks it important that ‘those who can speak with authority about music’, such as Bessie, should ‘send in their views’.

Advises her not to ‘worry over dear old R. V. W. [Ralph Vaughan Williams, who is a ‘complete goose as regards judgements.’, as illustrated by his acceptance of the Shakespeare Prize [awarded to him in 1937 by the Alfred Toepfer Foundation, at the University of Hamburg]. Now he ‘waddles to the other extreme and cackles anti-Beethoven’. Forster saw him recently at a Refugee Tea and had a ‘very strong sense of his loveableness and goodness’. Looks forward to visiting Bessie next week; can easily get there and back ‘by feet and bus’.

Doesn’t think he quite agrees with Bessie about the war, but is ‘a feeble disagreer, and not argumentative’. Does think that ‘Hitler is a nasty nuisance who would start again if we made peace’, and would not only aim to take away their ‘money and possessions, which don’t spiritually matter’, but also ‘our right to say what we think and feel, which does matter, anyhow to me’. Knows the British government also takes this away, ‘but not to the same extent that Hitler would. The refugees are living examples of his mentality’, which is always before Forster. Has given up his flat, partly as it is in a ‘very bombable area [Bloomsbury]’ but also he can no longer afford it. Has taken another for half the price at Chiswick [9 Arlington Park Mansions], and hopes to move in soon. They are going on ‘quietly’ at West Hackhurst; his cousins [Percy Whichelo and his wife Dutchie] are ‘helpful’ in the house, and Agnes is ‘not over-worked’. Comments on ‘what lovely paper’ Bessie writes on; ‘even when there is a picture of a prison on it it is such a pretty prison’. Asks to be remembered to the Sturge Moores, and sends love to Bessie and Bob.

Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Thanks Bessie for the congratulations on her C.H. [Companion of Honour]; also felt 'most honoured' by Bob's letter to George; pleased that her name will not change and she will stay 'plain Mrs G.M.T.'. The family do seem to be 'scooping things up recently, including Humphry's adorable bride', who is due to arrive with him in London tomorrow. They are coming to Cambridge on Tuesday, and Janet is holding a tea party for her: enclosure about it originally enclosed; wishes Bessie could be there. Otherwise the young couple will have to 'make a pilgrimage' to see her at the Shiffolds sometime this year, though she thinks they mean to go to Germany in November: Humphry feels he should spend almost a year living there 'and really soak in Goethe and the language'; she hopes 'Mr Hitler will keep quiet'. Janet much enjoyed their time in the US, even in New York, where she got the Parks Commissioner to send her round 'all the wonderful playgrounds & swimming pools' they have built using 'Roosevelt's Relief money'; made her 'pine for a Roosevelt touch here'. Notes in a postscript that her health was good in the US. with 'no violent heat-waves'; [her eczema] is 'threatening' again now but she is coping.

Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Thanks Bob for his "Horace" ["Translations from Horace, Juvenal and Montaigne: with two imaginary conversations"]: liked the two dialogues at the end best; glad that Bob's idea of Horace matches his own. Asks if Bob has read John Buchan's biography of Augustus, which he thinks 'so good if true, and the ancient historians say it is true and accurate'. Is going to Wallington for a week at Christmas, since Hallington is occupied by the R.A.F., while Janet visits Humphry and Mary. Then they have a 'hectic fortnight' moving into the Lodge [at Trinity], where the workmen are currently very busy: 'If Hitler doesn't put in a bomb, it will... look better inside than it has looked for many a long year'.

Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Swanton's book will be very useful, and is 'very good "mindfeeding"; thanks Bob for the loan. Has 'much sympathy with CRB [Charles Roden Buxton?]', and generally agreed with him until the war began; now, however, thinks 'an appeal for a Conference' without terms agreed in general beforehand would only 'make the French and neutrals think we were giving in'; fears Hitler would not consider the 'sort of terms CRB suggests' at the moment, though that time may come.

Postmarked 'Roma'; addressed to Trevelyan at Villa I Tatti, Settignano (Firenze). - Thanks Trevelyan for his letter; is recovering but still feverish in the evening, with a slight complication in the lungs; saw Cecil [Sprigge?] this morning who can give 'objective impressions'. Read the account of [Clifford] Allen's visit to H. [Hitler] yesterday; Trevelyan may 'hear something interesting about it'. Sends love to Mary [Berenson] and Alda [von Anrep]. Has a very nice young doctor.

Woodthorpe, The Thrupp, Nr. Stroud, Glos. - Sends the 'revised version of [his] bit of Virgil' [see 21/107], which he believes is 'much improved' by Trevelyan's 'valuable criticism'. Good to know that the 'dear thing' will arrive safely; tried to send something to friends in Ireland but it was returned by the censor 'as being that noxious stuff "printed matter"'; comments ironically on the possibility of 'that discourse on a Greek epigram' being a 'great encouragement to Hitler'. Asks if Trevelyan remembers Vernon Rendall from Trinity who has recently visited. Rendall was 'rather run down' and so the Loanes' 'quiet not to say monotonous existence' suited him; he was happy to weed in the garden, play billiards and talk. They both 'suffer from a lack of conversation', living in the country, where it is 'not usual to find congenial talkers'; asks how Trevelyan does in that respect. Trevelyan promised to lend Loane his Theocritus and said he could send it when he returned Loane's Lathrop ["Translations from the classics into English from Caxton to Chapman, 1477-1620"?]; is ready for both if Trevelyan has finished with Lathrop; wants to see what he says about Chapman. Has just written his 'fortnightly letter to an Irish aunt who is well into her 101st year' but still corresponds with him; was a 'grief' not to be able to celebrate her 'centenary' with her, but it does not seem possible now to obtain any sort of permit.