Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Glad they can hope to see Elizabeth; thinks it is the best thing, especially as she is keeping Nurse Catt, which is very good news; the other nurse cannot have been very clever or she would have made friends with [Julian]. Charlie calls him 'a superb little chap'; he and Mary will be glad it is settled. Asks Elizabeth to tell Nurse Catt how glad she is she is staying, and that the north country air will do her good. Asks her to let Maria know when to expect them [at Grosvenor Crescent]; discusses travel arrangements. Sir Charles Dalrymple and his daughter [Alice?] are visiting on the 24th, and some neighbours are coming to dinner, but otherwise they will be quiet. Geordie [George Lowthian Trevelyan] has recovered from chickenpox and the girls show no sign of it yet; they have not been to Wallington so Julian will be safe. Politics is very exciting; was 'very glad the Conference failed'. Elizabeth's Dutch paper has begun to arrive. Sure she has done the best thing about the nurse, even if Mrs Catt only stays a few months. Good for the Liberal party to have the R[ussell] Reas at Tannhurst [sic: Tanhurst]; fears Elizabeth cannot fight the seat this time. Asks Elizabeth in a postscript to send a telegraph with their arrival day, as she may want to go to Newcastle.
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Sorry for late letters: the posts are 'much disorganised'; has sent a telegram by the nurse who is taking Julian out in the pony cart; gives news of the child. Glad the R[ussell] Reas are friendly; sure they will be pleasant neighbours. Sir George is well again, and has been round with her 'to give presents & talk to the people', who all seemed to be enjoying Christmas.
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.
8, Grosvenor Crescent. - Amusing to hear of 'Julian's peregrinations'; expects he will have 'come on famously' by the time they meet at Welcombe. Caroline is much better; enjoying a watercolour exhibition and walks again; she is being careful in bad weather. Annie Thompson came to lunch, and Kate Philips came to say goodbye before her tour of the Italian lakes which is a 'great thing' for them. The Russell Reas must be an 'addition', sure they will think they are fortunate to have Elizabeth as a neighbour. He has filled in the census paper, more accurately than before; will have learned to do it perfectly by the time he does it for his 'house in the New Jerusalem'.