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10 Prinsegracht, The Hague; addressed to Bob at The Mill-House, Westcott, Dorking, Surrey. - They seem to be in similar circumstances this week: she has been helping to clean her uncle [Paul François Hubrecht]'s big bookcases; the charwoman who helped her 'was amusing enough' and made some 'delightfully naïve remarks' about the books. Elizabeth sometime lends books for her or her boys to read. Last Monday they moved to the Hague; the three summers they have spent at Ede seem to have passed very quickly, thinks they were 'the happiest & most interesting' parts of her life so far so she has become attached to the place and 'even to the ugly house' and is sad to think of the new 'unsympathetic' owner changing it, though he can do little to the woods and moors. Is going to spend a few days at Almelo with an old married friend whom she has not seen for some time; she is very musical and her husband seems to be a good pianist; also Marie [Hubrecht's] American friend Maud Howard is coming to stay tomorrow and she is 'not over anxious to see much of her'. Marie is then going to spend the winter in Florence though, like Maud Howard, she is a little vague about her plans.

Has changed her mind about 'forcing circumstances' and now thinks it would be good to see Bob again; suggests he comes over to the Hague next month, on the pretext of doing some work such as a translation of [Joost van] Vondel with which she could help, to make it seem less strange to her uncle and aunt; would have to ask him to stay at a hotel unless her uncle invites him to stay, and knows all this will give him trouble. He must write and tell her sincerely what he thinks. She has discussed the plan with Bramine [Hubrecht] who reassured her there was nothing wrong with it. Gives the address of her friend at Almelo, Mrs Salomonson Asser.

Has just seen a portrait of Bob's father 'on an old Financial Reform Almanack'; remarks on his 'charming eyes'. Hopes Bob is enjoying himself bringing 'dry bones' to live. Asks if he went to the concerts [given by Julius Engelbert Röntgen and Johannes Messchaert] and appreciated the singer. Is reading the Brownings' letters again, which are charming but get terribly sentimental. The [Second Boer] war is indeed horrible; asks if there are reasonable views on its duration and 'what the end can be'; asks whether there are as many 'contradictory muddling telegrams' in British newspapers as in Dutch ones; glad that there are 'so many rightly thinking English', but they are still a minority. The Grandmonts are at Florence, but unfortunately will have left by the time the Frys arrive. Very kind of Trevelyan to transcribe some of his verses for her; looks forward to reading them though she says she is a 'highly unpoetical being'. Signs herself 'Bessie'.

10 Prinsegracht, The Hague; addressed to Bob at The Mill-House, Westcott, Dorking, Surrey. - Reminds Bob of the dates of the concerts by [Julius Engelbert] Röntgen and [Johannes] Messchaert at St James's Hall in London; hopes he will be able to go next Monday and see them afterwards, which would please Röntgen very much. Will reply to his letter soon. As he will see, they 'moved into winterquarters again last Monday'.

Ma Retraite, Ede; envelope addressed to R. C. Trevelyan Esq-re, 3 Hare Court, Inner Temple, London EC - Is writing having got up very early to see the [Roger] Frys off. Curious to see which weaknesses of hers have inspired Bob to 'compile sharp satires'; does not think he has had the opportunity to get to know her faults, proved by him saying she seems to be wiser than he is and 'so sensible', though 'that is a common mistake' and her family tease her for looking like a 'wise professor'. She does not think she knows many of his weak spots, except for the very obvious ones, which are not heavy; has been very impressed by his 'excellencies & learnedness', and 'used to feel a great dunce' at Taormina though this has worn off a little. Describes the [Roger] Frys' visit: went to the Hague with Bramine to hear a concert of a cappella music conducted by [Johannes] Messchaert; returned next morning on the same train as the Frys and met at Ede station. Dreadful weather all through their visit, but they had some walks (on the second day only Mr Fry, her uncle [Paul François Hubrecht] and Elisabeth herself kept going); played them music on both nights (as Bob said, they 'liked the old music best on the whole), and yesterday morning Grandmont read them 'a great part of [Browning's] "Pippa Passes" in his translation', surprising that Mr Fry had never read it. All very sorry they had to leave so soon; the Frys promised to come again in the spring. Would very much like to get to know them better. Did not see much of what Bob says about Roger Fry's 'orthodoxy', except when he said that in music and painting, it was not possible to properly appreciate 'modern development of art' if you were not a real admirer of what has gone before; might be true of painting but she is sure it is not of music. He seemed generally to be 'a very charmingly sympathetic & very intelligent being', and she to be 'perhaps more original even, very clever certainly'; Elizabeth 'felt a dunce again'. Her uncle also liked them very much.

Last Sunday was very happy: her sister and her husband [the Röntgens] and the 'four Hubrechts from Utrecht' [Ambrosius Hubrecht and family] came for the day to say goodbye to 'Ma Retraite'; her cousin Professor Hubrecht is 'always full of fun' and it was very different from what one might imagine 'a Dutch stolid serious family party to be!' Finds it delightful to be part of such a family bond. Approves of Bob's 'plans about building public baths' but does not think the public would use them; certainly the Dutch do not wash 'their bodies as well & as often as their houses, streets, & furniture'. Tells Trevelyan how to write out a Dutch address, though there is no reason not to follow the common English custom of using English names and spelling for 'everything foreign'.

10 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at the Mill House, Westcott, Dorking, Surrey. - Is drying her hair by the fire. Has been to the oculist to discuss her spectacles. Received Bob's letter enclosing the note from his aunt [Margaret Price]; will ask her sister Mien for advice on a piano when she comes tonight for [her husband] Rontgen's concert; it is a very kind present; agrees that they ought to get an upright. Has finished "Villette" and enjoyed it very much, more than "Jane Eyre" and "Shirley"; discusses it briefly; has now got "Wuthering Heights" from the library. Had a very nice letter from Booa [Mary Prestwich], saying it was a pleasure to see Bob 'really in love'. Asks for the measurements of Bob's dining table and the door of her 'little room'. Returns to the letter next morning after practising the violin. This afternoon Mr Kattendijke is coming to play a Mozart sonata with her and try the Brahms songs. The concert last night was 'delightful'; wishes Bob could have heard Messhaert sing; Röntgen was also very good. Sat with her sister and discussed Bob's aunt's offer of a piano; Mien said she knows Broadwood's are excellent pianos, and that Bob's aunts 'professional friend' could be trusted to choose an instrument; it is not like choosing a violin, where each instrument is an individual; Mien suggested they ask for an upright to be replaced by a grand when they have space, as one was offered, but does not know if they can ask Mrs Price for this. Glad Bob feels hopeful about the play. Saw the 'tall doctor of the Swedish Institute' last night at the concert; hadn't seen him since 'the time when his appearance always gave [her] a little thrill' but it did not make any impression on her at all.

10 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at the Mill House, Westcott, Dorking, Surrey. - Thanks Bob for sending "The Speaker" with her letter; likes his poem though does not feel she entirely understands it. Her uncle has taken her aunt out in a carriage for some fresh air and she feels much better for it. Spent Sunday in Amsterdam with the Röntgens who were all well and cheerful; called on [Bram] Eldering in the afternoon and arranged to have lessons once a fortnight; he seems to be 'full of fun & humour'. Yesterday went to see Louise [Hubrecht] and had a very good conversation with her; Louise thinks Maria van Hoeven should go to Ems or Wiesbaden for a few weeks for her health with a nurse, while her husband stayed at home with Bessie to look after him; afraid that her uncle and aunt will take a lot of persuading. Is writing to Bramine today to tell her their plan to marry at Whitsuntide and see if she can come. Mien [Abrahamina Röntgen] is working some beautiful sheets and pillowcases, with embroidery and her own lace, to give them as a wedding present. Bessie is also practising the viola which they brought from Leiden so she can accompany the Brahms songs with Mr Kattendijke; today he sent an etching of a Dutch landscape as a wedding present. Hopes to be able to go to Ambro [Hubrecht]'s lecture tomorrow, then on Monday there is a Röntgen and Messchaert concert, though since Messchaert is at Wiesbaden and not yet well this might be cancelled. There is a Vondel exhibition at Amsterdam; wishes that they could go together. Asks how the Frys are. Has had a kind letter from Bob's mother, also a note from Dorothy Fletcher saying they were sorry to have missed Bob and Bessie's call.

10 Prinsegracht, The Hague. - Is very sorry she did not know in time to tell Bob the concert last Monday was cancelled; it was not [Julius Engelbert] Röntgen but [Johannes] Messchaert who was ill; he still cannot sing so the second concert will also be put off. Very sad as they would have had a good audience, and he will have to pay the costs. Has received Bob's poems and enjoyed reading them on the way to Almelo last Monday; likes part of 'the Indian poem' very much, though it is rather vague; the 'fairy poem' is charming and she wishes she had the power to set it to music; questions his choice of interpretation in the line of his Ronsard translation.

Is very glad Bob will come to The Hague; he is right that she would not like him to come without her family knowing; she is not under such 'romantically difficult' circumstances to make that necessary and what she said about their 'suspicions' probably made a stronger impression than she intended. Bramine [Hubrecht] even encouraged her to tell them about it; it would not be 'so unwise', since she is 'in reality quite free and independent', and if she could tell her aunt and be sure she would discuss it with her uncle, she might; however, thinks she would not feel real freedom when Bob was here if they knew what had happened. She will therefore tell her aunt that Bob intends to come over and do some translation work with her, asking her aunt to trust her and help 'conquer any objections' her uncle may have though she thinks he will agree at once. Marie [Hubrecht] and her American friend Maud [Howard] leave either next Monday or Tuesday, Marie for Florence and Maud for America via Paris; all three servants are then leaving in the first week of November so the household will be unsettled, and her aunt is suffering from a bad cold, so she will write as soon as all is well. Asks if he would prefer a first-rate hotel or a moderate one.

On the whole, had a good time at Almelo though it was strange to spend so much time with her friend [Adriana Salomonson Asser] after so long but they struck up quite a friendship again; she and her husband, a Jewish manufacturer [Henrik Salomonson] are very musical; it seems they hear little violin music so she was 'the talk of the town' after playing at their soirée. Is about to read Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "La Samaritaine"; asks whether Bob knows and likes them.