Showing 39 results

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Glad that the hard part of the move is done; very eager to see Elizabeth and Robert's new house, terrace, and view. They are 'in an artistic atmosphere', with 'the old smell of oil-colours in the hall' since Mrs Collingwood, friend and pupil of Ruskin, has painted one of the vacant panels 'most lovelily' with sweet peas. [Edward] Keith has won a great prize for his sweet peas, so they 'are immortalised just at the right point'. Tells Robert to read the 'composite autobiography of Gibbon', put together by Miss Holroyd [relative of John Baker Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield?], which is 'six times better than the six genuine ones'; almost wishes they had never appeared. Is taking a week's holiday after finishing the first two hundred pages of his new volume [of "The American Revolution"] and having 'disposed of' General Burgoyne; will show Robert two chapters and a 'most beautiful map of [his] own composition'. Will be glad to see Elizabeth and Robert here. Takes note about Stopford Brooke.. Comments in a postscript that it is his birthday today, and he turns sixty-seven.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - He and Caroline have felt greatly for Robert over the death of Theodore [Llewelyn Davies]: knows how close and long the friendship was, and that it would have continued throughout their lives; also that Robert shared the friendship with Elizabeth. He himself lost five friends by the time any of them were twenty eight; Theodore's loss is even greater. Comments that something like this 'brings home how few the central friendships are that dignify and idealise one's whole circle'. He feels it 'dreadfully, on private and public grounds'; they sent a wreath of 'Scarlet Ramblers' which seemed very appropriate. They are looking forward to Elizabeth and Robert's visit; has prepared the main chapters of the book [the next volume of "The American Revolution"] for him to read. They have had a panel in the hall "beautifully painted by Mrs [Edith] Collingwood, a friend and pupil of Ruskin, and we hope to have the whole painted by her this year’.

Refers to Sidgwick's use of the phrase 'cosmic emotion' at breakfast in his rooms 'some time before /71', and to Ruskin's shortening of 'cosmopolitanism' with regard to a universal society or city of man. Remarks on [Francis?] Balfour's speculation on evolution, and his attitude thereto. Reports having 'a fine talk over Hutton the other day' and expresses the wish that Sidgwick had been there.

With monogram HPC and motto 'Mens sana in corpore sano'. - Thanks Bob for his letter about the rooms [at Trinity, Cambridge]; intends to choose Whewell's Court. Hopes to see Bob soon; he need not be alarmed about the Grove, as a 'perfectly effectual reconciliation' has taken place; will tell the details of the story when they meet. Bowen is 'keeping on young Sandilands and [?] Becham for another year; George now feels 'quite comfortable about the house next term'. Bowen is being very kind to him, and helping him get his poem 'ready for the prolusiones-press'; the essay is to be printed almost exactly as sent in. Has got the "Seven Lamps [of Architecture]" and "Modern Pictures" with his prize money, which came to over twenty pounds, and has now 'got all the big [underlined] Ruskins' since he got the "Stones of Venice" last year; also bought the sixteen-volume edition of Browning with his prize money. Sandilands should get his [cricket] flannels: he and Rome did very well in the game against the Household Brigade; reminiscent of when Grove House had 'Pope bowling at one end and Rome at the other at Lords'.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - High winds have brought down a 'fine beech' tree at the corner of the China Pond, 'sparing the old yews' but ruining a laburnum and a mespilus [medlar] 'that recalled Italy'. Has recently discovered that the balustrade in the central hall at Wallington, always said to have been designed by Ruskin, almost exactly resembles one described and drawn in "The Stones of Venice", at the Cathedral in Murano. Has finished reading Tacitus 'with great regret'; last thing he read was the "De Oratoribus", which was very interesting though he cannot believe it to be by Tacitus. Sends love to Elizabeth, and hopes the stain has come out of her silk dress.

Album containing over 250 letters, notes, documents, unaccompanied envelopes, printed items, and photographic prints carrying the handwriting and/or autographs of sovereigns, prelates, government ministers, peers, authors, and Trinity College masters and professors, with a few unusual items in addition. The material appears to have been largely culled from the correspondence of George Peacock, his wife Frances Peacock, her father William Selwyn, and her second husband William Hepworth Thompson, with a few unrelated items. Most date from the 19th century but there are a few items from the 18th century.

Among those represented are King George III, Charles Babbage, E.W. Benson, the 15th Earl of Derby, the 7th Duke of Devonshire, W. E. Gladstone, Lord Houghton, Charles Kingsley, H. W. Longfellow, Lord Macaulay, Sir Robert Peel, John Ruskin, Adam Sedgwick, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Anthony Trollope, and William Whewell; there are in addition a miniature handwritten Lord's Prayer in a circle no larger than 15mm across, a carte-de-visite photograph souvenir 'balloon letter' from the Paris siege of 1870 with an image of the newspaper 'La Cloche', and a photographic print of Lane's portrait of George Peacock.

Apartado 847, Madrid. - Thanks Trevelyan for his letter [in response to 6/45]: is writing to Birrell and Garnett for Ormond, "Milton's Prosody" [by Robert Bridges] and Bradley; asks Trevelyan to check if they received the order if he is there before he goes to Florence. Tells him not to stop writing verse but do his work on metre as well. Finds his age [fifty] which Trevelyan is approaching is 'difficult and depressing', and asks what is to be done about it; their upbringing requires them to 'grin and bear it', but 'since this idiotic Freud one suspects that is no solution'. Not in Sevilla yet but waiting for a second proof from the printer; does not know what they will think of Sevilla, having been there for a week; supposes it is all right if you live there and fall in love 'with a girl behind a reja [grid]' like Michel Bréal, but 'for a contemplative person... [it] is not different enough, not a sufficient spectacle to remain outside'. Japan 'the only fit place of exile'.

Menéndez has given up his post at Toulouse; he says the French and French literature are too 'middle class'. Duran 'the most amusing & capable person, & lovable too', he ought to be doing something more with his gifts, though Sickert suspects his dreams of revolution will not come true. His wife sees Mrs Jimenez sometimes, who has a second baby. Much enjoyed a conference of Cossio's on some pictures going to the Casa del Greco in Toledo, which reminded him of 'a perfectly rounded little effort of Ruskin's'. Ocaña still consul in Lille [?], spending weekends in Paris. Has been into the little palace at Mancha, which Trevelyan might remember; they are making it into a museum; he loved it. Had a lovely month when Argentina was at the Romea [theatre]; is sorry Trevelyan never saw her, as he thinks she is the best dancer of any kind he has seen. Describes her at length. They went backstage and 'worshipped' twice; 'then she is like a very intelligent Jewish pianist'.

Thinks Trevelyan has not heard any canto flamenco; La Niña de los Peines has been on, in better form than last time. In contrast to the views of the 'stupid critics' who write on 'difficult composers', canto flamenco is popular but 'much too subtle & difficult for the educated young people who... could take such a thing as Parsifal like milk'. Arthur [Waley?] is right that records are needed to 'cope with such music', but records have a different and unpleasant timbre so it is necessary to know the music already. Wishes he got on better with the words, but they are hard to catch and understand; they are not poetical. Is very interested in the prospect of [Lascelles] Abercrombie's book; remembers how good he was when discussing the article for a children's encyclopædia they were going to publish, but wonders if Abercrombie is right to select a scene from Shakespeare. His love for Don Quixote.

No-one has talked about anything but the 'Morocco tragedy' [during the Rif War] since July; 'self-deprecation all-round. Spaniards are the least chauvin [sic] people in the world.' Don Julio [Álvarez del Vayo] flew back from Berlin, gave a talk on Russian literature which Sickert could not attend, and returned at once. Posters out about the revival of "España". Bagaria the caricaturist has 'outdone himself' in "El Sol". The theatres are very dull: younger people may criticise Benevente, but since he stopped writing plays there is nothing worth going to see, and Catalina Barcena is having a baby so there is no good acting.

Could not find a house during their week in Sevilla so his wife returned to try again, once more in vain; she wants a house belonging to 'the mad Marques de la Vega Inclán', who wants 2000 pesetas per month; their rent in Madrid is 550 pesetas. The Marques owns the Casa del Greco in Toledo, which Trevelyan may remember is a 'duck of a place', and has 'invented' what seems to be an equally charming Casa de Cervantes in Valladolid. Remembers the 'jolly lunch' the day he left. Goldie [Dickinson] was 'a dear'.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Apologises that a bureau that should have been sent by Bob and Bessie by rail [see 14/39] is still in his room at Cambridge; blames 'dear old Mrs Larkins who is an awful goose' but says it is being sent today. Asks Bob to tell him when it arrives and return his maps then. Hopes he had 'a fine time' for the drive down to Grasmere. Is reading the second volume of "Stones of Venice" - he 'always read[s] Ruskin while... writing to prevent falling into Macaulayese' - and thinks it is his best 'as far as prose style goes'; 'the proportion of bunkum is also smaller'. Sends love to Bessie, and apologises again about the bureau: 'settling in to a house should be done as a whole and not in dribblets'.

Dover. - Absurd attack cannot put constitution of the L[iterary?] F[und?] in peril; work prevented his attending; confident that reason will prevail.

50 Gordon Square, W.C.- They [he and Beryl de Zoete] had been reading Ruskin's 'passage about the painting of sea-scapes' in "Modern Painting" when Bob's Christmas anthology ["From the Shiffolds"] arrived and 'opened itself at "To watch the waves breaking on a sandy beach"; likes this and "Green Leaves" very much. Wonders whether Bob has seen the December edition of the December "Cornhill [Magazine"], in which he has published 'an imaginary extra chapter of "Monkey". Must get the books which Bob has 'so patiently housed' for him [see 17/20].

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Robert's sight of Paris [working with the Friends War Victims Relief Committee] 'in these times' must be one of the 'greatest... scenes in the world's history'; since 'one knows Paris so much better even than London', any material or social change must be observable. Wonders what Balzac, Grandville, or Gavarni would have made of it. Supposes Dole is a headquarters of the Society; will be interested if Robert goes there, as he remembers going with his parents, while he was still a schoolboy at Harrow, 'on the immortal road [to Italy] with which Ruskin has made the world familiar'; reminisces about his journey; Ruskin's 'account of his boyish delight in that route makes one sick with longing that oneself, and the world, might be 65 years younger'. They have had 'delightful letters' from Elizabeth.

Cambridge. Bishop Selwyn painted for St John's before leaving, working men's colleges, Ruskin working to develop the working man's imagination to make him truly happy.

Paper on which verse is written watermarked 1872; corners damaged. Accompanied by note in another hand that a copy has been sent to Severn, but neither he nor Ruskin know who wrote it.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Discussion of a passage of [Ruskin's] "Praeterita", of which Sir George has the first edition. They have heard from Mr Dear [?] that it rained for seventeen hours at Welcombe; fears a catastrophe as bad as that 'which started agricultural depression in 1875'. Thanks Robert for sending [Henry] James's "Confidence; glad he liked it.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Likes Robert's account of the hunt [see 46/202]; comments on 'heredity', and there being a Cadbury on the hunt [Laurence John Cadbury?]; compares it to the two 'members of the eleven at Harrow' writing home that there was a young Trevelyan who 'played up'. Interested to hear about Aunt Annie [Philips] who 'does too much', like 'dear Booa' [Mary Prestwich] who has been very unwell; they have got a nurse for her. Has been reading [Frances] Lady Shelley's diary, published by John Murray, which has the 'pleasantest' and he expects truest picture of Wellington at the 'height of his career'. They have been reading the life of Ruskin by [Edward Tyas] Cook; not sure why it has not been more highly praised, unless it is that Ruskin's 'inordinate mass of writing, extraordinary want of self-control, and his ravings about myths and etymologies' tire ordinary readers more than they do Sir George.

8, Grosvenor Crescent. - Enjoyed reading Robert's poems ["The Bride of Dionysus"] yesterday evening, which he praises; is sure the "Dionysus" itself is 'admirably suited for its purpose' [as a libretto for Donald Tovey's opera], and the end is very effective. Interested to hear Robert and Elizabeth had been to see the Pre-Raphaelite pictures at the Tate; he and Caroline are just reading in the biography of Ruskin how these 'those exquisite pieces' were treated in a 'brutal manner', and how well he came to the rescue.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Happy to be expecting Elizabeth and Julian today. Interested to hear about the castle [at Aulla, owned by Aubrey and Lina Waterfield?], and envies Robert's chance of 'a fine fortnight near Florence' [with the Berensons]. Caroline has just finished reading Colonel Young's book on the Medicis, which pleased her greatly, and Sir George intends to try it. Young appears to be 'an old Indian officer', and his work to be 'free from that sort of canting way in which people think it is necessary to write about Italy... like Symonds, Hare, and in some sort Ruskin' and 'hundreds' of other lesser writers. There was a 'glorious eclipse of the moon' last night, and 'much distress of politicians for it to portend'. They are going to read Forster's novel ["Howards End"] aloud, having finished [Arnold Bennett's] "Clayhanger" which was 'admirable'. Adds in a postscript that Major Dobbin [in Thackeray's "Vanity Fair"] might have written Colonel Young's book, 'instead of his history of the Sikhs'; it has 'the honesty and thoroughness of [Sir George's] Colonel Gerald Boyle" [who composed a manuscript "Notes on the War of the American Revolution"?].

162: Contains reference to John Ruskin.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Very interested by the passage of [Ruskin's] "Praeterita" which Elizabeth quotes, and construes it for her. Still has his cold, which would have been more serious if Elizabeth had not sent him up to change his coat. A postscript returns to the Ruskin passage; Caroline understood it at once when he read it out with the emphasis in the right place.