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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.

10 Prinsegracht, The Hague. - Received Bob's letter this morning, and nerved herself to tell her uncle and aunt about his intended arrival; her aunt 'understood at once' and made no difficulties, though said her uncle may make some; she then found her uncle writing to Bramine [Hubrecht] in his study and told him, he was amazed but wanted to 'grasp at once the whole situation' and told her he saw quite through her pretext and understood everything but she begged him not to speak further about it. So they are both quite cheerful about the subject, and are probably discussing it now she has gone to bed.

Writing on the next day, she says that things were not so cheerful that morning, and her uncle took up the subject of Bob's visit again after breakfast; will not go into detail, but he does tend to 'attach enormous importance to convention' and it is hard for him to take everything in. But he does not want to make things difficult, and will leave her 'quite free' when Bob is here; he would like Bob to pay a formal visit on his first afternoon in the Hague, when the pretext for Bob's stay, 'poor old Vondel', must be mentioned; Bob will then be able to come the following morning and probably regularly to do some work. In the afternoon when the weather is fine she has to walk with her aunt, who she thinks would like Bob to join them. Thought he might stay a fortnight; if it suits him to go on early to Italy of course he must, though asks if he is sure about meeting the Frys in Siena, as she thought they were going there before Florence, which is why the G[randmont]s did not meet them and why her cousin Marie [Hubrecht] has gone first to Lugano and Milan. Is sorry to hear Bob finds it hard to settle to work. Discusses further her objection to Bob's translation of a French phrase [from Ronsard]; thanks him for his 'little grammar lesson about "shall" and "will"'.

The latest news of the [Second Boer] war must be 'very distressing' to the English; asks if Bob still feels it would be good if the English were 'well beaten'. Of course thought of the war itself is 'an intense horror'. Asks if Bob knows anyone fighting; they have heard of some 'striking losses', such as the death of a 'very beloved nephew' of their friend Dr Koster [Tuimen Hendrik Blom Coster?]. The feeling against Britain is very strong in the Netherlands; 'flags were put up in many streets when the news of Ladysmith reached' them; wonders if Bob will mind that when he comes. Suggested the 12th as the day he should come since he had mentioned a [rugby?] football game the day before; would not deprive him the chance of 'displaying [his] chief if not only vanity' and hopes he will enjoy himself. and not come over 'with a blue eye & some fractured bones'.

Roundhurst, Haslemere. - Will try to stop his letter 'lapsing into a scrawl at the end'. Glad that Edward and his sister are having such a good time at Rome; would like to be there himself very much, and may get there by the end of the year but fears Edward will be gone by then. Asks if Edward could disappear for a few months and 'be in hiding at Rome'; since he 'has no large sums from the Bank', his 'action could not be given a criminal interpretation'; tells him to hide in the painted tombs on the via Latina - or at least go and see them, and 'the robins hopping about among the cut roses'. Gives other sightseeing advice; tells Edward he should arrange with a dairy to have 'Devonshire cream, i.e. crema dura, every morning for breakfast'. He should also go to see the Pinturicchio in 'the Church on the Capitol' of the Magdaline [sic] 'walking about in the desert scantily clad reading a prayer book'; he himself 'must write a fan on her'. Is currently writing 'a play about Mantua and Greek Emperors and Gonzagaz, and Vittorino dei Feltre, and Vittor [?] Pisano, and charming and learned young ladies who won't marry the people their fathers tell them to' ["Cecilia Gonzaga"]; is also translating Ovid's "Metamorphoses", and writes out an extract from his version of the Daphne and Apollo episode. Plans to translate 'a few things from him and Propertius and Ronsard etc', and hopes Roger [Fry] will illustrate them if he has time. Verse beginning 'Knowst thou why Ovidius Naso / Mourned and sorrowed all his days so': because he knew who would illustrate and translate his work. Has never been to the Villa d'Este himself, but has heard much about it from the Frys; Roger has painted a 'very nice picture' of it, and said there were 'rose-wreathed cypresses' there which Bob has put into his poem "Juno's Peacock". Saw G.V. [Gilbert Venables?] recently, also saw Ronnie Norman at a concert, who 'seemed all right'. Asks Edward to let him know when he is returning, so they can meet in London; will answer his sister's letter soon.

The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking - Pretends to be cross that his promise to write before her next letter has been foiled by her postcard; he ought to write more often but confesses that he is 'too much absorbed in his own self. Some of the verses he encloses are perhaps 'too heavy'; is not really satisfied with the lines from his 'Indian poem' and the poem seems too vague. Is not inclined to go on with it at the moment, having begun his play, which 'though a tragedy, is a more cheerful subject'; supposes this is because it is less unreal. Is also putting in an old 'poem about nothing at all', and a translation from Ronsard. Has had some 'wonderful afternoons and evenings lately' walking near his house and not returning till 'the moon has been up for an hour or two'; the countryside is even more beautiful that he expected. Felt 'inventive and confident' for the first time in months tonight, and has composed the first speech in his new play. The house is now 'nearly right'. Is going to London on Monday, and will not miss Rontgen's recital. Tells her to be as critical as she likes about his poetry.

Bob then writes out his poem "Fairy Song", and a translation of a Ronsard "Sonnet to Cassandra" with the French original. Both of his poems include alternative lines, and the Ronsard sonnet has pencil annotations which seem to be queries by Bessie van der Hoeven.

3 Hare Court, Inner Temple, London E.C. - Will leave on the 12th, arriving some time in the morning of the 13th; will go on to Italy afterwards; his friend [Desmond] MacCarthy may join him at the Hague around the end of November and travel with him. Bessie seems to have been 'successful and tactful' and he will try to be as well. Intends to make their Vondel 'pretext a real one'; wants her to translate some of the plays besides "Lucifer", so that he is reading good plays (useful since he is trying to write them himself) and 'laying the foundations' for an attempt to learn Dutch; will get a grammar and dictionary, and asks her to get him a cheap edition of Vondel. Asks if there is anything she would like to learn in recompense, such as Latin grammar. Asks what the 'examination [he] may have to sustain' from her uncle is likely to cover: he can give reasons for wanting to study Vondel,. Discussion of hotels. Appreciates her aunt's 'rapier thrust of irony'; will certainly accompany them on walks whenever Bessie wishes. Asks if she would like him to bring her any books. Discussion of the war: still thinks it is a 'great mistake' on the part of the British, though doubts whether it would be good 'for themselves or for any one else' if the Boers were to win, which he does not think at all likely. Is angry with the Government and the country, but does not think it right to accuse the 'nation as a whole of wickedness and hypocrisy' as is being done on the continent; thinks the Boers were not giving British subjects a 'proper government or the proper securities for justice'; negotiations were not carried out properly, but does not think most of the country, or the Government (except for Chamberlain) actually want or wanted war. Thinks Bessie is probably right about the translation of 'du vulgaire' [in Ronsard's poem]. Bessie must not think that she is keeping him from work; expects to do little until he goes to Italy 'refreshed and invigorated' after seeing her. Thinks the Frys have changed their plans, but hopes to see them in Italy for a few days wherever they are.