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10 Prinsegracht, The Hague; addressed to Bob at Pension Palumbo, Ravello, preso d'Amalfi, Italia. - Was glad to get Bob's two letters and hear he had arrived safely at Milan. Forwarded some letters to Ravello on Sunday which Bob's mother had sent her, with 'a very kind note' [originally enclosed]; Bob is a 'naughty son' not to give her his Ravello address in time, and she will send it to her tomorrow. Thinks she would like Bob's mother to call her Elizabeth, as she asks; her English friends do, and then she will reserve 'Bessie' for 'more intimate purposes'. Also encloses a letter from [Alphonse] Grandmont which might entertain him, as might 'the bad poem in the beginning'. Is glad Dr [Empedocle?] Gaglio is being so helpful; shows he 'has regained his common sense' after quarrelling with Mademoiselle Thomley and getting 'away from under her influence', now he is 'much with the Dahlerups'. Hopes this letter will greet Bob on his arrival at Ravello, and that he enjoys 'all the good, beautiful things of life' there and gets some good work done. Asks if he remembered to give his letter to Mrs [Helen] Fry, and to buy himself some 'foreign paper' and a razor strop. If not she will have to think of him as 'a shaggy Robinson Crusoe-like poet' writing 'poems and love-letters on odd ends of paper... used by the peasants to wrap up their fruit'; has been enjoying seeing her own paper sent back 'bedabbled' with Bob's dear but 'very untidy and cook-like writing'. Had her photograph taken this morning; it happened so quickly that she did not have time to think 'what kind of simpering smile' would suit her best; will send Bob one. People keep asking to see Bob's photograph and are surprised when she does not have one.

Jeanne Salomonson stayed till Sunday morning. On Friday night Bessie's aunt [Maria Pruys van der Hoeven]'s two sisters [Alida and Agatha] came to visit with a girl who is living with them for a while, 'a most horribly uninteresting dull & unartistic kind of being' who yet had the 'pretence of being very musical'. playing the piano abominably but trying 'the most difficult & beautiful things'; felt 'rubbed up the wrong way' when she went to bed, 'horribly sarcastic & terribly sour'. Mr Kattendijke came on Saturday to accompany Jeanne and they did some 'wonderful Brahms songs'; on Sunday they went to a piano recital by Harold Bauer which was partly quite good, but at the end he played 'such horrid firework things' that it nearly spoilt everything else and made him think less of him. Has had a nice letter from Madame Goriany, the Austrian lady Bob met at Roccabella [Taormina, Sicily]. Is working hard on the translation for Ambro [Hubrecht] about 'the absorption of fatty matter into the intestine'. Their cousins, the van Deldens, and their daughter are coming tonight; soon they are going south and then perhaps to the Dutch colonies. Has written to Tonina [van Riemsdijk]'s mother about the violin, and is curious to know the answer.

Continues the letter next day: is going to spend the day in Leiden, first calling on a 'dear cousin' [Louise Hubrecht] who has known her since childhood and lunching with Jeanne [Salomonson Asser] at her mother's. Ambro [Ambrosius Hubrecht] appeared suddenly at dinner; an enormous whale was stranded on the coast two days ago, and he has secured it for his university [Utrecht]; she has been able to give back her translation as the usual man is well again; he says he has sent his 'American speech' to Ravello. A pity the Frys cannot visit [on the way back from Italy]; hopes to see them soon.

10 Prinsegracht, s'Gravenhage; addressed to Bob at Pension Palumbo, Ravello, presso d'Amalfi, Italia. - 'Poor Gredel [Guye]' has failed; she is 'downcast', but 'very sensible' knowing it is a very hard exam and she can try next year. She and her family seem to like Bob very much. Is not sure about Bob's correction of her Italian. Notes that her letters reach him quicker than his get to her; discusses love letters; often wishes she could find new ways of expressing her love; would be good if Bob learnt Dutch so that she could write to him in it. Asks if he knows he sometime leaves out words, about two or three a page; when he wrote 'sea-sickness would prevent [him] from coming to see [her]', meaning the contrary, she thought she would have to give him up. Glad that Ravello has inspired Bob's 'poetic vein', as she sees in his letter. Unsure why Bob is surprised she showed his mother's photographs to her uncle and aunt, especially as he knows how everything which enters the house 'is enquired after'. Spent a very happy afternoon at Leiden on Thursday, seeing her cousin Louise [Hubrecht]; wants Bob to meet her as she is so nice; told her lots about him and left his poems ["Mallow and Asphodel"]. Went skating yesterday on the ponds in the wood, for the first time this year; wonders if Bob skates and imagines skating together. Went to see the 'poor man at the Hospital' [see 9/]13 again this afternoon, and got to know him much better; he told her that there was a man in the same ward who had earned his living 'travelling round the country with a crocodile, which he had left behind at his inn now' earning about 8 guilders, almost fourteen shillings, a week. If the weather is good tomorrow, will go to Amsterdam to see her niece Amanda Röntgen and congratulate her parents; now she is going to read [Sir George Otto Trevelyan's] 'Life of Macauley'; will also re-read [Joseph Henry Shorthouse's] "John Inglesant" so as to be reading it at the same time as Bob and able to discuss it with him.

Continues the letter next morning; has put off her visit to Amsterdam, probably till Tuesday. Ambro [Hubrecht] stayed the night after 'looking after his smelly whale [see 9/14] again'; they have produced much 'precious oil' from it, though it has been hard getting kettles big enough to hold the bones; he was 'very lively' and has sent Bob a bound copy of his American speech. Discusses [General Sir Redvers Henry] Buller's defeat at Colenso, and asks if it might effect a change in public opinion. Asks whether he likes the "Manchester Guardian", and whether it reaches him quickly. Asks if he has heard from [Lina] Duff Gordon or his 'Florence friends' [the Berensons?]. She has had a 'very nice letter' from Mrs Hartmann, the Danish lady, also from Miss Dahlrup who sends kindest regards. Looks forward very much to returning to Sicily together. Has also hear from Mrs van Riemdyk about Tonina's violin; they would never sell it but would loan it to Bessie, which is 'quite unlawful'. so Bessie has replied to say she is not interested and Bob's 'sweet, kind & generous gift... must come to nothing'. Has been reading an argument between the Brownings about duelling, which she discusses, as well as the possibility of Bob losing his temper with her and vice versa; calls herself 'a hasty-tempered vixen'. Finishes off the letter next morning; likes the poetry Bob has copied out for her, especially Blake's; the beginning of his letter is 'very naughty indeed', and he will get his 'whipping one day - women's whips are their tongues'; quotes a Dutch proverb translated into English. Hopes his host is better, and that the storms have passed.

19 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at Pension Palumbo, Ravello, presso Amalfi, Italia. - This morning she left a letter of Bob's under the pillow, where she had put it to bring good dreams, and the servant found it; fortunately she knows no English and is discreet. Thinks it best for her to write to Bob's mother saying she would be pleased to come to England in early February as she proposes; will have a talk to her uncle [Paul François Hubrecht] about it this afternoon. Thinks they could arrange some visiting when Bob returns in January; will draw up a list; sees that it would be better to finish everything then to avoid interruptions to his work later. Marrying in July would give him an extra month for work, but hotter weather for the honeymoon. Hopes that the [Second Boer] war will be over by then; it is very depressing, and hard 'hearing the English being abused so continually'; difficult to get at the truth of the matter from superficial reports. There have been too many arguments in the house between Ambro's wife Marie [Johanna Maria Hubrecht] and her aunt [Maria van der Hoeven]. Heard last night that Willy van Riemsdyk [Willem Johan Emanuel Jonkheer van Riemsdijk?], Tonina' brother whom Bob met in Ede, is going to South Africa to help the Boers; they are all worried about it as he is the eldest son and his mother is a widow; thinks Paul [Hubrecht] will try to persuade him to give the idea up when he comes to say goodbye today. Is reading Macauley's Iife and letters, and finding interesting but 'rather hard reading' sometimes, as Bob's father expects much greater knowledge of English political history than she possesses; afraid he will find her 'a terrible ignoramus in that respect' and hopes Bob has prepared him, since the Trevelyans are such a political family. Has talked to her uncle; will write to Bob's mother today or tomorrow; hopes Bob can arrange to return to the Netherlands for a week's visiting. Apologises for the 'nasty' parts of her letter; her 'depression' has nothing to do with Bob.

Returns to the letter next day. her aunt is ill with a cold, probably caught from Paul. Last night old [Johan Herman?] Geertsema, the retired Minister of State who lives at Doorn and whom Bob saw at the station when he went to Utrecht with Bramine [Hubrecht], came to dinner; he was 'specially nice about the war' and said many people were prejudiced and condemned British policy in South Africa altogether, when if Cape Colony had been a Dutch settlement, they 'would never have succeeded in bringing so much civilization over there in such a short time'. Marie and Paul [Hubrecht] have gone to Utrecht to try to persuade Willy van Riemsdijk not to go to South Africa. Their 'English cousin', Fred Davidson is coming to dinner tonight; has not seen him for several years. Sends Bob half of a twin almond, a 'philippine' as it is called in Dutch, which she picked up at dinner last night.

19 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at Pension Palumbo, Ravello, presso Amalfi, Italia and forwarded to him c/o B. Berenson, 3. Via Camerata, Firenze. - Bob's last letter is one of his 'very nicest'. Her aunt has been much better again. Has paid some calls this afternoon, including to Mrs de Rhemen, Tuttie [Maria Hubrecht]'s Russian friend; the other old Russian lady [Countess van Rylandt] who knows Bob's parents was also there, and talked to Bessie about church music at Moscow; the rest of the visit was 'stupid & senseless' and Mrs de Rhemen's pet dog has given her a flea; they always come to her, so if she and Bob travel in Italy together he will be left in peace. Next morning, writes that there has been 'a great bustle' in the house as her gift of a 'fine old chestnut cabinet' was set up in her uncle's room; he will store 'all his papers & family reliques' in it as he did in the old one. Is disappointed and indignant that Mrs van Riemsdijk, having told her that they were not prepared to sell Tonina's violin but would let it to Bessie, which she declined knowing she would grow too fond of the instrument and did not want to insist since it had belonged to Mrs van Riemsdijk's husband, wrote to her aunt saying that Tonina had sold her violin abroad and wanted to keep this private. Will probably hear more about the matter from Ambrose [Hubrecht] 'who is her councillor and confident [sic]' and generally takes her side, but otherwise does not want to think about it; Bob's 'dear generous offer' of helping her buy it made the idea all the more precious, though the van Riemsdijks do not know that. Teases Bob for wanting to get back to England quickly to eat some 'beefy British dinners'; he will have a 'foretaste' of her 'dinner-ordering-capacities' when she comes, but she encourages him to stay a little longer if she is to cross on 14 Feb which now seems likely. Has forwarded two letters and a 'big Dorking one to Mr "Treveylan"; asks if this is Mrs Enticknap's spelling; admires her for adding 5 pence for postage abroad. Tells him to write from Florence.

Pension Palumbo, Ravello. - There is not sufficient paper in the hotel to answer her long letter as it deserves. Strange that he is not inspired to write Bessie love-poetry, but says he is 'not good at putting difficult and elaborate and wonderful thoughts into verse', which would be needed; will try one day. Sorry that Gredel [Guije] failed. Since he sometimes misses out words in his letters, Bessie need never be shocked by his 'wicked opinions' but can add 'nots' when she pleases and 'convert the sense to please [her] fancy'. Glad she is re-reading [Joseph Henry Shorthouse's] "John Inglesant". Sends her kisses "blown through the ether like waves of light or electricity'. Continues the letter next morning, copying out an extract about Shorthouse from a piece of paper in Mrs Reid's book an extract from a letter from Isabel Balfour; this recalls what his brother [George?] has heard about Shorthouse. The book reminds Bob of Pater's "Marius the Epicurean"; thinks one must have influenced the other; also thinks "Marius" the better book on the whole. Asks his waiter to settle their dispute about Italian grammar, which he does in Bob's favour. Returns to the letter in the afternoon: old Palumbo died this morning, and since his wife did not want Bob to leave, he is staying in a separate part of the house where he is 'quite out of the way'. News has just come that the Cappuccini hotel at Amalfi 'has subsided on a great part of it' and some people have been killed. Writes again in the evening having gone to see the landslip, which was as bad as the rumours; seven or eight people died, and 'part of the end of the hotel had gone'. The people say it is St. Francis' doing, "angry because his monastery had been put to base uses". Had never been to Amalfi before, though this is his third visit; not much to see 'except the people and the beggars', and the Cathedral is 'spoilt by restoring'. Palumbo was dying about the same time as the landslip, and the proprietor of the Cappuccini, a friend, was here comforting Madame Palumbo when the news about the hotel came. 'They say he almost fainted... [and] will probably be ruined, as no one will dare come to his hotel now'. Bob exerted himself greatly on the journey down to Amalfi and back and 'sweeted (in Grandmont language' despite the bitter cold.

Originally enclosing a 'charming letter from [Eddie] Marsh'; his 'first Cambridge friend' who works in the Colonial office 'though, like many there, he does not like the war'; gives a brief character sketch. Has also heard from [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson. Has not heard from [Bernard] Berenson, but has from [Mary] Costelloe, whom he just asked Berenson to tell; 'rather annoying', as he 'care[s] for Berenson very much, and dislike Mrs C.', though it was a 'perfectly proper letter'. Is very troubled by [Lina] Duff Gordon's letter: her wish for his happiness is 'unmistakeably sincere', as she always is, but her reply to his wish for them to remain as good friends is that since he told her nothing about this when he saw her 'constantly' in London last October, things can never be quite the same. It would have been very difficult to tell her, but feels that perhaps he should have done, not because she was an 'intimate friend' - the only one of his friends he told, 'for special reasons', was Fry - but because Mrs Costelloe had been spreading rumours that she was in love with him. Perhaps this was true, and he should have realised, although he does not think he gave her reason to believe he was in love with her; it is possible that Mrs Costelloe has stirred up trouble, as 'she has a great influence over Miss D. G.' and he believes her 'really to be a bad woman, though with many good qualities'. Is going to see Palumbo's funeral start for Naples. Writes again in the evening, after writing at 'my cliff, the Cembrone [Cimbrone]'. Quotes from a letter from Tom Moore: Moore thinks he will 'make a good husband' but spoil all his children. Has received Bessie's next letter, but not the photographs. He can skate, but not very well. Does not think Buller's defeat will make much difference to British attitudes to the [Second Boer] war; discussion of the war; does not think it would be good if all of South Africa were governed by the Dutch, would not object to 'an independent Dutch South Africa if it were well governed, and the natives treated properly' which currently happens in the Cape but not in the Transvaal. Methuen and probably Buller are not equal to the people against them, but this does not mean the English have fought badly; however, she need not worry that he is 'becoming Jingo'. Sorry Bessie has missed Tonina [van Riemsdijk]'s violin; when one good enough becomes available, will get it for her. They must visit Ravello together; Madame asked if they would come here on their honeymoon, which they will have to discuss; she intends to keep the hotel for some years at least.