Showing 131 results

Rome. - Has read Elizabeth's letter again, and sees that she needs to get 'some little establishment in Kensington' so Gr[osvenor] Cr[escent] will be no use. Suggests asking Imogen [Booth?] and Maud, who may have a friend willing to let a little flat; hears lodgings in London are 'very trying'. Thinks it would be good for Julian, who 'knows only too well how important he is' and has tempers; asks if Elizabeth could get Dr [Carter?] to visit when he is upset to see if it has a physical cause. Mary [George and Janet's daughter] was much improved in temper when less in the nursery; thinks clever children need more to occupy themselves and therefore would suggest a 'nursery governess'. Charles visited the Montessori schools here and was impressed, though he thought success 'depended on the teacher'; suggests that Elizabeth go and see the class. Does not think they can get to England before 20 January. Reminds Elizabeth how bad the [London] fogs are that month. Returns to the letter next day, reporting that the doctor thinks she is getting on very well. They will only stay a night or two at Grosvenor Crescent; tells Elizabeth to contact Booa [Mary Prestwich], who is there now.

Cambo, Morpeth. - Booa [Mary Prestwich]'s funeral went 'very well today'; the weather allowed 'long views of the moors and hills she loved'. The cortège went from Wallington to Cambo, and she was buried in the churchyard 'almost next to' their grandfather [Sir Charles Edward Trevelyan]. Asks Bob to tell Bessie that 'Mary has developed one of her enthusiasms for William III and Holland', since she is studying 1688 as a 'special period' [at university], and has tried to learn some Dutch. They are going to the Netherlands at Easter partly because of this; should meet and discuss before then.

Ravello. - Thanks his mother for her 'kind letter' about his book [The Birth of Parsival]; discusses the book and the legend of the Grail more generally. Does not intend to continue the story of Parsival at present, if he did would follow the legend more closely, but 'have a different ending, an anti-Grail one'.

They have had 'pretty bad weather again here'; will probably leave next week, perhaps on Tuesday with the Booths; will stop at the Berensons' for a few days on the way back. He and Bessie are well, though 'tired of the bad weather. Charles Booth is much better', though still not allowed to walk much. Sees from the paper that his father 'was [at?] the Irish debate', and from the Italian paper today that it had a 'good division - 42'.

They were 'delighted to hear from George [about the birth of his and Janet's daughter Mary] and also most pleased by the names chosen'; hopes Janet and baby are still doing well. Sends love to his father.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking. - The Interludes [in Prose and Verse, by G O Trevelyan] arrived this morning, and they look forward to reading it; Bessie will write soon to his father to thank him for it. Robert has 'just read most of Horace [at the University of Athens], which seems just as good as it ever was', and he expects the whole work will be improved by 'the slight alterations and 'the unimaginable touch of Time" [a quote from Wordworth's Mutability]'.

They have had a 'pleasant visit at the [Augustus Moore?] Daniels, and found all well at home'. George Moore has been for a short visit; now [Donald] Tovey is here for a week and there is 'an immense deal of music'. Bessie likes Tovey's playing as much if not more as anyone's, and he is 'very interesting when he talks about music, in a way few musicians are'; he plays 'a great deal of Bach' on the Trevelyan's clavichord, and their piano 'has a beautiful tone'.

Aunt Meg [Price] will visit in October and they hope also [her son] Phil. The Grandmonts are coming for a few nights next Monday. Does not know whether they will like returning to Taormina 'while the earthquakes still continue'; supposes 'Taormina is untouched, as it usually escapes', but Messina suffered greatly. Hopes there will not be a bad earthquake near Vesuvius, which 'is in great activity just now'; everyone near Naples seems 'very much frightened'. Will not be sorry if 'Cook's railway gets demolished', as long as nothing worse happens.

Hopes his parents are well, as well as the 'Cambo household [Charles and Molly]'; G[eorge], J[anet] and M[ary] C[aroline] seemed well when they dined with them in London; Crompton [Llewelyn Davies] was there 'and seemed fairly cheerful, though looking rather tired and worn perhaps [after the death of his brother Theodore in July].

Pen Rose, Berkhamsted. - Thanks Bob for his letter. Has already sent on the corrections [for his "History of England"] to Longman's, though they will be too late for a reprint this week. Glad Bob thought 'the Victorian part was tolerable'. The Epilogue was 'imposed' on George by the 'Publisher's view of necessity'; believes this view to be 'correct', but thinks the epilogue 'could not be anything but a blot'. Does not 'understand the age we live' and what he does understand he does not like. Mary is enjoying herself in the Netherlands; George believes 'her attachment will be permanent'. The introductions Bessie gave her 'have made a great difference to her happiness there'.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Relieved all well about the measles; does not think it will spread and is glad the little girl [May Enticknap: see 46/174] is getting better. Would very much like to see Julian; expects he will soon be crawling. Mary goes home tomorrow; she has been very good, and much amused her grandfather, with whom she has long conversations. Sidney Lee stayed last night; the Ernest Trevelyans are coming from Oxford on Sunday. C[harles] and M[ary] cannot come till Sunday morning as it is 'the Ministerial ?Amusement'. She and Sir George will go up to town about the 22nd; she has a ticket for Elizabeth for the concert then. Sends her regards if Mrs Hubrecht [wife of Ambrosius Hubrecht?] is still there; had thought it was 'Mrs Jan' staying with Elizabeth. Glad her son's [Jan or Paul?] expedition is interesting. Hopes Mr Carter recovers soon. Sends love to Robert; hopes 'the musician with the striking name [Benvingut Socias i Mercadé, see 46/174] ' is pleasant. 'What praise of Strauss's new opera ["Elektra"]!'. A postscript saying she is glad 'Patterson succeeded'.

36 Chelsea Park Gardens, SW3 [written on Athenaeum headed notepaper]. - Glad that Mary is visiting Bob and Bessie again. Went to Hallington two days ago, since he was lecturing at the Newcastle Lit[erary] and Phil[osophical Society], thinks it is 'a possible place to live in some day' if they had enough money to do so comfortably, with a motorcar 'which would be essential'. It is a 'conceivability in the future' since Mary and H[umphry] are 'fond of Northumberland', but for the moment they have 'two dear old ladies [Sarah and Matilda Spencer] as tenants' who keep the house and grounds in good repair; there is also a good tenant at the Cheviot farm. The 'immediate value of the place is, as always, rather less than appears on paper' due to charges and so on; a third of the net annual amount will go to Bob, as agreed.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Has just read Bob's "Meleager" with 'real excitement'; thinks it has 'great power and romance and originality' as well as Bob's usual 'careful artistry'. Supposes Bob invented 'the idea of the ghosts', which is 'very effective'. Glad that Bob brought in the family motto ['Time... trieth troth'] which is the best George knows. Mary much enjoyed her visit to Bob and Bessie at the Shiffolds.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Glad that Elizabeth has heard of some nurses who may suit her, but sorry that she has this trouble. Good that Julian is so well; she and Sir George hope to visit in October and see him. Thinks [E. M.] Forster must be interesting, since his novels are 'so clever & original', though she does not think he manages plot well. Has been reading [Myra Kelly's] "Little Aliens", about 'the little Jew children in America', which is 'pretty & funny; but quite slight'. Sorry Mr [Donald] Tovey is not progressing quickly, but it must require much work to write the music for an opera ["The Bride of Dionysus"]; probably best that it will not be put on next summer, as 'the world will be simply mad over the Coronation'. George's children are 'much improved': Mary has shown no signs of temper; Theo is 'passionate occasionally' but still young, and a 'very nice boy'; [Humphry] seems quite strong now.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking. - Has received his father's letter [12/89] and is sorry to have annoyed him by not writing more often; this is 'not through indifference', and he hopes in future to write more regularly. He and Bessie go abroad next Tuesday, and hope to reach Aulla [home of Aubrey and Lina Waterfield] on Thursday; hopes by then Campbell-Bannerman will have formed his cabinet. The Times's 'assertion about Sir Edward Grey' yesterday caused great alarm, but so far it seems unfounded. If they had indeed failed to agree, someone would be much to blame, but Robert thought George was being 'unduly pessimistic'; he thought if there had been a split nobody but 'strong radicals would vote against Protection' and the election would be a 'fiasco' for the Liberals. Robert doubts that 'principles are not just now more important than men in most minds'. Quotes [from Julius Caesar Act 4, Scene 3, 2115-2132], with Grey in Cassius' place, Campbell-Bannerman playing Brutus, and the Times the Poet.

He and Bessie are both well, though have had bad colds. Has sent the first act of their translation of Vondel's Lucifer to the Independent [Review]; George and Dickinson 'seem to like it' so he hopes they might print it; there is more of the translation, but the first act stands well alone. George, Janet, and Mary seem well. Sends love to his mother.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Has not yet transferred the second fifty pounds to Bob's account since the lawyers have not yet 'transferred the personalty' [personal property of Florence Cacciola Trevelyan, which has come to George and Bob on the death of her husband Salvatore Trevelyan]. Mary is going to the Netherlands again in the first week of October, to work. He and Janet are going to Cambridge on Monday to look for a house; he will take up 'residence and full work there [as Regius Professor of History] in January'. Their mother was taken 'seriously ill' a few days ago; she has a nurse, but the doctor thinks she is over the immediate danger. George thinks it 'unlikely she will live more than another year' and that she will get to Welcombe again, though the plan was for her and Sir George to go in about three weeks. Their father 'seems fairly well, though on a permanently lower level than last year'.

Robin Ghyll, Langdale, Ambleside. - As he and Janet have 'hoped and expected' for a while, Mary has got engaged to John Moorman, who came to Hallington for a week in August; they met in June, at the Cornfords' musical parties in Cambridge. He left Cambridge this year, having stayed after his degree to train as a clergyman, and is now a curate in Leeds; he studied under [George Gordon] Coulton, who 'thinks highly of him'. He is 'liberal-minded', and George has discussed religion and history with him 'with much agreement and no feeling of barrier'. Moorman is also a 'fine walker' and is 'small but wiry'; his father was Professor of English at Leeds, and his mother is 'much respected in academic circles', and matron of a University hall in Leeds; their closest family friend is [Arthur] Grant, recently retired from the History Professorship there, a 'first-rate man'. Moorman's 'most intimate older and younger friends are Bishop Wyld [sic: Herbert Wild, Bishop of Newcastle], who conducted George and Bob's parents' funerals, and his son [John?]; in fact his 'whole entourage and atmosphere is about equally academic and clerical'. Thinks he will suit Mary very well, though 'not many people would', so he and Janet are much pleased.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Thanks Bessie for her letter, and for enclosing Madame [Irene] Zocco's; very glad to hear 'how well and splendid Julian is ', which makes up for their sadness about the nurse's illness. Glad Julian has curls; Humphry is also 'very curly' but this is 'more out of the family line' for them. He and Mary 'play Lake Regillus and Horatius on the Museum floor' with some soldiers and some 'ancient Romans' he once got in Switzerland; she is 'very clever and sharp at the uptake'. Meanwhile Theo usually rides the rocking horse, though he looks on a little, 'and spouts the poems' [by Macaulay]. He is 'very much interested' ('much' is an insertion as 'concession to Jan's hereditary ideas of grammar') about [Donald] Tovey; takes it that his progress [on the opera "The Bride of Dionysus", to Robert's libretto] is 'slow but sure'. Must be very interesting to watch him at work. Can easily believe what she says about Forster's book ["Howard's End"], which would make it 'like all his others'; he is 'just one half of a great writer' and could do with being boiled down by 'Peer Gynt's button moulder' with 'some ordinary mechanic writer who can spin him a common likely plot'. Sends love to Bob and wishes 'success to his Solomon, and the Sage' [a reference to Bob's "Foolishness of Solomon"?].

Note from Janet offering condolences for 'poor Nurse Catt's departure'; asks to be remembered to her before she leaves.

The Athenaeum, Pall Mall, S.W.1. - Delighted to get Elizabeth's letter; interesting that her life falls 'exactly into 2 parts of 25'. Enjoyed Holland very much at Easter, and Bessie's friends were very kind to them; this made a big impression on his mind, and 'on the perhaps more impressionable virgin soil of Mary's'. Much enjoyed seeing Bob at the Hunt, and reading his 'book of poetic criticism' ["Thamyris: or, is there a future for poetry?"]. Love from himself and Janet; tells Bessie to 'live another 25 years until Julian is a very distinguished architect'; to reach seventy-five is all he asks for himself and others.

8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Elizabeth will have heard that George and Janet's baby was born on Sunday morning. Janet stayed well despite the delay, and all went well for the birth. The baby is 'plump & peaceful & quite pretty', with grey eyes and lots of brown hair; Sir George went to see her yesterday and seemed pleased. George gazes at her 'in quite a sentimental way'. Caroline has not yet seen Janet, but will soon, and she seems to be comfortable; the baby is to be called Mary Caroline after her grandmothers. Has not asked 'what religious denomination she is to be brought up in!!'. Aunt Margaret [Holland] has returned from a visit to Brighton and seems fairly well again; Caroline thinks she is unwise to go to Court on Friday to see Margaret Smith and 'two other grand daughters' presented. Sends love to Mary [Booth] if she has arrived. Asks when Elizabeth and Robert will return to England. She and Sir George have been to see Bernard Shaw's "John Bull ['s Other Island]"; found it 'amusing' but not his best play. Charles and Mary are well. The Government is 'getting more & more discredited'.

8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Will send this letter to Florence as expects Elizabeth and Robert will leave Ravello today; sorry that they have not had good weather. Has been very busy this week visiting Cheyne Gardens: [George and Janet's new baby Mary] is very sweet and Janet is doing well; George was worried until it was over but now is cheerful. He and Sir George, and perhaps Charlie, are going to Cambridge next Friday to vote against compulsory Greek; they do not expect to succeed but there is 'a great rally on both sides'; it is said it would be carried if it depended on the residents. The Watts and Whistler exhibitions [at the Royal Academy and the New Gallery, Regent Street] are both 'most interesting collections', and there is a 'wonderful show of Oriental China in Bond Street'. Asks if Elizabeth and Robert will prefer to go straight home or stay the night in London; is anxious to see them again. It will be interesting for them to see the [new] house and the Enticknaps' baby. Sorry that Charles Booth is still so unwell; has not quite understood whether Mary and Imogen joined them. Glad Elizabeth is not going to Holland; thinks it would be too cold and damp. There is much illness about here; Uncle Harry has bronchitis, and Nora [Trevelyan?] a bad cold. They have decided to keep the old Broadwood piano in London, and want Elizabeth to choose a little one for Welcombe before Easter. Has heard no music, but they have been to a Bernard Shaw play ["John Bull's Other Island"]. Booa [Mary Prestwich] cheerful and looking forward to seeing Elizabeth; Janet much pleased with her letters. '"Mother" [possibly Florence Bell?] is very active and... good on such an occasion'.

8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Glad that Elizabeth enjoyed the Petersfield Festival, and that Robert could be there some of the time; nice for her to meet 'Miss Davies & other musical people'. Will be 'very interesting at Dorking' [the Leith Hill Music Festival?]; asks to hear how things go. Amused to think of Elizabeth and Robert driving a horse; expects the one chosen was very safe. Busy with the meetings for the next three days, and expects to be very hot: hopes 'the debates will not be very excited!'. Charles and Mary have been away, but she has seen G[eorge], J[anet], and 'Little M[ary]'; they are soon going to the country, though have not been able to let their house. They say the review [of "The Birth of Parsival"?] and feared Robert would be 'vexed'; it does though 'speak very respectfully of him as a writer' and only criticises the subject. Longman [the publisher] is advertising it well, also for America. A postscript confirms they will put Elizabeth up on the 16th.

Robin Ghyll, Langdale, Ambleside. - Was very sorry to miss Bessie at Cambo; hopes her 'lumbago is better at last'. Janet has been in bed with a sore throat, but is now better. Glad Bessie saw Mary again at the Park [Anna Philips' house]; she is 'most eagerly looking forward to Holland'. Will see [Pieter] Geyl as soon as he returns to the south, and draft a preface [to Bessie's translation of Fruin's "The Siege and Relief of Leyden in 1574"] to discuss with her; thinks that Fruin's preface might be dispensed with, especially if he 'quote[s] a few sentences'.

36, Chelsea Park Gardens. - Thanks Elizabeth for her 'kind note'; afraid it will 'not amount to much', but will be an acknowledgement on his part that 'Bob has had bad luck in the matter, having been the old lady's real friend' [possibly a reference to the will of Florence Trevelyan; when she died in 1907, her property went to her husband Dr Cacciola then to Robert and George on his death in 1926]; sure he would 'feel a little sad about it' if he were Bob, who has 'never shown it'. Very glad Mary is with Bessie this weekend.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Elizabeth must be finding the heat very trying, as she is. Mary is recovering well [after her miscarriage]; C[harles] is coming this week. She and Booa think Elizabeth has made the best decision about the nurses, though it is very sad that Mrs Catt is not well enough to return. Thinks Julian may talk when he is sharing the day nursery with Mary and Humphry; Janet says Humphry 'chatters incessantly'. Asks her to thank Robert for sending the poem; is sorry that Robert has been worried about the opera ["The Bride of Dionysus"]; Hugo Bell reported that [Donald] Tovey was very interested in his work on it. Tovey must be a very pleasant guest; sends her regards. Glad Elizabeth has the Reas as neighbours; it 'makes so much difference to have one house where they are not just local'. Is not giving a party for her neighbours this year, due to Molly's indisposition, so is asking them to small tea parties. The E[xhibition] is on Saturday, and the tenants party on the 24th. Mrs Rea's puzzle was very difficult, and she had to come and help Sir George with it; it was 'so ugly too' but interesting. They are 'shocked and grieved' by the strikes and riots; finds it hard to understand; does not quite agree with Sir George about it. Glad the Peers gave way, or there would have been a 'great reaction'; the crisis is now over and the Tories divided, so something must be done. Sir George has inflammation they think must be gout in his finger. Glad the fruit arrived in decent condition.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Hopes Elizabeth is not over-burdened with 'guests & small worries', and that she might be able to do some good for her cousin [one of the Hubrechts?] and his wife; always difficult, but 'the mere fact of his relations being kind to her' may help; it is all very sad and unfortunate for their child. Is glad Julian 'flourishes'; expects it will be good for him to be in the nursery with the other children [Mary and Humphry], who will be there throughout Elizabeth's visit. G[eorge] and J[anet] will come for a week, and Aunt Annie [Philips] will also be visiting then. Hopes to hear about Robert's plans for travel abroad in the winter. Hopes the game arrived; will send some grapes on Monday. Thoughts on the strikes: sympathises with the men, and there is 'something fine in them acting together', but the violence has been very unfortunate, and the economic impact great. Churchill 'seems to have made mistakes' but it was hard 'in such a storm' to see clearly; Sir George thinks he was 'not strong enough at first'. Amusing that the House of Lords has been so entirely forgotten. The [tenants'] party was on Thursday, and went well except for a little rain; Sir George and Charles made speeches, and Geordie said afterwards 'That was nice poetry'. He, Pauline and Kitty gave their grandparents a concert the other day; their governess is 'clever at getting up little entertainments' and they sing 'very prettily' now. Audrey Trevelyan has been to visit, and they like her a lot. Sends love to Bob; hopes Mr [Donald] Tovey will have done much work on the opera ["The Bride of Dionysus"] before he goes.

Was a 'delightful surprise' to get the 'beautiful little "Dream"' from 'Uncle Bob': she and her husband both like it, and she finds the rhythm 'very intriguing'. They find it strange that the 'dreamer' of the poem 'can see in the Christ of the Gospels only that shadowy, depressed, defeated figure' and think the "'self-knowledge' recommended by Socrates' is in fact also urged by Christ. Does not believe 'any great redemptive movement ever arises except through the Church', though 'in its official capacity' may 'hinder or even prevent it'. Also thinks the Church has been trying since the fourth century 'to repair the "error"' which Bob's Lucifer 'accuses Christ of making', though does not feel the efforts have been 'altogether successful or justified'. Is reading an interesting book by [Reginald Lane?] Poole ["Illustrations of the History of Medieval Thought and Learning"?]: finds John Scotus [Eriugena?] an 'interesting figure': most original and 'very much in the Platonic tradition'.

Cambo. - Thanks 'Uncle Bob' for sending his poems [this year's "From the Shiffolds"] likes them 'more each year. Lists those she likes best; for example, found the 'old one about the Trojan Captives grinding corn' very moving. Tries to write poetry herself, and will send her attempts when she has written more; had a piece published in "Country Life" a year ago. Is staying with Pauline; goes next week to Grasmere to see the Wordsworth material at Dove Cottage, since she is proposing to write a life of Wordsworth. Will return to Chichester after that. Sends love to her uncle and aunt..

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Hopes that the move to the new house has gone well. Thanks Elizabeth for the key; has sent it back to Lane [at Welcombe] who says it belongs to the piano. There was a 'fearful thunderstorm' on Tuesday, with one and a half inches of rain in an hour and a half, 'like a waterspout'; it came in the back door of Charlie's house and flooded the ground floor. George and Janet were arriving that evening, so they fetched them to Wallington, where they stayed till yesterday; she 'enjoyed the baby very much'. She and Sir George are pleased with the 'large new lawn in place of the garden', which is 'capital for games'; is looking forward to Elizabeth playing croquet there; she and Sir George are trying bowls.

Nether Denton, Low Row, Carlisle. - She and [her husband] John were 'delighted' with 'Uncle Bob's poems [this year's "From the Shiffolds"], particularly 'the one about the Roman peasant [his translation of "Moretum"] which was 'one of the most vivid descriptions' she has ever read. Expects Bob has seen John Dower's poems, some of which she thinks have 'real charm & pace'; thinks it good he has 'found pleasure in writing, as he draws near the end'; hears he is in bed again. She and John are having a quiet Christmas in the 'northern retreat' they have 'managed to find near Lanercost', and will return to Chichester around the middle of January.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - [The death of Theodore Llewelyn Davies] is 'indeed the most tragic event', and his family, friends and country will all miss him; he was 'one of the ablest & most useful of men'. Can tell her nothing more than the 'scraps' appearing in the newspapers: that he 'went out on Tuesday & was found drowned in the stream on Friday'. [Ralph?] Wedgwood wrote to Janet saying that the funeral was on Friday; none of his friends could have been there as it was so soon. George feels it 'most terribly'; Caroline is sure Bob will also miss him, and he is a 'great loss to Charles, as he was of the greatest help to him'. Everyone is thinking of [his brother] Crompton. She and Sir George feel it very much: Theodore 'seemed in a way to belong to the family' and he had great hopes of what he would do when the Liberals came to government. Hoping Charles and Mary will come for a couple of nights while their servants settle at Cambo; Charles may see Crompton before he comes and hear more, but 'there is evidently nothing to be found out'. Janet and the baby leave today. Is trying to discover whether the Carr Bosanquets are in the north, and will invite them if possible.