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TRER/6/108 · Item · 5 May 1932
Part of Papers of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and Elizabeth Trevelyan

Calcutta. - Apologises for typing - it is 'too hot and clammy' to write by hand. Glad to hear that Trevelyan has invited his friends [the Germanova/Kalitinsky household] to visit the Shiffolds; it will be very good for Andriusha to come to England, and perhaps Trevelyan might have time to take him to Cambridge to see the University. He feels very far away, and fears that the reference Trevelyan made to Ulysses and his dog [Argos] in his poetic epistle to him may come true: feels Rex [his dog]'s reproach keenly, but does not see how he could return to Europe with no work. Talk of offering him a University Professorship in Indian Fine Arts; is not particularly keen, but would get a year's study leave at once to spend in Europe. Sure Trevelyan will do all he can to fix him up at the League [of Nations]; it would be useful if [Clifford] Allen could talk to Albert Thomas or other Secretariat official.

Trevelyan must have heard of Andriusha's 'wonderful success'; a shame he cannot go to see Madame Germanova play at the Pitoëff's. Sometimes has news of Julian from his friends in Paris; worries that he might not make as many friends there as in Cambridge, he is 'really much too nice and clever for the ineffectual Monte[p]arnasse set'. Is looking forward to Trevelyan's next book of poems ["Rimeless Numbers"]; has been talking to mutual friends about him, such as his old Oxford friend [Apurba Kumar?] Chanda, Principal of Chittagong College, and Arun Sen, a barrister who knew Lowes Dickinson at Cambridge. There is also Abany Banerjee, also a barrister, who used to be prominent in the 1917 Club. The reading of post-Tennysonian English poetry he had to do for his two lectures at Hyderabad has inspired him to write some poetry again, 'under the influence of such diverging people as Kipling, Housman and Yeats'; will send them later. Encloses two photographs taken at the Singhs' at Bhagalpur.

TRER/16/121 · Item · 9 Apr 1932
Part of Papers of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and Elizabeth Trevelyan

14, Rue Nungesser et Coli, Paris 16. - Pitoeff has given her a part in a pacifist play [Angermeyer's "Plus Jamais Ca !"]; it is very small, but she is glad to have work and should earn about a thousand francs; she is however very sorry to miss her visit to the Trevelyans and hopes this can be postponed. Pitoeff wants to put on the play in Geneva; she thinks the League of Nations is helping, as the play is intended to 'bring together in peace France and Germany'. Her part, that of a German woman, can be 'played tragically' and she hopes to 'do something good'. Even the thought of travelling has helped her. Sends regards to Mr Trevelyan, her 'men' [husband and son] send 'regretfull saluts'.

TRER/16/122 · Item · 4 Apr 1932
Part of Papers of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and Elizabeth Trevelyan

4, Rue Nungesser et Coli, Paris 16me. - Thanks Mrs Trevelyan for her 'dear, kind invitation'; would like to come as soon as she can, as she feels very tired and Andrusha [her son] looks 'pale and thin after his brilliant effort'; also she hopes to get some work with Pitoeff or as a 'figurante' [extra]. Is worried about getting visas, so perhaps Mr Trevelyan could get the authorities to help. Alexandre Petrevitch [her husband] is very glad she will get some rest and sends his thanks. Andrusha is looking forward very much to seeing England. He wants to be an engineer and would benefit from any practice, 'even elementary'; he is interested equally in work in a foundry or factory, and his ambition at the moment to be a low-paid pupil to a workman to learn the basics. His school is called Glarisegg, and is near Steckborn am Budensee in Switzerland. He would like to study in future at the Politechnicum in Zurich. Hopes they will see the Trevelyans soon, and Andrusha can explain everything himself.

TRER/16/123 · Item · 8 Nov 1932
Part of Papers of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and Elizabeth Trevelyan

4, Rue Nungesser et Coli, Paris 16. - Very kind of Mrs Trevelyan to have thought about Andrusha; she has sent her letter on to him, and is sure he will be 'happy to meet this interesting family'. They are following him in their 'thoughts and anxiety' in his new life as a student. She had hoped a friend would have him as a lodger in her house, but she does has moved away from Zurich and shut it up; however, the friend has kindly given him a room in her gardener's house, which has a little stove for heating and cooking, though he eats lunch at the student canteen. The house is a 'little far from the Politechnical School', but it is healthy being up on a hill overlooking the lake and they economise on rent; she worries about him spending his money on cinema tickets or 'other foolish things' and not food but it is good experience for him to 'regulate' his own life. Very touching how much he enjoys study; hopes he will make good friends.

Glad to have met [Bernard] Berenson and Miss [Nicky] Mariano; felt as if they have 'known each other already'; thanks Mr Trevelyan for making them acquainted. She does not 'play now' [is not acting?] unfortunately; has 'some work in view' but not until January, and not with Pitoeff's company, though a 'very interesting part as a mother'. She was offered the part of a Russian princess in a play written by a female French writer which involved threatening a servant with a 'knout'; this is 'all very ridiculous and very sad'; this 'myth' about the Russian is 'so unjust and unkind'. She has therefore sent back the part today and found 'some excuse' not to play it, as she would be unable to face her friends, including princesses and countesses, 'so courageous and distinguished in their misfortune of refugees'. [Hasan Shahid] Suhrawardy laughed a great deal when she read out her part to him and her husband; they have both supported her in renouncing the part. Suhrawardy has begun to work in preparation for his lectures in Calcutta; she is very happy for him. Reksushka [the dog] is 'such a dear'; he looks so sad when Andrusha goes away; he did however knock her over when she was walking him so that she hurt her knee and could not walk for two days.

TRER/16/130 · Item · 12 Oct 1935
Part of Papers of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and Elizabeth Trevelyan

26 rue de la Tourelle, Boulogne s[ur]/Seine. - Very touched to receive Mrs Trevelyan's letter: knows her eyes are weak and it is an effort to write. Apologises for not answering at once: kept postponing the decision not to visit. Cannot come as it is the time when theatres in Paris make arrangements and she cannot afford to miss any offer. She has a part, but it is 'not very pleasant': very small and uninteresting, playing a comic charwoman. She is not ambitious to play big parts, but it is a 'very ungrateful task' to play small parts with Pitoeff's theatre company, as he does not care about them, and just makes them 'only a background for himself and his wife'; also he has the habit of not paying his actors. Her husband and son do not want her to take the part, seeing it as a 'compromise with [her] artistic conscience', but she is not brave enough to refuse; has always agreed that there 'are no bad parts, only bad actors', so will try her best. Not 'very agreeable' that the play is 'bolchevik', but she must say it is good. Has done four days film work recently, which she much enjoyed; hopes to be asked again as she thinks they were pleased with her work. It is a French film called "Rose" [directed by Raymond Rouleau], in which she plays a peasant woman, mother of a young man who is a chauffeur: it was a very small role, but she loved it, and her family said she said she looked much younger after the few days work. Apologises for talking so much about herself, but she enjoys it so much, and the thought of Mrs Trevelyan's 'warm attention and sympathie [sic]... stimulates [her] courage'. Is very glad to hear about Julian, and asks to be remembered kindly to him and his wife.

TRER/6/88 · Item · 3 Mar [1929]
Part of Papers of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and Elizabeth Trevelyan

28, Rue de la Tourelle, Boulogne-sur-Seine. - Apologises for not writing sooner. Madame G[ermanova] has gone with the Pitoëffs to Holland and Italy so he is alone in the flat with the dog. She, her husband, and their son return for Easter; she has had great success with [Chekhov's] "Three Sisters", Figaro and so on. Asks how Trevelyan's play [his translation of Aeschylus' "Prometheus Bound"] was received at Cambridge; Trevelyan had described his impressions of the dress-rehearsal, but this is often very different to the real performance. Has asked the girl who is typing up his own translation of Sheng Cheng to send Trevelyan the first carbon copy for corrections; does not think it needs to be very literal, but wants to know how it reads in English; it has not yet been accepted by a publisher. He suggested that [Julien?] Luchaire should write to Trevelyan, because of his work as a translator and favourable attitude towards international collaboration; thinks he should reply with names of books which should be translated and others that have not been well translated. It would also be useful to mention why translations were not well done in England, and criticism of the system by which publishers give books to people; he could quote from his 'excellent preface to "Aeschylus". The man in charge of the project is Giuseppe Prezzolini, whom he admires and likes very much. Hopes Trevelyan's play for Masefield is now ready.

TRER/6/89 · Item · 6 Apr [1929]
Part of Papers of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and Elizabeth Trevelyan

28, Rue de la Tourelle, Boulogne sur Seine. - Thanks Trevelyan for all the trouble he has taken over his own translation; agrees with nearly all the corrections, as they give 'a more living note' to the text. He has lived so long away from the 'atmosphere' of English that it has become 'dead and slow' for him. Curtis Brown Ltd are his agents in England, and will circulate the MS; has heard that it has already gone to Allen Unwin. Has missed out on the American rights for a translation of Cheng's work, and it would be very helpful, 'at this difficult period of [his] life' if it were accepted by an English publisher. Has heard from Geneva that the post he was trying for has gone to another Indian candidate; hopes that things will improve for him soon. Is not sure when he will be able to come to England. Madame Germanova has just returned from Italy, where she has been playing with the Pitoëffs, and send regards.

TRER/6/90 · Item · 20 Nov [1929]
Part of Papers of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and Elizabeth Trevelyan

28, Rue de la Tourelle, Boulogne sur Seine. - Has been at Nice with an attack of bronchitis after his father's departure for India. Thanks Trevelyan very much for inviting him to be his guest in Italy: would like this very much, but he has too much work to do, and he could not leave Reksusha [the dog] again so soon as the old Russian princess who took him last time, and her one servant who is 85, are terrified of him. He could come in the third week of January for about ten days if Trevelyan were still there then, as Professor Kalitinsky will be there. Very happy to hear of the success of "Meleager": performances are usually better than dress rehearsals. [Robert] Bridges has not sent his book, as he promised; asks Trevelyan to write with his impressions of it. Likes the title ["The Testament of Beauty"]: there 'is something sad & wise in it'.