Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Is sorry 'about the wee doggie'; it is very sad but she hopes 'he may recover'. Is sending some game today; the grouse should be eaten first but the pheasants should keep until they return from Stocks [the Wards' country house]. Sir George has recovered, and he and his three friends are 'very happy together'; it is 'too funny sometimes to hear their reminiscences'; Sir George and Lord Belper 'took up an argument just where they left it 41 years ago!'. Mary is here; she and Charles are very happy; she 'certainly improves on acquaintance' and told Caroline that she was 'dreadfully uncomfortable' when staying in August, this is probably what 'made her so abrupt'. Mary is 'enchanted' with the house: they have a 'very tiny one in London' which is not as nice as Cheyne Gardens [George Trevelyan's new house]. Wants to hear what Elizabeth thinks of Cheyne Gardens; they will have fun on Friday and wishes she could be there. Is 'deeply grieved [sic] for Fry's anxiety [about his wife]'. Booa is 'very jealous about the apples & would like to have some'.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Looks forward to discussing his book ["The American Revolution", Volume II] with Robert when it is read. The preliminary reviews are good, and the longer reviews in 'the great provincial papers' are 'most satisfactory'. He and Caroline are very distressed about the [Roger] Frys. They have had a 'famous old Harrovian shooting party': [Lord?] Ridley, [Lord?] Belper, Kenelm Digby, Charles and Sir George; good to increase 'old friendships, which had been loosened by politics for so long a time'. Belper is 'great fun, a humourist of a rough and strong sort' and a 'wonderful man of public business'; he took up an old argument about whether Sir George should have left him a gun-bag in Ireland exactly as it was left 41 years ago. Glad the plans for Robert and Elizabeth's new house are 'in fair train'.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Encloses two reviews of his book [the next volume of "The American Revolution"] which Robert may not have seen; asks for them to be returned. Satisfied that he must 'have avoided all contemporary allusions' given that the book was 'inspired throughout by [his] view of the South African [Boer] war'; the "Daily Mail", "St . James's Gazette" and 'any number of Tory papers unreservedly accept the views given in [his] volumes of the American war'. Also, according to a postscript, sending a letter which is 'almost as elegant as a sonnet'; no further details given.