Seatoller. - Expects Bob is enjoying himself abroad. Is having a good time at Seatoller with [Maurice?] Amos, [Ralph] Wedgwood and [George] Moore; Vaughan Williams left a few days ago; he and Wedgwood 'bathe in Cambridge pool every morning'; Amos and Wedgwood work hard for their triposes, while Moore chiefly reads "Jane Eyre" and other novels, and George 'all sorts of jolly books', none for his tripos. They are all getting on well, even better than at Stye since there is not the 'slight distance between Moore and Wedgwood'. They go up the mountains in the afternoon; he and Moore, as 'the Wordsworthians of the party' went over to Grasmere and Rydal; describes Dove Cottage, de Quincey's extension to it, and S.T.C. [Samuel Taylor Coleridge]'s house. Declares that there were 'men in England then', also naming Scott, Shelley, Byron and Keats. George got his scholarship; does not seem fair that Wedgwood has not, while they give one to someone like Charlie Buxton 'of very ordinary ability' in their first year; thinks this is 'bolstering up classics'. It is however a sign that the college is doing 'their duty to history' that there is now an entrance scholarship for it. Is glad at a personal level that Buxton has a scholarship: he and George will have plenty of money to go abroad in the long vacation now. Elliott has not got a scholarship, but is spoken of as 'certain' next year. Had a nice letter from Bowen; German measles is active in [Grove] house. Asks Bob to write to him about the novel if he needs someone to discuss it with: he knows the plan and beginning, and will keep it secret. Wedgwood is a really good rock climber. Notes in postscript that he will be seeing Moore's brother [Thomas] in London again next week, so Bob should write there.
2, Cheyne Gardens. - Very interested to hear that Bessie is 'out for another gallant effort' [is pregnant again]; will keep quiet until she tells her not to. Her children were 'really "done" [had their tonsils out] yesterday, but are 'quite cheerful' again today. The 'very skilful surgeon' was [John] Gay French: he only seemed to take five minutes for each child and 'has done all the correct modern dodges such as 'enucliating' [sic] instead of guillotining'; he says they can go home in two days, but Janet is glad they were not treated like the children at '[her] clinic, where they're turned out to walk home after 3 or 4 hours!'. Sad that Julian also needs to have an operation [on an umbilical hernia]. Would love Bessie to stay on Wednesday, but the wife of someone from [George's ambulance] Unit is coming to stay on the way to Italy, and may be there then. Afraid she is also not likely to be in London after the 15th, since she is probably letting the house to the Maurice Amoses around then and taking the family back to Stocks Cottage. A postscript says the news from George is quite good, though due to bad weather 'the roads were getting difficult for his beautiful cars'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Hears from Caroline that Bessie is making arrangements for Julian's operation [on an umbilical hernia] in London in January; suggests that he goes to a 'nice little nursing home in Royal Avenue, Chelsea', where 'Charlie had his knee done', and Bessie can stay nearby with Janet; she should 'refuse to be bullied by the doctors into going to one of the Wimpole Street places' which are 'the most awful swindle-traps in London'. Several of her friends have been there, and they were recently 'very kind to a Belgian lady of ours [i.e., linked to the Belgian Refugees Committee]. Would be very good to have Bessie there: Janet 'often feel[s] lonely at nights'; Mary and Humphry would also be able to visit Julian and help to cheer him up. Will not get her house back from the [Maurice] Amoses until Friday 21 January, so probably will not be ready until the 24th; hopes that will not be too late. Returns to Stocks Cottage tomorrow.
Since he thinks that George is 'not quite in sympathy with the views which many of our friends hold' about current events, he is setting out 'the main reasons for taking a strong line' against the Cabinet's past and present actions, and he fears also its future ones. Has just had an argument with [Maurice] Amos, whose 'vision and perspective' seem to be ‘distorted’. He himself believes that 'war between civilized people is absolute insanity, and nothing else'; the Balkans may be 'another matter' as 'there probably people like fighting and have less to lose'. Completely agrees with the passage in [Thomas] Carlyle's "Sartor [Resartus": 'What, speaking in quite unofficial language, is the net purport and upshot of war...?''], but people like Amos, 'nearly all the nice, intelligent, reasonably peaceable, anything but brutal people' do not realise it, so do not see 'the whole foreign-politics, diplomacy, honour of the nation etc game' as a 'colossal system of humbug [and] wickedness'. A few people realises, and express themselves 'with passion like [Bertrand] Russell, or more calmly like Charles'.
Belgium is the 'stumbling block' for many good people, including their father; Bob thinks that 'whatever the fault of Germany', it is clear that Britain is 'directly responsible for the destruction of Belgium', since the Cabinet for selfish reasons 'encouraged the Belgians in the attempt to keep the Germans out'; as Charles says, if the concern for Belgium had been real the advice should have been 'to let the Germans through under protest'. Believes that Germany views itself as fighting for its existence against Russia, and therefore against France, which the British, 'who bombarded Copenhagen [in 1807] should understand'; expects the Germans are right that the France would have tried to invade through Belgium if they had had time, which the British would not have prevented. Thinks Britain had no right to go to war for Belgium, and that it was used as a last moment excuse 'to make this unrighteous war of diplomatic national hatred into a "righteous" war for a small oppressed people". Having talked to people like Amos and [Bernard] Berenson he detects a 'vague indefinable suspicion and (though it is not usually admitted) dislike and even hatred of Germany and Germans', with nobody able to say what the Germans were going to do against Britain or France [before the acceleration of hostilities]; once France committed the 'folly' of binding themselves to Russia, he grants that they had 'some reason to be afraid', but Britain had 'no such cause'.
Perhaps 'any other cabinet minister would have been as bad' as [Sir Edward] Grey, but it is through trusting him and the 'foreign office fools... the least trustworthy people in the world' that Britain allied themselves with France rather than Germany. Cannot feel calm about Britain's 'subservience to Russia'; sees 'reptiles like Wells defend Russian tyranny now' and supposes that the Czar is now going to be a 'national hero'; it was he who 'directly caused the war by his mobilisation'. Feels that if Germany was a 'menace to European civilisation' so was France, or Britain; Russia is another matter, and one which George has himself warned about; wonders how he, as a historian, can believe that Germany’s actions do not stem from ‘arrogance, or… desire for hegemony’, but from ‘fear of Russia, and therefore of Russia’s friends’; courage is ‘the last thing’ George lacks, so he must be following ‘some scruple of conscience’. He himself has not trained himself to ‘write effectively’, except in verse, but regrets that George, ‘a writer as influential as any in the country’, after beginning so well, hesitates when he could be leading opinion to the good.
Recognises that ‘blame must be distributed all round’, but while he is inclined to criticise Russia more heavily and George Germany, he sees it as their ‘absolute duty to put all the weight of blame earned by our country upon her, as outspokenly and fearlessly as possible’ and to work for the future, as Charles and others are doing.
Trinity:- Not sure when he is coming up to London; probably on Friday. Expects he will go to the theatre in the evening and stay with his parents next morning. Was 'very glad to see Charlie'; expects he will be in Scotland next Friday so Robert will not see him then. The government 'seems to have had a great victory on Thursday and... succeeded in putting the Lords in a very awkward dilemma. The best thing they can do to educate the electorate is to throw out the clause'.
He, George, and two others read Othello this morning, and decided 'it was the best play all round [they] had ever read'. George 'acted Desdemona with great pathos, and the Iago was splendidly done by [Maurice] Amos'. Kitson [Robert or Sydney?] is here today; says that Charlie visited him last Friday, when he was 'looking after a very deaf old aunt' and so not able to see him properly. Has been reading a story by F[red] Benson in the English Illustrated [Story of a Mazurka?], which was 'very poor'. Hopes Dodo will be better; they are 'all waiting' for the six shilling edition, due to come out in the winter.
Hopes his father is well and 'not too busy'; supposes he does not have much time for reading, and has not come across any new interesting books. Sees there is a 'new French book about Napoleon', but has not had time to read it.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - She and Sir George are very pleased Elizabeth and Robert enjoyed themselves, and that Elizabeth 'so thoroughly appreciate[s] this country'; there is 'little to attract outwardly in the manufacturing districts' and it is 'only the interest in the people who live there' which makes life tolerable. Very quiet on Saturday, as George and [Maurice?] Amos went for a mountain walk, sleeping at Eldon and returning on Sunday evening, while Charles went to Hepple and returns today. The Philipses have come, but they have had a telegram from Sir W[alter] Phillimore saying that his wife was ill so they could not come; a blow since the Nobles had already failed them, and only Miss Riddell coming today to be company for the Philipses. They seem happy, however; hopes 'the girl will not find it very dull'. She seems nice, but Caroline wishes she would not do her hair 'so large'. Booa [Mary Prestwich] was glad of Elizabeth's letter, and asks her to say that the box will be sent today. George has recovered his bag with everything in it; there was nothing 'consumable on the spot' like Elizabeth's wine. Hopes the 'two quiet days' at the Park [home of Annie Philips] will rest Elizabeth before she starts again. Will be interesting for Elizabeth to visit Mr [Herbert?] Jones at Hawarden.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Very interesting, but 'very sad and depressing' about [Maurice?] Amos [the failure of treaty negotiations between Egypt and the UK?]; had heard from George along the same lines. Looking forward very much to seeing Elizabeth this evening. Trouble at Sidcot [School] with diphtheria, so George and Kitty are back early for their Christmas holidays, but Charles and Mary are making the best of it. Is reading [Euripides's] "Phoenissae", which he calls a 'noble play' and places 'with the "Orestes" and "Alcestis" after the "Medea" and "Bacchae".
Trin[ity] Coll[ege]. - Has forwarded Bob's letter to [Maurice] Amos; gives his permanent address in Egypt. Would have come for Tuesday night if he could. Will send the bureau off by train to Dorking; expects it will get there in a week or two. Looking forward to Wednesday and Thursday.
Emmanuel College, Cambridge [Headed notepaper; address underlined and exclamation marks added]. - Glad Bob's '"Experience as a lawyer"' will allow him to visit next Sunday. Everyone is cheerful, 'flourishing on [their] old lines', but they 'expect "a sop"' such as Bob to be thrown them once a week: 'this week's sops were [Bertrand] Russell and his brother [Frank]'. Saw [Nathaniel] Wedd this morning for breakfast and a walk, who was 'quite all [George] had hoped or expected'. Has decided not to speak again at the Union, which is 'an inexpressible relief'. 'Great revolutions' here this term: there was 'a lady at MacT[aggart]'s "Wednesday evening" last week', and an exhibition [scholarship] has been started for history at Trinity; this is important as previously there have only been third year scholarships, which do not attract the best students; in the exams last May everyone in both years got thirds; the college have received a gift of two thousand pounds from Lord Derby. Inberg{??] has come up and is "flourishing"; [Frank?] Elliott is 'developing into the most delightful of fellows". Notes in postscript that he has 'found the kettle holder'; gives an account of the battle [of toy soldiers]; lists 'our table' as consisting of [Edward?] Marsh, [Maurice] Amos. [Ralph] Wedgwood, [Ralph] V[aughan]-Williams, [George] Moore, [Henry Graham] Dakyns, [Harry] Watkins, George himself, and his Harrow friend [Charles] Buxton.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon [on headed notepaper]:- Has arranged for a copy of the Pageant to be sent to her: thinks it will arrive before his parents leave Rome, though he forgot to have it sent 'till rather late'. Would have written before, but was waiting to receive her letter to answer it. They are 'all at Welcombe now': Miss Martin [his old governess] has just left, and [Maurice?] Amos arrives today. He himself came on Saturday and leaves on Friday. Crompton Ll[ewelyn] Davies and his sister [Margaret] have been; now staying are [G. L.] Dickinson, [G. E.] Moore and 'Gr Wallace [Graham Wallas?]'. They have had two fine warm days, but wintry weather is now returning; there is a 'fire in the drawing room, and Moore and Dickinson play the piano or sing'. The piano is a 'marvel[l]ously beautiful one'. There is currently general conversation about 'Bobbie Philimore's sudden marriage': wonders if his mother knows Philimore's new wife, 'who was Miss Fitz-Patrick, alias Sister Lucy'; it is 'a regular Shelley business, though in this case the parents have been brought round to approve'.
Intends to go abroad immediately after Welcombe, as he has a cold which he 'can't quite get rid of, and which would probably become bad in a frost'. Thought of going to the South of France, though 'Several friends have strongly advised Tangiers' for the greater likelihood of warmth and cheapness, though he does not think it much matters; wants only 'to be warm, and alone so that [he] may write'.
Had a few days at Failand 'keeping Xmas in the bosom of the Fry family': they 'read Hamlet aloud in the evening, each taking the Prince for an act. George [Trevelyan] makes a most excellent garrulous Polonius, while [Robert? - 'I?' supplied in pencil] shine as ghost and the ranting player'. They all concluded that 'Hamlet's character has no mystery', except for doubting 'how far, if at all, he loved Ophelia'.
The company at Welcombe are 'just off to Chalcote [Charlecote], to walk off a New Year's day plum pudding and Turkey'.
Union Society, Cambridge. - Spent all day yesterday [the beginning of term?] 'seeing people and getting [his] pictures and books in'. Has put Bob's books, 'mostly school classics', in the gyp room. Likes his rooms very much: the two places he is 'fondest of in the world are the old court and the cloisters'. [Maurice] Amos is in [Bertrand] Russell's rooms, [George] Gooch the rooms opposite Collins's, and [Henry Graham] Dakyns in the 'tower by the carriage entrance'; these are 'historical stairs', since Horace Walpole visited a friend in Dakyns' new rooms. MacT[aggart]'s lectures will be attended by 'Amos, Gooch, a lady, and Dickinson and Wedd probably'. Has acquired two statuettes of Assyrian kings, copied from originals in the British Museum, which he thinks are 'very fine' and 'almost as original' as Bob's 'Hindoo god was'. Came by the late train, so had no evening in London to go to the theatre. Amos has heart trouble, 'having overworked himself', and may even be unfit to study this year: MacT[aggart] says he is well ahead with his reading and could do his tripos with not much more work if the worst came; his mother is here and George took tea with her and Maurice yesterday. Asks if Bob has any 'gossip or scandal' from [Harrow] Founder's Day. Notes in a postscript that the 'two fellows who live opposite you [ie Theodore and Crompton Llewelyn Davies]' were here recently 'both in great force', Theodore bathed 'on a raw morning with Moore as usual'.