Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Writes with the news that 'the Edinburgh people have elected Donald [Tovey: to the Chair of Music at Edinburgh University]. He says he is 'going North at once', but is keeping an engagement with Tom Spring Rice on Friday and going to the Plymouths on Saturday; there are then just a few days for her to 'talk things over with him, settle up our money affairs etc' and for him to see his doctor; she is sure though that he will want to go to the Trevelyans on Monday and Tuesday. Hopes the Doctor will tell him 'it is dangerous to undertake too much'; begs Bessie to 'head him off the Opera ["The Bride of Dionysus] this year and get him to practise. He acknowledged to her and Fritz Busch yesterday that the German concert are the most important things for him since his career began, and that he 'urgently needs' to practise, yet he insists on teaching in Edinburgh this autumn, 'almost entirely for the benefit of the daughters of the bourgeoisie', rather than working on his opera ["The Bride of Dionysus"] and has not practised or rewritten his symphony while Methuen clamour for his Beethoven book. Will 'leave no stone unturned' next year, if Donald is not too much under pressure, to get him to finish the opera and have it produced. Will cancel the concerts in Holland if he does not practise and send Kate [Friskin?] there, but it is the German concerts which matter and both she and Fritz Busch think Donald's 'tone has grown hard and thin from want of intensive practice'; asks for Bessie's help. They were very glad to see her on Friday. A separate sheet, which seems to be a postscript, notes that Dr Cottle was 'not at all satisfied with Donald', who must diet and has a 'rotten pulse'; hopes that Donald will be more careful; if she cannot cope with the anxiety she will sell up 'and take a place in Edinburgh' though she 'thoroughly hate[s] it'.
Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Very kind of Bessie to write to her about Donald [Tovey]'s quartet; did not hear anything else about except for 'a very nice note from [Karl?] Klingler'. Donald 'has practically vanished into space since Friday before last', sending only a 'beguilingly optimistic telegram about the superiority of German copyists' so she knows nothing about the chamber concerts except for what she heard him telling Mr [Edward] Speyer (believes he is playing in Cologne tonight) nor if the symphony is finished. Must accept this, since it is the way 'poor old Donald's friends' have convinced him things should be, but if she had 'programmes and notices etc... Willy Strecker could have made a little réclame [publicity] with them in England'. Originally enclosing something she found when 'turning out a drawer' recently which made her smile, remembering a conversation with Bessie; [Leonard?] Borwick has increasingly 'become a "pianist"' which she has always warned her pupils such as Donald, Mary Beasley, and Kate [Friskin?] 'is a disgrace for a talented creature to be'. Never occurs to her to compare Borwick to Donald as a player; has compared Kate with him, 'latterly greatly to her advantage'; he was better when he 'tried to keep in Joachim's wake'. Asks Bessie to send back a particular 'astonishing notice from the Times'; Donald's Chopin was 'most rich and lovely' that evening; they called him 'Rodin' long time afterwards when 'his appearance was even less polished than usual'. Encourages Bessie to visit and bring the umbrella back.
Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Asks Bessie if she can send back an enclosure; despairs as to how they can get D.F.T. [Donald Tovey] to get the symphony ready in time [for its British premiere]. Is now going to Edinburgh for a week, after an attack of influenza; Kate [Friskin] is playing the Schumann allegro and Beethoven G major concerto, with Donald conducting, on the 20th. The critic at the Hague is 'delightful'; is astonished any newspaperman could understand Donald so well; asks Bessie to translate it exactly for her. Her 'world is full of Belgians - two more, convalescent officers, arrived today'. Madame de Beughen will be in charge of them till she returns.