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Florence. 6 Lungarno Torrigiani. 1ᵒ pᵒ [primo piano]. Envelope addressed to Browning at 19 Warwick Crescent, Upper Westbourne Terrace, London. - Death of Miss Isabella Blagden; attended her funeral yesterday; she had been slightly unwell since her return from England this winter. She 'has not ceased to live, as Bibi [his daughter Imogen] and I know, for we have had tidings of her through Regina, whom you remember' [Kirkup was a spiritualist and believed that he remained in communication with his first wife Regina, who died in 1856].

Isabella Blagden is buried near Browning's wife, south of her monument, 'the most magnificent in the place'. Remembers that Browning was dissatisfied in some way with 'Mr Leighton's part in the erection' but not 'in what way it was imperfect'; assures Browning that 'its general effect is imposing'.

Further discussion of spirits: they are 'alive & kicking - that is, flying with their legs, as I have often dreamed - none of our spirits have wings. They are like my master Fuseli's angels, who float by Will, not by wings'. Has 'obtained four photographs of spirits, real ones, not artificial imitations, which wd have been perfectly impossible with my precautions'.

Has much to tell Browning but cannot write or read for long; has parted with his books, 'besides, thieves had begun to steal the most valuable'. Has had to leave his old house as his landlord wanted to live there and has 'altered it and spoiled it'; his new house is 'prettier' with a 'much finer prospect. I see the Cupola as I lie in bed'. Invites Browning to visit him before he moves in May to Leghorn [Livorno], on the instructions of Isacco [a spirit]. Bibi is as tall as Regina was; has had her legitimised 'at Regina's pressing request' and she is now a 'courtesy Baroness... all vanity!'

Asks how [Browning's son] 'Penino' is; also enquires after Robert Lytton, Henry Layard, 'the poet Wilberforce' and Frederick Locker. Asks who 'Mr Addington Symonds' is: he has sent Kirkup his book on Dante. Asks whether Miss [Fanny?] Haworth is married. Never sees the Landors: gives news of 'Carlino' [Charles], Walter, and Julia. [Thomas] Trollope has 'been obliged to sell his villa, books & every thing - he had married his daughter's governess'; believes they are all in England [in fact they had moved to Rome]. Florence is 'much changed & immensely increased - millions on millions spent in building when it was the capital'; now 'no English' there.

Signs off, but adds a long postscript: spiritualism ('Spirits are almost my only friends here'); does Browning see the Rossettis or Trelawny? Discusses Lady Westmorland and her family, and Lady William [Russell?]. Has received two copies of Forster's life of Landor; wonders if he can send one back. Hates the Florentines 'for their treatment of Dante's monuments'; asks if Browning has a copy of the Arundel Society reproduction of Kirkup's sketch.

Attributes the 'very kind notice in the "Saturday Review"' of his translation of Dante's Purgaturio to Pollock's friendly pen; is glad Pollock found the 'error in the number of the keys'; sends a copy of the translation.

Hotel & Pension Palumbo, Ravello, Golfo di Salerno. - Expects this is the last letter he will write her from Ravello; will start on the 24th, spend some of that day at Pompeii and take the evening express to Florence, arriving next day. Bessie's last account of her 'patient' [her aunt] was better; hopes she may be recovering by the time he reaches the Hague. Has been unlucky with the weather for the last two years but should not complain, as if the weather had not been bad last January he may not have accompanied his brother [George?] to Sicily and met Bessie. In the same way, if the Grandmonts had had a cook at the start of 1896, they would not have dined at the Timeo so he would never have met them and heard of her; he ought to 'like all cooks for that henceforth'. Bessie's quotation from Dante was 'very charming'; asks if she copied it out at Ede before 2 September or after. Encloses a 'little relic' he found in his waistcoat pocket, which he has kissed; she too should 'put the bits [of the railway ticket] together and kiss them' since they brought her and Bob together and made them kiss each other, though she did not kiss him till November, and he kissed her wrist 'a whole month and more before'. Did not sleep well last night as '"that horrible little dog" Gyp (as Mrs Cacciola [Florence Trevelyan] would say' was barking; Madame [von Wartburg] has the dog safe in her room tonight.

Finishes the letter next day; the weather is lovely, and he almost regrets leaving, but will enjoy a few days in Florence and seeing [Bernard] Berenson; wants to see what he thinks of his last year's poems, and what he has done on this play. He usually likes Bob's work, but not always. Discussion of how no one person can be relied on to say whether something is good or bad. Hopes to see a few pictures at Florence, though does not mean to do much sightseeing. Sorry that Bessie had to miss Ambro [Hubrecht]'s lecture; thinks she is right that she should not come to England before her aunt is nearly well. Glad that her cousin [Louise Hubrecht] and the Röntgens liked his poems; Bessie is indeed a 'fine advertising agent'. Describes his breakfast here and in England.

Sends Pollock his 'little tractate on the Italian translation of Benvenuto da Imola['s commentary on Dante]

Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Thanks Bob for the 'splendid' second volume [of his "Collected Works"], which will join Dante's "Inferno", Shakespeare, Boccaccio 'in the task of propping, in these bad days, [George's] mind'. Reopens the letter to add a postscript saying that he has just read "A Custom of Thrace", which is 'very fine'; the 'last page of the book is very fine indeed'.

Thanks his mother for her letter. His leg is now all right, or 'at least playing football does not make it worse', so he should not feel it for more than a few days. Would like to go and see the Messiah on Tuesday very much, though Charlie does not seem interested 'unless it is the Handel festival' which Robert supposes it is not. Would not be worthwhile sending 'the pictures' as there is so little time.

Has found a boy who has a pair of dumb-bells he never uses, which suit Robert very well. Will bring back the Dante and the other Italian books. Would much like to see Mr Belfield again; might write to him if he had his address, but it 'does not much matter'. Does not mind about his father not coming to their house supper, as he can come another year, and 'it would be very nice for Charlie [if their father goes to his?]. Is sorry Charlie lost the house match, but 'they were quite as good as Welldon's [house]'. Trials began this week, and Robert is 'beginning to swot'. The holidays are now very close.

Newspaper cuttings, many sent to Trevelyan by Durrant's Press Cuttings agency, some by Longmans & Co (some duplicates). Reviews of "Volume I. Poems" from: the "Sunday Times" [by Desmond MacCarthy]; "Oxford Magazine" [also reviewing work by Lord Gorell, Louis MacNeice, and Thomas Thornely; later notice on this volume alone]; "Scotsman"; "Times Literary Supplement"; "Manchester Guardian" [by Basil de Sélincourt]; "New Statesman and Nation" [by Stephen Spender, also reviewing an edition of Dante's "Inferno" by John D. Sinclair; and "Guardian". Reviews of "Volume II. Plays" from: "The Library"; "Birmingham Post"; "Manchester Guardian"; "Glasgow Herald"; and "Scotsman" [also reviewing collected works of Housman and Frost]. Review of both volumes from the "Day".

Re identification of Jonathan Hatfield as the translator of the first canto of Dante's Inferno in a rare pamphlet held by the British Museum, Trinity College Library, and the Manchester Public Library. With letter of the same date from Brooks to the Librarian of Trinity, accompanying the copy.

19 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at Pension Palumbo, Ravello, presso Amalfi, Italia. - Very pleased with Bob's 'beetle letter', which arrived yesterday; unfortunately when she kissed the creature to 'snatch off' his kisses it broke up, but she has put the pieces together and will 'keep him as a beautiful unicorn'. She and her uncle feel that it would be difficult for her to go to England before the middle of February due to her aunt's illness; will write to Bob's mother soon to tell her; seems natural that he should stay longer at Ravello; whenever he comes, she will not be able to spend as much time with him as before. He will have to send her his 'first journalistic work' as the Salomonson's cannot send her old numbers [of the "Manchester Guardian"] and she does not know where to get them. Says the beetle brought her nice dreams in which Bob was kissing her. Must re-read the poem by [Richard] Crashaw which he copied out for her. Pities Straughn Davidson [James Leigh Strachan-Davidson] for having to act as Bob's 'bucket' [see 9/101] and hopes he appreciated his 'rich breakfast' [of poetry]. Very glad Bob thinks her a good letter writer. Wishes she could persuade her family to get a night nurse, as her uncle's night is disturbed and yet he is not as helpful to her aunt as a trained nurse would be. Had a note from George [Macauley Trevelyan] inviting her to come to Cambridge next month; very kind of him to write, and she hopes they will soon go, though expects she will 'feel terrified'. Likes Bob's father's book ["The Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay"] very much, as well as Crashaw's poem; agrees there are some likenesses between the latter and Browning. Quotes from Dante's "Vita Nuova [xiv]'.

8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W.; addressed to Robert at Roundhurst, Haslemere. - They have bought Botticelli's Dante plates for 1200 sesterces, which Quaritch will bind; had not realised that Botticelli was a contemporary of Dante and Michelangelo rather than of Doré.

Thinks that Rosenbaum should be asked to come to Cambridge in May; discusses prices for the [Aldine] Dante and Cobbett's Parliamentary History.

[First page missing]. Wilfrid [Gibson] has been 'ordered to bed for 6 weeks' and has to follow a 'starvation diet': the Abercrombies have been worried about him for a while, and it is not certain what the problem is. Believes Gerald [Wilfrid Gibson's wife Geraldine] is fairly well, but fears Wilfrid will 'worry himself into a far worse state' about Gerald waiting on him. Sorry to hear that [Thomas Sturge] Moore's "Judith" was 'mauled' [in performance at the Queen's Theatre, 23-24 Jan 1916]: was very impressed when he read it, and thought it would act well, but if actors can 'savage Shakespeare, obviously they can garrotte Moore'; the first thing they should do after the war is 'kill all the actors & lawyers' [a paraphrase of a line in "Henry VI", Part 2]. If it is true that Abercrombie is keeping the annual back ["Annual of New Poetry"], then he ought to be in the 'jaws of Lucifer along with Judas Iscariot, Brutus & Cassius"; discusses this passage of Dante; cannot see any reason why the "Annual" should wait for him, as he would be 'uncomfortable' if left out but would try to get ready for the next issue. Is writing a little at the moment, but only plays which he feels may work as drama but will below the poetic standard the Annual should keep to. He and Gordon [Bottomley] think that Bob is 'quite wrongly diffident about "The Last Man" [ie. "The Death of Man"?]: neither of them would 'stand up to B[ertrand] Russell on philosophical grounds', but they would both defend the work on poetic grounds; he may be a 'very good connoisseur', but they are 'Professionals when it comes to poetry'. May have a 'Burst [of poetic composition]' when they return to Ryton, and in that case the "Annual" would have first claim on anything he writes, but currently feels as 'likely to write poetry as a bag-pudding'. They should not wait for him before publishing: the "Annual" need not start with a 'full team', as this is not football. H. O. Meredith would like to join, and Abercrombie has said he would 'put it to the other members' but that Meredith must not mind if he is rejected. Abercrombie, Gordon, [John] Drinkwater and Wilfrid are all willing to have him if nobody else objects, but it must be unanimous; Meredith is 'prepared for the jealousy of professional poets'. Bessie must be troubled about the 'disasters [floods] in Holland'; there is enough to worry about [with the war]; hope she has not been 'familiarly affected' and that it is not as 'shocking' as the newspapers make out. The Abercrombies are all well, and Catherine has definitely benefited from the change of scene; the 'dread' they feel [about the recurrence of her cancer?] has 'so far kept aloof'; the children are 'flourishing', and Bob should tell Julian that David is now a schoolboy

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his mother for her 'kind letter' and the rucksack, which he will 'find very useful indeed'. He 'suppose[s] one is well past the "mezzo del cammin di nostra vita" [quoting from the first line of the Divina Commedia at fifty', but he does not feel as if he were 'getting old yet'. Saw Charles last week in London, who 'seemed cheerful'. Bessie will see him next week. Is going to London tonight for a dinner 'in honour of [Jean] Marchand, the French painter', who is a friend and will come to the Shiffolds for a visit later 'if he can find the time'. On Saturday Robert and Bessie 'go to Garsington near Oxford, where Philip Morrell and Lady Ottoline live. It is about the only country-house visit we have paid in years. [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson is staying with them for a while.

Is getting on better with his work than he has 'for some time past'. They have had 'some rain, but not enough yet'. Their water has failed, 'not through drought, but because the pipes have got furred up. They are being opened now to see where the stoppage is'. They 'can't have baths, but get along somehow by bringing water from Tanhurst and washing in rainwater'.

Asks if his mother has read 'Sophie Kovalesky's [Sofya Kovalevskaya] memoirs, in French': expects she would like them if not, and he might send them to her when he has finished reading them

Entitled 'Lecture on Dante - at Sherborne Literary Institute - Macready in Chair 185-'.

3 Belford Park, Edinburgh. Dated 30 March, 1913 - [Adam] Sedgwick's death was a shock; his close friend [George] Chrystal died over a year ago; is very well, but university work is a strain, with a great amount of work; has only read a little of his book ['The Belief in Immortality'], is not in sympathy with his general ideas of progress; has been reading Dante and the Old Testament in Italian, 'an extraordinary drama'; liked [Sir James?] Donaldson at St Andrews, but not years before in Edinburgh; their old Principal is a wonderful man; finds Mrs [Emily] Hodgson as fit as when he first knew her.

Worries that his Dante is a poor copy with a forged title page.

Holly Lodge, Richmond Park, S.W. - Does not think he would be able to come to Wallington, as he has to go Scotland a few days earlier than he intended to at first. Yesterday was 'delightful': it poured with rain so he read 'all day without stopping': '"Vita Nuova", [Brooke Foss?] Westcott, Montaigne, "Sir Charles Grandison" and the life of F. W. Robertson'. Asks whether Bob has read the last: it is worth it for Robertson's letters; 'the life part, by Stopford Brooke' is 'quite well done'. Got an 1818 edition of Montaigne in five volumes at his mother's shop, 'not so nice in some was as Quaritchs', but still very nice' and is reading it with 'delight'; also got Leighton's Rabelais, which 'gave great satisfaction'. He and [Desmond] MacCarthy went to see the "Sign of the Cross" on Saturday; found it 'much more amusing than the Alhambra', which he thinks 'dealt the final blow to [his] curiosity about Music Halls'. Asks 'Am I not saucy?... (this is all exactly in the style of Harriet Byron [in "Sir Charles Grandison"]. His mother says 'she is as well as she ever was', and does seem to be, but she has also agreed 'to take care of herself' so he hopes 'all will be well'.

Westridge Farm House, Streatley, Berks. - Sends 'rather belated' thanks for Bob's translations ["Translations from Horace, Juvenal and Montaigne, with Two Imaginary Conversations"] and for the "Epistle [to Joan Allen]" he sent to Binyon and [his wife] Cicely. Cicely has been suffering from erysipelas; it is a 'very debilitating disease', and he had to take her to stay with her brother [Valentine?]in Sussex; they returned last week. Congratulates Bob on the 'suppleness of the verse', just right for translating Horace; would have liked Bob to translate some of the "Odes", but expects he is right that it is 'quite impossible to repeat the miracles of placing [emphasised]' in an uninflected language like English. Much enjoyed the "Imaginary Conversations", and thinks them a 'pleasant way of writing literary criticism'; encourages Bob to do more, as he 'write[s] such excellent prose (like all good poets)'; asks if Bob feels he is 'trespassing on Landor'. Thinks he has succeeded in 'suffusing all the elements of the book... with a wholeness of atmosphere, wise and mellow'; enjoys this, though he cannot share in it completely, since he does not 'really feel at home in the Roman world', and has an 'obstinate streak of the mystic' which he is sure Bob would disapprove of. Had already given a copy of the book to his son-in-law [Humphrey HIggens], a teacher at St Paul's school, who has read some of the Horace with his pupils and 'much admired' Bob's translations. Only has one more canto of [Dante's] "Paradiso" to translate, but Macmillan has 'lost so heavily' on the first two volumes of the Divine Comedy that he is not keen to publish the last at the moment; however, he has agreed to publish a new book of Binyon's poetry "[The North Star"], which Binyon will send Bob when it come out, perhaps in spring. Knows Bob must mind not being able to take his usual trip to Italy; expect he has heard about their five months in Greece last year, which were 'very enjoyable and interesting', though Binyon would have found Athens a 'dull place' if he had not been so busy with his lectures and the weather was bad much of the time. They flew home all of the way. Supposes Bob hears nothing direct from B.B. [Bernard Berenson]; hears Mrs [Eugénie?] Strong has been 'turned out of her flat in Rome'. Asks how Bessie is; he and Cicely send their love to her, and to the [Sturge] Moores if they are still with the Trevelyans.

166 Albany St., N.W. - Thanks for three volumes received via Swinburne; particular favourites in the Venice volume; will soon present his own published blank verse translation of Dante. Swinburne's Atalanta [in Calydon] a glorious poem.

Rome. Attempt on the life of Louis Napoleon, Tivoli, Hadrian's villa, Monte Gennaro, delight in Dante.

29 Beaufort St, Chelsea:- Has seen his mother's letter to Charlie; is glad to hear the journey 'has been so far so delightful'. Wonders if they will go on to Ravenna; since the weather is fine, he hopes they will. Once had 'an hour' in Bologna, 'chiefly a flying visit to the gallery'; thought that it 'with its collonades [sic] and fascinating though somewhat ugly towers seemed quite unlike any other town in Italy', and would have liked to see more of it.

Hopes to see Charles today: has not seen him for a long time. Bernard Shaw came to dinner with them [Robert and Roger Fry] recently: they had 'the greatest difficult in getting him to eat or drink anything', and he would 'scarcely eat' a risotto they had 'specially prepared for him, because he detected a flavour of animal gravy in it'. Shaw 'made up for his fastidiousness by talking the whole evening', and Robert 'was very glad to listen'; has written a one act play about Napoleon [The Man of Destiny, first performed in Nov 1897], and has been 'studying military history for some time'. Robert thinks he ought to 'turn out something original in the Napoleonics'.

Roger has 'practically finished his portrait of Mrs W[iddrington?]', having 'considerably altered the face' since Robert's mother saw it, 'when it was very unsatisfactory'; Robert now thinks it 'very good'. To Roger's 'great amusement', the 'O. B. [Oscar Browning]' has commissioned a portrait from him.

Saw the Holman Hunts last Sunday; they were 'charmed' by the flowers his mother sent them. The 'old boy is painting a picture which promises to be the ugliest he has yet done. It has great merit in many ways, but in his old age he he seems to have lost all idea of what combinations of colours are beautiful'. Is going this evening to a 'Mottle concert [one conducted by Felix Mottl?]': has not heard except the Mikado for a 'dangerously long time*. Hopes his father is 'enjoying himself, and is reading his Dante regularly'.

29 Beaufort St, Chelsea [on headed notepaper for the National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place S. W.]:- Thanks his parents for their 'joint letter'. The weather here has suddenly turned 'almost absolutely perfect, at least for December', and the 'nights are wonderfully lighted by this full moon'. Florence must be 'gorgeous by moonlight'; wonders if they ever go to 'the portico where the David used to be and think of the poor painter of Henry James' Madonna of the Future, who was found there by night', but expects they go to bed 'quite early'. Dined recently with the [Yates] Thompsons, and Harry 'pretended to be indignant' that the Trevelyans had not gone to a hotel he had recommended; he 'was in a familiar, you-be-damned sort of mood', since there was no-one there but the Wilberforces, Spring Rice and Robert. Dolly 'had to reprove him for swearing at table before his guests'; thinks 'the Canon was rather shocked by his way of going on'.

[Edward Ernest] Bowen has given a 'lecture to the school [Harrow] upon the American Secession & Civil War', speaking 'for nearly two hours without becoming embarrassed or stumbling over a single word'; they say that throughout 'the excitement was so intense that you could have heard a fly's buzz'. At the end 'they got up and cheered him till it was thought they would never stop. They had not realised before what he was'. [Roger] Fry has a commission to paint 'a certain Smith Barry, the brother of the notorious M.P'. He has almost finished his lectures; he set 'certain passages in Browning's Fra Lippo to be annotated', which contain 'several bad blunders as to dates etc': '[m]ost of the young ladies trip up prettily into these pitfalls, taking it for granted that Browning must be right.

Robert 'quite agree[s] about Dante's deliberate purpose of making a great literary success', though thinks this would be 'indignantly repudiated by most of his idolaters'. It is 'very dull' in England at the moment; as far as Robert can tell people talk of 'nothing but Armenians.[a reference to the massacres in the Ottoman Empire]... and the Vailima letters [written by Robert Louis Stevenson to Sidney Colvin between 1890 and 1894, and recently published]'.

Cambridge. Meeting with [ ] Jackson, "Africa" meeting, stresses the importance of accuracy in reading of Dante.

3 Belford Park, Edinburgh - [Adam] Sedgwick's death was a shock; his close friend [George] Chrystal died over a year ago; is very well, but university work is a strain, with a great amount of work; has only read a little of his book ['The Belief in Immortality'], is not in sympathy with his general ideas of progress; has been reading Dante and the Old Testament in Italian, 'an extraordinary drama'; liked [Sir James?] Donaldson at St Andrews, but not years before in Edinburgh; their old Principal is a wonderful man; finds Mrs [Emily] Hodgson as fit as when he first knew her.

Also includes notes from Lacaita's preface to Benvenuto da Imola's Dante commentary,

Notes on Memorials of Coleorton dated 9 Nov. 1887. Notes on The Early Life of Samuel Rogers by P. W. Clayden written at the back of the book. Single sheet headed '*Purg[atori]o - Omissions in Trans[lations]' loose at end.

The second sheet is a re-used printed invitation from Marshall Pontifex, clerk of the Armourers and Brasiers' Company, to Sir W. Frederick Pollock, 6 Dec. 1884.