Showing 43 results

Trinity College, Cambridge.—Was sorry to hear of Uncle John’s death. Hopes Kitty (his sister) was not hurt much by the swing. Has heard from Mr Heywood and seen Tovey. Romilly has died.

—————

Transcript

Coll: SS: Trin: Cantab:
Aug: 20/64

My dear Papa and Mama

I was very sorry and surprised to hear of poor Uncle John’s death. It is no wonder that you are not well. You say he was well enough the Saturday before to go to Starcross {1} and stay with Aunt Lizzie. Is it not very like what one has heard of the flicker of a candle before it goes out? I remember having noticed it in other cases. It must be a consolation to think that he had no suffering during the week, and was conscious so long. And, if I may say anything of this kind, ought we to think that the mercy which we should ourselves accord can be greater than the Infinite mercy? It seems to take away all the benefit of the Incarnation, if the Compassion of our Lord is not at least as great as that of men.

I do hope dear little Kitty was not much hurt by the swing. I know it can knock very hard, because Clement hurt his knee there very much once. I have been scratching myself in bathing. About a fortnight ago I knocked my elbow against a rough post in diving, but it is nearly well now.

I have heard from Mr Heywood, who was in Paris on the 13th, and seems to be enjoying himself. Mrs Heywood is with him, and he says they have had delightful weather. I saw Tovey in a boat last night. You will see by the Paper that Mr Romilly, one of our Dons, has just died {2}.

Please to give my love to Mitchell, and say I hope he has not lost the opportunity of making interesting experiments as to the nature of physical pain. It is such a waste of trouble if he has.

With best love to all the little ones, and hopes that you are much better, believe me to remain

your very affectionate son
+W: K: Clifford.

P:S: I have at last borrowed a machine for mending pens, and my writing is rapidly improving under its influence. You should see the two awful tables of the Inequalities of the Moon’s Radius Vector and Longitude, which I have to read over every day, so as to get them by heart.

—————

On the back of the letter are two addresses in an unidentified hand: ‘W | 59 Cannon St | London’ (‘City’ struck through before ‘London’), and ‘2 Elm Grove | New North Rd’. The latter is an address in Exeter.

{1} A village in Devon, eight miles south-east of Exeter.

{2} Joseph Romilly died of heart failure on 7 August, while on holiday at Great Yarmouth.

93, High Street, Knaphill, Woking. - Describes her visit from Donald's 'local doctor' [Dr Corbett], whom she describes as 'boorish and unprepossessing', to tell her that Donald was better as he had walked from his bed to his chair; could get no information from him about Donald's diet, and lying in bed is 'very harmful to him as it was to his father'. Told Corbett that Donald's doctor was 'a very distinguished Edinburgh physician [Robert Thin] whom she had asked to attend him, but Corbett replied that they had telegraphed to say he should not come as Donald was better; she herself pays Dr Thin's fees, and he says Lady Tovey hinders him in Edinburgh as she 'does not speak the truth'; told the Norwich doctor that she had no confidence in him. Regrets that John [Wellcome Tovey] is there when he should be with her, expects 'he is in love with the "Secretary"'. Has sent a 'Lebensgang [biography]' of Donald to Dr Bluth, especially the 'opinion of the two very able doctors at Bath about 9 years ago' who told her how anxious they were about him. Now must wait for Dr Bluth's conclusions; what he has written to her so far inclines her to think favourably of him. Will be 'a bore' for him to read all she has written, but it is better than having her 'talking excitedly at him'; hopes she may see him soon. Wonders what is wrong with Lady Tovey; her mother and aunt died of cancer; is 'sure she is very infectious'.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Hopes his parents are well; the weather has been quite good here. Paul has been 'much better' recently; thinks it 'must have been teeth'. Will write to his father soon; sends thanks for his last letter. Donald Tovey and his father have been here since Monday, till tomorrow: Tovey's mother 'died rather suddenly on Christmas day', so they got them to visit 'to give his father a change'. His mother had been an invalid for a long time. Donald must have two new quartets ready for his concerts on the 23rd and 27th January, so is working very hard; he finished the first yesterday. Does not have firm plans yet: may go to La Croix for a few weeks to 'get started on some new work'. Bessie seems very well.

It is lucky that Taormina is 'on rocks, and though badly shaken [in the Messina earthquake of Dec 1908] no damage was done'. The Grandmonts seem all right, though 'rather upset': Mrs Grandmont, in her letter the day after, 'talked of going to Messina to help'; they had 'not yet realised how big the disaster was'. Probably the main thing to be done is to 'help the refugees at their arrival at the various towns'.

The postponed meeting about the school at Forest Green is tomorrow.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Sends best wishes for the new year, in which she hopes 'Paul will become an elderly and extraordinary robust person', Bessie will remain just the same, and 'the Poet' [Robert] will 'put forth a great work'. Donald [Tovey] caught a chill on his visits to East Lothian which makes her worry about his concert tour to Manchester and Bolton. He has to be at Englefield Green on Tuesday night, as he needs to find some music for Lady Hallé, and feels he needs to go to Worplesdon [to see his parents] for lunch on Tuesday; asks if Robert Trevelyan could spend Tuesday night at Englefield Green. Is in very low spirites; thinks she will have to go to Valescure in April after all.

Letter declining invitation to the 1905 Apostles' dinner.

Letter declining invitation to the 1905 Apostles' dinner.

Worplesdon Rectory, Guildford. - Don [Donald Tovey] has been 'on one of his very fugitive visits' and read Trevelyan's "Ariadne" ["The Bride of Dionysus"], which gave them so much pleasure that Tovey is writing to tell Trevelyan. Is sure that Trevelyan and Donald's joint work [on the opera] will be 'epochmaking in the history of English history and music'. Only has criticism of the 'most pedantic kind', which he will not bother to write; if the public can stand the Wagnerian legend for the sake of the music, they should really appreciate 'what is truly classical in the best sense'. Encourages Trevelyan to visit, as he promised after they had 'deposited [Henry?] Jackson at the Charing Cross Hotel after that miraculous & bewildering ride in the motor omnibus'. A postscript asks whether [Thomas Babington] Macauley did indeed call Versailles 'a huge heap of littleness'; is sure he did, following [Thomas] Gray's use of a phrase from [Alexander] Pope; invites Trevelyan to see 'how minute [he is] becoming or become'. Also asks Trevelyan whether he is aware that the Arthurian legend exists in Scotland, and that at Meigle in Perthshire 'they show you the tomb of Queen Wander' who was pulled apart by wild horses 'for nae gude that she did', and Wander is Guinevere [see Gray, '"Works" (1825) vol II p. 274].

Worplesdon Rectory, Guildford. - Thanks Trevelyan for sending the photograph of Donald, as does Mrs [Mary] Tovey; does not think Lady Betty Balfour cared much for it; unlike her, thinks it very like Donald. They are 'deathly dull' and he is worried about his wife, fearing she 'grows much weaker'; would brighten life very much for her if Don would come to see her now and then, but they do not know where he is; calls him 'their Moses'. although they have 'not set up a golden calf instead of him'. Lady Betty Balfour 'astonished' him last Sunday 'by appearing at church', and came to see his wife afterwards; had thought she was in the north but G.B. [Gerald Balfour] is at Fishers Hill, busy with the Commission on Lighthouse Administration. Wants to know more about Ariadne ["The Bride of Dionysus"]; asks whether Donald is 'industrious' about it.

Worplesdon Rectory, Guildford (though the heading also reads 'c/o of Donald at present). - Thanks the Trevelyans for their welcome of him at their house, which he will always remember affectionately. Would like to send her husband his own 'almost worthless verses', and is 'procuring copies of his book on [Thomas] Gray'; Don [Donald Tovey] has ordered the verses at Guildford. Would send love to 'his Imperial Majesty' [Paul Trevelyan], but fears he is 'under the royal displeasure for attempting to sing "Fiddle-de-dee" in lieu of the only authorized performance'.

Worplesdon. - Very kind of Bessie to invite him to stay next week; would 'gladly come' but is 'still terribly lame, and... wanted here then on very troublesome business'. Had not heard about Don [Donald Tovey]'s chill; 'they never tell [him anything] and [Don] never writes'. Very glad to hear the baby [Julian Trevelyan] is doing so well; it must be a 'great joy' to her. Nearing the end of his third volume of [Thomas] Gray's letters; thinks it will please his 'few readers'. Asks if he may write again next week, as he is reluctant to give up such an 'alluring' prospect'; doubts sometimes however whether he will ever quite recover the use of his limb.

Worplesdon. - Is very sorry that he cannot come to the Shiffolds: there are two weddings, he must take the Saturday one, and the curate is probably going away for his outing. Is glad to learn that Don [Donald Tovey] is better, but 'really never knew that he had been ill'. Thinks the Trevelyans will be glad to know he has nearly finished the third volume of [Thomas] Gray's letters, if only as he will now not 'bore his friends with it'. Some people here are 'worrying' him very much; with 'much taste and judgement' they choose now to complain he does not visit enough, while his 'Sunday work is enough to kill a man'.

Worplesdon. - Asks Trevelyan to forgive his use of pencil, as he cannot write comfortably in ink when on his back. Sympathises with the Trevelyans in their anxiety: hopes 'the little one [Julian Trevelyan] will thrive'. Describes his accident, which was 'strange and sudden': he fell on icy ground when conducting a coffin to the grave, hit his head against a marble monument, was picked up but fell at once having 'severed a great muscle about the knee'. Was able to finish the service and then was helped to the vestry where he 'made the necessary entries' while waiting for the doctor. Getting into the fly to be driven home was 'a rather excruciating business' and he then had a 'night of horrors'; is now recoving very slowly. Don [Donald Tovey] came to visit just after the accident; has not seen or heard from him since, as he is very busy. Supposes the opera ["The Bride of Dionysus"] is 'rather held up for the present'. Asks when the libretto will appear. Thinks that between them Trevelyan and Tovey 'will waken up Europe'.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Asks if it is really convenient for him and his father to stay next week. Hopes to get on with Ariadne ["The Bride of Dionysus"]. Will be finishing his quartets for a couple of days from Monday, but hopes to be 'excavating the 2nd Act on Wednesday'.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Apologises for telling her so late about his plans again: is going to see his aunt [Anna Walter Thomas], which he has been putting off for two years, over Christmas; Miss Weisse has planned something which will delay him another day; the Trevelyans cannot do before the 20th or he would have come over now. Must be back at Northlands for New Year's Eve. Bessie will have to 'say something pretty strong to Miss Weisse' soon: she is still spreading the 'dismal & (both to [Tovey] and to her) utterly discreditable & mischievous lie that [Tovey] is "in a dangerous state of depression"'. Meanwhile she holds him 'here by the leg', even organising for his father's solicitor to come here to settle his business with him tomorrow night. Will have to get away if he is to be told 'absolutely nothing but lies', but his friends should understand that because musical prospects in England are so bad, he would have to leave the country altogether. His 'fine London concert patrons' are too busy 'choosing between [him], Kelly & Grainger' to give him 'any prospects at all'; their circles are also 'far too appearance-keeping' for him to 'earn an honest living'. Should not need to keep up appearances in Vienna, but begin with a 'European reputation' unhampered by the 'handicap' which his 'ten year's service as charwoman to the C.C.S [Classical Concert Society]' now seems. Is not sure it will be any use protesting to Miss Weisse though, if the 'lessons' she has had are not enough.

Asks if he and his father can come on Monday, and for Trevelyan to send a line about trains to his father so that the visit appears to have been settled long ago. Checks that it really is convenient to 'Paul & Mrs Poet' and Trevelyan. The visit also depends on the state of the roads 'here & in Calabria & Sicily'. They are 'reading the Plutus of Henry Stuffiknew [?]' as it is the only thing his father can think of that is at all like [Trevelyan's] "Sisyphus".

University of Edinburgh. - Thanks Bessie for the Buchholz. The notes are Tovey's father's. Fritz Busch has two other volumes, and the rest are Miss Weisse's, at Northlands. Received a postcard from the Noordewiers yesterday saying Fritz was well on the 11th, and that he had not been wounded as reported. Knows that his brother [Duncan] has been wounded, but not seriously. Things quiet and well, and the work fun, Is reading [Jan Pieterszoon] Sweelinck, 'a very great man indeed'. Sends, as an 'Awful Example of the sacrifice of poetry to rhyme', six lines of Psalm 137 translated into French [by Clément Marot].

Brighton. - Writes with the news that Donald [Tovey]'s mother died on Christmas Day and the funeral is on Tuesday. Wants then to take Donald and his father back to Northlands for a few days, then hopes Donald will still come on to the Trevelyans instead of going back to Worplesdon. Sends best Christmas wishes to the Trevelyans. Does hope Donald's brother and 'his very capable little wife' will look after Mr Tovey at the Rectory so that Donald can come to the Trevelyans; perhaps Bessie could 'urge it a little'. Fears he will not come to Scotland with her now.

Worplesdon; sent to Trevelyan at the Shiffolds and forwarded on to the National Liberal Club, Whitehall P[la]ce, S.W.. - Thanks Trevelyan for the 'beautiful Drama' ["The Bride of Dionysus"]; asks when he will 'ever see it on the stage', or indeed see Trevelyan or his wife; sends remembrances to them all, including the 'dear boy' [Julian?].

Includes testimonials and printed material. Some letters have explicatory notes by Florence Image. Almost 40 letters from Henry Jackson. Several letters from or relating to: H. M. Butler (some to Florence Image), A. V. Verrall, W. Aldis Wright, W. H. Thompson, Duncan Crookes Tovey and other members of his family, J. G. Frazer, J. N. Dalton, and J. W. L. Glaisher; for other correspondents see names below. Some letters by Image himself to various correspondents, and printed material

c/o Miss Cunliffe, Worplesdon St. Mary, Guildford. - Labelled 'Private - please burn, for yourself only'. Hopes that Donald [Tovey] and his father will go to the Trevelyans on Monday; fears he is in 'a perilous condition of nerves' and is taking on 'the whole burden of the life ill spent and ill conditioned of his miserable father'; he is neglecting not only her but his work and urgent duties. Has not finished his string quartets, and is endangering his health to 'amuse a man who for the last thirty years... has never in any particular done his duty'. Begs Bessie to watch him for her, and to ensure he takes a 'brain tonic' which she will send for him. Is not taking a holiday herself due to a 'rather tiresome heart attack' and her wish not to be far from Donald; was dismayed when it did not occur to him to provide the 'little uplifting entertaining time' she feels she needs between terms. Must insist that Donald comes to Northlands at least ten days before the Chelsea concerts to practice, or they will be a disaster. Commonly known that things at Worplesdon are 'perfectly frightful': they will have to pay Mr Tovey's debts to get him away, and keep him at Englefield Green or nearby; asks what is to be done with Tovey's brother [Duncan] 'who will not work' and 'borrows money from Donald to pay all the tradesmen' yet is still fifty pounds in debt to the village baker. The Rectory has 'literally, not been cleaned for fifteen years' and no rooms on the upper landing are weather proof. A 'kind rich woman', previously unknown to her, has taken her in at Worplesdon; she returns to Northlands when the Toveys go to the Trevelyans.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Thanks Bessie for news of Donald [Tovey]; is in despair that he is not meeting her in London tomorrow, and 'worn out' trying to get him to answer questions with which others are harassing her. If he is ill, asks Bessie to let her know care of Miss Cunliffe at Worplesdon. The questions should mostly have ben settled before Christmas; she is 'not good at uncertainty nowadays and telegrams and fuss'. Is glad Donald is with the Trevelyans, and grateful to them for also taking his father.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Lady Betty [Balfour] has plans for Thursday night, so he would not have a chance of seeing his family before going abroad unless he goes to Worplesdon on Friday morning on the way to Dorking. Begrudges time away from the Shiffolds, but feels he should not come straight after the concert.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Very kind of Bessie to offer the Shiffolds in her absence, but [Donald Tovey] wishes to stay at Northlands until he takes his 'little tour with Mr Trevelyan'. She wished him to accompany his father on his tour of the Mediterranean;Mr [Richard Douglas?] Denman tried to persuade him but he did not want to go; Mr [Frederick] Kelly is coming to work with him. Very kind of Bessie to think of him. Hopes 'Paulchen' will benefit soon from his trip to the sea.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Hopes Donald [Tovey] has let Bessie know that he proposes to be at Worplesdon from Saturday to Monday, to see his father and bring him on to the Trevelyans. Asks Bessie if she can see to a few things: Donald is not quite well, as 'his wretched eczema plainly shows', so she is sending his tonic and hair wash to be put in his bedroom; had got it under control but one result of 'the inexpressibly silly meddling early in the year' was that it was neglected; they both find it very depressing. Assures Bessie that it is not infectious, but hereditary [perhaps psoriasis rather than eczema?]. Will send one trunk packed for Germany, the other to come back to Northlands. Donald must leave for Mayence [Mainz] on 31 August at the latest, for his visit to the Streckers, although unfortunately 'the old publisher [Geheimrat Ludwig Strecker Sr] and his wife' will be absent. Bobbie [Trevelyan's] 'absurd intrusion into Mr Strecker's carriage' [see 8/25] gave the impression that Donald was 'an idle, capricious, rich amateur' who takes every excuse not to work, instead of a 'serious musician with his living to get'. Insists that the limitations imposed by his teaching and concerts encourage Donald to work, and do not hinder him. Urgent that he practises the piano regularly again in the autumn, as 'important people' tell her they have noticed a difference in his playing; he is however not well enough for her to worry him at the moment. Hopes to meet him in Munich with Percy Such for the Brahms fest. Will send Bessie her summer address when she knows it. Is sure being with Bessie will benefit Donald.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Is sorry Donald [Tovey] has been so vague: he is to be with the Coopers and Hal Rendel from 4 January, when the Northlands guests, leave till the 10th; Neville Lytton is here and thinks Donald then promised to go to Crabbett, this could be altered but she must find out from Mrs Lytton; is 'ground to pieces' by Christmas after the 'heaviest and most anxious term' she has ever had; still has to write some programmes to write for Donald before the post. Expects the Trevelyans will not be sorry if Donald does not get to them before April, but he may have time after the 12th before going to Scotland to play on the 14th. His father is spending next week here. Asks Bessie to give her love to Bobbie and say how glad she was of their 'friendlike talk'; is thinking 'constantly' of Bessie [in her pregnancy]. Donald ought to write himself, but he is 'in retirement... with a violin sonata'.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Was at Worplesdon yesterday and read 'Adney' [Ariadne, i.e. Trevelyan's first draft of the libretto for "The Bride of Dionysus"] to his parents: was delightful to see his father relish its 'classical spirit and detail' and get excited at each point where a 'fine spectacular or dramatic effect' can be imagined'. He confirmed Tovey's feeling that Minos needs to be 'filled out & prevented from an abstraction of ogre-dom', but also inclined him to think that many of his other scruples may be 'meticulous'. Further thoughts on Phaedra in the third Act, and on Minos' speech at the entrance to the Labyrinth; suggests the addition of a reference made by Ariadne to the tears shed for Androgeos by his sisters. Note on the back of the envelope saying how pretty Tovey finds the Satyr, and asking if Trevelyan could make him 'lead a Maenad chorus'.