Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Much obliged for the 'Bird book' ["The Bird in Song", edited by Robert Sickert"], which is a 'delightful collection'; has read Robert's poem ["The Lady's Bat"] with 'very great' pleasure, as well as the piece of Courthope's ["The Paradise of Birds"], Logan's "Cuckoo". Feels that 'Keats's unrhymed sonnet' is an omission; agrees that the letter to [John Hamilton] Reynolds is a 'charming effusion"; brief discussion of Keats. They have [E. V. Lucas and C. L. Graves's] "Signs of the Times" and have read it aloud; it is 'capital fun'. Likes to think of Bessie's sister being with her, and that Caroline is coming to visit. His recent work on the last two chapters of his book ["The American Revolution"] has been 'like beginning a new book', but he has 'got into it now'.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Asks Trevelyan to let her know what he and Tovey thought of Act III [her German translation of their "Bride of Dionysus"]; supposes Tovey will be soon starting his term at Edinburgh. Wonders what he was working at when staying with Trevelyan, and whether Miss Weisse has returned or if they have received news of her. Has received some news about her own mother and niece and so is less anxious about them for the present. Is staying with Mrs Sickert, who is not very well; it is a 'comfort' to be with friends whose hearts, like hers, 'are so much in both countries'. Robert is also ill; hopes they will both recover soon. Leonhard is a special constable and 'takes his truncheon for a walk' for four hours each morning.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Trevelyan must not pay her the last 20 pounds until the work [her German translation of "The Bride of Dionysus"] is quite finished. Would be glad to work on it together again next year. Hopes Trevelyan found improvement at Northlands [Sophie Weisse's school]; in great troubles, people should 'sink all their little home-made ones'. Expects [Donald] Tovey will be glad to start at Edinburgh. Wonders whether the Northlands pupils will return: schools not seeing girls since people are poorer because of the war. Mrs Sickert and Robert still ill in bed; both 'very plucky and... dears to look after'. Wonders whether 'this fearful struggle of the Armies can last much longer'; the Germans in particular must be reaching the limits of endurance.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Very kind of Trevelyan to pay the third instalment of 20 pounds; feels she should not have had it before the work [her German translation of "The Bride of Dionysus"] was quite finished. Would be happy to complete the revision some time in the summer. Went to one of [Donald] Tovey's afternoon recitals of Beethoven but did not see Trevelyan; Beethoven 'one of those comforts one greatly needs just now'. Mrs Sickert has not left the house since her illness and is still weak, but is now coming downstairs for a few hours a day; fears Robert will never be well again, though he too has improved.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Has read "Sisyphus" with 'much amusement'; thinks that 'apart from the ingenuity of the plot' Trevelyan has kept it 'all so thoroughly Pagan', though comments on his own 'cheek' for saying so when he knows no Greek and little Latin. Supposes it would 'go very well with a good deal of music', but wonders whether it might be 'rather long' if totally set to music. Asks whether Trevelyan has seen Walter's article in the "Fortnightly [Review]" on the Whistler [biography by Elizabeth and Joseph Pennell]. Sorry that the Women's Liberal [Federation] 'did not employ women stewards at the Albert Hall [for the meeting on 5 December] as there would not have been as much violence; his sister was there for the "Manchester Guardian", and 'very indignant at the violence', but Sickert thinks 'the audience were most to blame in taking things into their own hands'. Asks whether 'the Jingoes' will come into power, since 'as soon as one tries Home Reforms one has the Upper House against everything'.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Sends a tidier version [of her German translation of "The Bride of Dionysus"]; knows her lettering is not always clear to English readers so feels someone who knows German should type it up. Mrs Haster has German typists, but sure Trevelyan will know some. Thanks for the Bayard Taylor, which she returns with [Trevelyan's] "Polyphemus"; Robert [Sickert] has a copy of the latter which she can borrow if 'inspired to make another attempt' [at a translation?]. Thanks also for Mrs Trevelyan's letter and the 'piece of music with mending material'. Mrs Sickert keeps well, though she is sometimes tempted to do too much.
13, Hanover Terrace, W. - Has ordered a couple of copies of the poem, which sounds delightful from Goldie [Dickinson]'s account. The latest news of Stanley [Makower] 'astonishing and splendid': he is gaining weight and his temperature back to normal; his brother-in-law, visiting from Switzerland, agreed that the illness was the 'fatal one' [tuberculosis?] diagnosed by the English doctors, but thought more should be done, so he is being treated from Zurich. Going to Dieppe tomorrow with his mother, Leonhard and Robert to Dieppe. Lengthy postscript: has read and much enjoyed [Forster's] "Howard's End", but was a little disappointed with [Bennett's] "Clayhanger" and "Old Wives' Tale"; had previously much enjoyed Bennett's short story ["The Death of Simon Fuge"]. Is reading a 'charming' book given to him by Michel Bréal, his "Pour Mieux Connaître Homère".
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Asks for permission to include Trevelyan's poem about a peacock in an anthology he is editing on birds with Stanley Makower; afraid the publishers will not pay, but any acknowledgement required will be made. The anthology will be mostly 'old masters' but they want some modern poems, which are not easy to obtain; George Meredith's publishers have declined, but he is almost sure of permission for one by 'Toby Brown (the Manx poet)' [sic: T. E. Brown] and hopes to get 'a Stephenson [sic: Stevenson?] and a Henley'. Oswald [his brother' is at Sidmouth for a week.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington. - It is very good of Trevelyan to let him [and Stanley Makower] use his poem [in their anthology, "The Bird In Song", see 6/47]; feels as if 'the minor anthropologist were a sort of well intentioned hyaena'. Not sure of the length of Trevelyan's peacock poem but is sure there will be room; liked his bat poem too and is prepared to say 'for the poet's purpose - he is a bird' as a whale can be called a fish. Grant Richards and Macmillam are 'not on telephoning terms' at present, but if Trevelyan informs them of his permission, Sickert expects no difficulty. Thinking of a suitable name for the series: perhaps "Halcyon Series". Oswald still busy 'holding up the Times Book Club'; if the paper became 'decently Liberal' it would not 'need all these young genii to keep it alive'. Does not know Leopardi's work, as he has no Italian; read [Thomson's] "City of Dreadful Night" years ago. Stanley also involved with a 'rival literary scheme'.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington. - Trevelyan's publisher has sent "Mallow and Asphodel" very promptly, but unfortunately the poem about the peacock is too long for their anthology" ["The Bird In Song", see 6/47]; it is Sickert's fault for not checking before he asked, Stanley [Makower] left it to him but now agrees that if 'the Bat is not a bird it ought to be'; they therefore would like to include Trevelyan's "The Lady's Bat". Says he is going to put some 'nonsense' from John Skelton in. Wondering what to use for a frontispiece: would like a peacock, for 'an upright composition' but cannot find one which works in reproduction; has tried Whistler and Hondekoeter [sic: Hondecoeter]. The elections are fun: expects the opposition to be made up entirely of the members for Birmingham at this rate.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington. - He and Stanley [Makower] agree that Trevelyan's 'little beast' [his poem"The Lady's Bat] should appear in their anthology ["The Bird In Song", see 6/47]; they have nothing else giving 'just that note of playfulness'. They will send him a proof to correct. Expects the book will be out before Easter. Will write to Brimley Johnson, whom he does not know personally. Thinks they have fixed on an engraving [for the frontispiece?]: "A Concert of Birds, after Mario di Fiori' which Sickert found in the Print Room [of the British Museum] and includes a bat. They hope to include Swinburne's "Itylus", but [Theodore Watts-] Dunton wants to know what else will appear, so has had to send a list. Still wondering what to call the series. Stanley has a daughter; 'girls have the best time nowadays'.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington. - Never sent Trevelyan the copy of the Bat [his poem"The Lady's Bat] for him to correct. Grant Richards wants to start printing ["The Bird In Song", see 6/47] at once; if Trevelyan cannot return the enclosed in time, they will take the punctuation from Brimley Johnson's book. Still trying to find a title; if Trevelyan can think of one which is 'pretty but not too elaborate' he will offer him 'half the royalty that G.R. has not offered' [him and Stanley Makower]. Has just discovered that F. Noel Paton brought out "Bards and the Birds" in 1894, but this is not well done. Hopes Roger [Fry] will buy all the Old Masters 'that are good enough for Boston but not too good'. Stanley is well as is his baby daughter.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Trevelyan's corrected copy [of his poem The Lady's Bat, for Sickert's anthology The Bird In Song, see 6/47] arrived in good time, and the book is to go to the printers next Thursday. Is annoyed about the 'shabby' nature of the printing, and that they have had to include 'a wearisome effusion of Watts-Dunton's' in order to be allowed Swinburne's Itylus; would like to 'stick' it in the preface and claim there was not time to put it in properly, with the added advantage of putting people off reading the preface. Is also unhappy about the frontispiece. Thinks the book will be out about Easter, not much before due to the addition of American classics such as Whitman - 'no moderns thank goodness'. Recommends Jean Christophe by Romain Rolland, brother-in-law of [Michel] Bréal. He and his 'collaborator' [Stanley Makower] will be pleased to present Trevelyan with a copy of the anthology.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Asks if Trevelyan has received his copy of "The Bird in Song" [in which his poem "The Lady's Bat" appears, see 6/47]. Sickert told Grant Richards to send it to Brimsley Johnson, since he keeps forgetting to ask [his brother] Oswald for Trevelyan's new address. Will then know whether the other poets have received their copies; he dares not write to Richards again, who will think he wants his cheque. Thinks it is 'quite a tidy little book' except for the 'hideous stuffed fowl' [the frontispiece]. The 'publishers war is waxing fierce'. Hopes Trevelyan will come to Kensington soon.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Asks for the address of the "New Quarterly". Does not know whether the editor [Desmond MacCarthy] takes fiction, but would like to try him with a translation of a short story by [Eduard] von Keyserling. They hear from Oswald [his brother] 'at longish intervals': he finds New York 'cosy and provincial', so he is breaking away from Henry James there, and by now is on his way to Sydney. Asks if Trevelyan has been 'perpetrating any Pageants'; he himself is 'too stingy', though the Chelsea one seems attractive; they 'ought to put in the immortal "Jimmie"'. Supposes Trevelyan is still occupied with his opera [the "Bride of Dionysus"]. Their sister [Helena Swanwick] has been 'most earnest and active in her Suffragist cause', but Londoners are generally 'frivolous and indifferent about it'. Asks to be remembered to Mrs Trevelyan, and how Trevelyan's son [Paul] does.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - It is just like Trevelyan to generously put in a word for his translation [of a short story by Eduard von Keyserling, see 6/54]. Is having the story typed and has written to the editor [of the "New Quarterly", Desmond MacCarthy] asking whether he should send it. There is a fair amount of 'good, thoughtful work by these clever modern Germans' which ought to be translated and published in the better sort of reviews. Mentions the heat. Hopes little Paul [Trevelyan] is bearing up.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington. - Sorry not to have told Trevelyan before that [Desmond] MacCarthy liked his translation [of a short story by [Eduard] von Keyserling, see 6/54] and is going to put it in in the November issue [of the "New Quarterly"]; Sickert has 'rather reluctantly' agreed to write a paper to accompany it. Has been in Neuville, near Dieppe, for the last six weeks. Is very sorry to hear of the Trevelyans' bereavement [the death of their new-born daughter Susan].
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - The Sickerts have been very distressed by Stanley [Makower]'s illness; at first there was thought to be no hope but his temperature has gone down and the doctors thought they may have made an error in diagnosis. Robert has paid several brief visits and says that Stanley 'talks quite naturally' and is able to read. His wife despairs, but Eleanor thinks she still believes the first diagnosis. More on Stanley's illness; recommends Trevelyan write to hiss wife if he wants to visit. Oswald and Bessie are well; Oswald soon to have a holiday.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Wishes she could give a good account of Stanley [Makower]; on a recent visit he seemed much weaker, and she fears the doctors are right and he will not recover. He is still very glad to see friends, and the Sickerts visit in turn. Mrs Makower despairs, as she has from the start, but she stays 'wonderfully calm and cheerful' when with him. Auguste Bréal went to see him on Sunday. Reports in a postscript that Robert has just come back from Chiswick and thinks Stanley a little better.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Thinks Stanley's father [Moritz Makower] will give his widow Agnes something to live on, but they are 'embittered against each other'; he wants her to return to Switzerland very soon and she needs time to recover. Feels Agnes must bear it for the children: there are four under six years old, with nothing to live on but what Makower gives them. Eleanor would like to see Trevelyan very much. Stanley did not realize he was dying, and his death was peaceful. Hopes that one of Agnes' brother will come, and may put things right. She wants to see Stanley's last book through the press, which would keep her in England till next year; Makower wants her to leave this month. Oswald and Robert went to the funeral; there was no trouble about the religious question; he had a Catholic ceremony and burial and the children will be brought up in their parents' faith. She, her 'four sons and two daughters in law' spent a month in Dieppe over the summer.