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I Tatti, Settignano, Florence. - [Luchaire's?] letter has been forwarded to him; he feels honoured to be asked about the problem of translation. Will reply now, but may give a more detailed answer on his return to England when he can 'consult friends and books'. Does not think the standard of translation in England is high at present; it is usually underpaid, and often taken on by 'unscholarly writers, who do not even write their own language well. Approves of C. K. Scott-Moncrieff's work. Does not know Russian, so cannot comment on the accuracy of Mrs [Constance] Garnett's translations, but they read well; [J.D.] Duff's translations of Aksakof seem first rate; some translations of Lyeskof [?] and other Russians are in 'bad slipshod English' and should be redone. Is told the standard of German translations of Russian is better than that of the English. Praises the translations of Gide by Mrs Strachey [Lady Jane Strachey?] and her daughter [Dorothy Bussy], and especially that of Jules Romain's "Le Mort de Quelqu'un" by Desmond MacCarthy and Sydney Waterlow. Doubts there are many good translations of contemporary French literature, as generally people who wish to read it can do so in French. Knows that a good translation of Valéry's dialogues, by 'Mrs Strachey' [actually by Dorothy Bussy?] and Mr [William] Stewart cannot find a publisher. Almost always finds translations of modern poetry 'unsatisfactory': there is not even a really good English translation of [Goethe's] "Faust", though he admires Stawell and Dickinson's book on the poem. Thinks it is probably not 'worthwhile trying to translate modern French and Italian poetry' except for private satisfaction; has never seen a translation of Russian poetry which gives him an idea of the original. Unfinished sentence in praise of Tagore's prose translations of his own poems.

Strafford House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Dated 29/3/16 - Was only in London for the day of the lecture and saw only Moncrieff and Dr Sutherland Black, will be back to see Mrs Holman Hunt at the weekend; glad to hear he is giving the Huxley Lecture, it was 'worth being born to have known him'; takes refuge from the awful war in the calm pages of great thinkers.

Aldeburgh. Dated (1918) - Thanks him for 'Folk-Lore in the Old Testament', notices society has moved a long way from when Dean Milman was denounced for blasphemy; questions his conclusion in judging between Creation and Evolution, and asks why consensus of opinion matters vs consensus of fact; hope his facts on 'jus primae noctis' will prevent future references; hears from Moncrieff that Sutherland Black has lost an eye.