Welcombe, Stratford upon Avon. - Amused by Elizabeth's letter, and glad Robert is returning so soon. Both Lord Welby and Lord Davey are 'very good talkers', and Lady Davey is 'charming' so their visit has been very pleasant; she tells Caroline that there is a house to be let at Fernhurst called "Ropes"; just built, by a Miss Coats, who now thinks there is 'not enough view & is going to build another'. Lady Davey also says that Blackdown Cottage is very damp and has no foundations; Mrs Frederic Harrison [Ethel Harrison] was 'very ill there with Rheumatic gout' and two people died in the house while they lived there. Likes to think of Elizabeth and Robert both at home again, 'with the good Enticknaps'. S[idney?] Colvin is not coming; she is glad as the 'row in Stratford seems to be growing, & he is in it' while they wish to keep out of it. Was very good to have Elizabeth to visit them; Sir George sends his love, and 'much appreciated' the letter from Robert.
8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - The hard weather has 'carried off quite a group of [Sir George's] old London friends', leaving the same sort of gap as was left in his college circle by the deaths of Bowen, [Henry] Sidgwick and Edward Young. Goschen, Davey, Godfrey Lushington, and Allendale ([Wentworth] Beaumont) have all died within about a fortnight. Caroline and Booa [Mary Prestwich] much enjoyed their visit to the Shiffolds and meeting Paul. Was very lucky not to break his hip; is still lame. The Lords have 'a reform bill of their own House'; the "Times" seems not to think this is the business of the Commons, which is 'all very well if the same theory is adopted reciprocally' but they threw out the Plural Voting bill last year.
Spring Gardens. - Probably drawn up by George Henry Ellis. Describes the situation between Sir Charles and George Otto Trevelyan on the one side and Macvey Napier on the other over publication of Lord Macaulay's lawyer.
Mr [Horace] Davey has seen the correspondence and given his opinion; it needs to be established whether the courts in Scotland will take the same view as Davey; the next stage is to 'restrain if possible the publication without Sir Charles Trevelyan's consent of Lord Macaulay's letters'.
Sets out the status of Sir Charles Trevelyan, the late Thomas Flower Ellis, and George Henry Ellis in relation to Lord Macaulay's letters
Writes that he has just seen Lady Bowen, his sister-in-law, who had already been in communication with Horace Davey about a portrait of her late husband. Mentions two photographers who have taken good photographs.