Witte Huis. - The mild weather has turned to an 'old fashioned winter' so Arend [her son] has gone skating at Vinkeveen. Jan [her husband] has not yet been skating, but will do so when it turns less cold. He has been for a short stay in Mürren and Lauterbrunnen [Switzerland] as chef d'équipe of the Dutch students skiing group. Julie Graffman [her daughter] is staying here at the moment with her youngest child Sture; Holger [Julie's husband] is coming in about four days and they will all then travel to America. Six architects have also been staying, one of them Lucia [another daughter]'s husband [Van Ginkel]. Two of the architects are English - John Voelcker, and Peter Smithson, who knows Julian and 'thinks highly of him' - they are leaving tomorrow. All the architects love the Paddestoel [Lucia Hubrecht's house] and also think the Witte Huis 'very charming': how her aunt Bramine and Alphonse Grandmont 'knew how to live!', though she herself would like to be in Sicily [where Bramine Hubrecht and Alphonse Hubrecht also had a house] now for the winter. Sends her own love and that of Jan, who is sitting by the fire downstairs reading to Julie, Lucia, and the wife of a friend of Arend who works at the United Nations in America. Tante Liesje [?] is 'the same & well looked after'.
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'.
2, Cheyne Gardens, S. W. - Thanks Bessie for her letter; they were 'much amused and pleased at Goldie [Lowes Dickinson]'s horror of the man of war', but Bessie never 'saw Goldie dressed up in his war paint' as George did when they were 'volunteers together'. Afraid he and Janet cannot lunch on Wednesday 20th, and he is lecturing at Cambridge on Thursday 21st. Invites her to come to tea with them on Wednesday, or to dinner just with Jan on Thursday. Asks to be remembered to Jan [Hubrecht], and sends good wishes to his wife.
Thinks this [referring to an enclosure now not present?] is a 'really dear old letter'; he is 'human enough to prefer such 'thinking aloud' to 'propriety' though he would not have written it himself and hopes he will 'be spared a correspondence'. Very pleased that Elizabeth so likes his book ["Garibaldi and the Thousand"]; values her opinion 'highly'. She is 'quite right about the Sicilians'; if it were not for his considerable debt to 'individual Sicilians', he would have been 'more humorous at the expense of their absurd countrymen'. Comments on what a 'jolly time we have on the Fifth of November'. Is lunching with 'the Jans' [Jan Hubrecht and his wife] tomorrow at Cambridge. Notes in a postscript that he knows about Aunt Annie [Philips] and has heard from her.
2, Cheyne Gardens, S.W. - Very upset by Bessie's 'sad tragedy' [the death of her cousin Bramine Hubrecht at the Shiffolds]; she was a 'dear woman'; Janet had a 'charming letter' from her about Theo's death and has often wished she could see her again; she was a 'real friend' to Bessie. Wonders whether Julian realised what was going on; he is very young to be 'acquainted with death'. Bessie must be tired out; good that she had the Hubrechts [Jan Bastiaan and his wife Leonore?] with her, and 'dear little Mama', who is 'a brick always to turn up when we want her'. Wishes Bessie would come and visit them in town; does not know how much longer Bob will be away, but it is 'much too long' since they saw each other.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - [The household of the Maharajah of Chhatapur] is a 'most romantic life to have witnessed, and become domesticated in'. Has been reading Kipling, and been increasingly 'impressed by the brutality of his attitude about the Bengalees' and also the 'genius' which turns 'such a perverted and artificial view' into such good reading. Bessy has just returned, and they have had a visit from Jan Hubrecht and his wife; Jan is 'so able all round' and has certainly 'matured'; he and his wife seem very happy. George has been here for a while and they have discussed their respective books; they seem designed 'to criticise each other in exactly the points that are specially needed'. Aunt Annie [Philips] is here, and they are a 'very jolly party'.
c/o J. Hubrecht, 12 Campden Hill Gardens, W. - Is in town for a few days, and staying with the Hubrechts; will return to the Shiffolds on Monday or Tuesday, when Bessie and Julian come back. They seem to be having a pleasant time at the Park; Robert thought Aunt Annie to be 'very well and cheerful', and Francis says she looks better than on her return to the Park.
Hopes his book [The Foolishness of Solomon] will come out in the next few days; it is 'quite ready but for the binding', as the binders keep sending 'samples quite different to what they were told to do'. Tovey's symphony was 'not very well performed last Monday', but it 'had quite a good reception. It is a difficult work, and the program was too long', but Robert thinks it is 'really fine'. Has seen Charles several times, who is 'quite well, and as cheerful as may be'.
Today it is almost too hot; expects rain will be wanted in the country by now. Hopes his parents are well. Will write to his father when he gets back home. Bessie says she has taken The Spiritual Quixote [by Richard Graves] from the library [at Welcombe]; they will take care of it and return it soon.
West Hackhurst. - Thanks Bessie for her kind letter. His 'contusions swelled to exaggerated proportions' at Cambridge; he 'fell on [his] nose at the Wings for Victory Garden Party' and also bruised both wrists, but 'carried on as usual afterwards, and no bleeding'. Had not heard Max [Beerbohm?] 'nearly tumbled'. Wishes he had seen his lecture: has just been sent the proofs from Cambridge and 'as reading, it is rather flimsy'.
Has just had a letter from Moya Davies; she asks him to tell Bessie that she is 'very anxious to know about Leo Hubrecht and her children, especially Julie'; thinks they 'were at Switzerland just before the war, the younger children at school in Holland'. Also has a 'dear friend in Burma, Carola Toennies' and another in Italy, and has not had a word from either since the beginning of the war; supposes 'it is the same with everyone'. Gives Moya's address as 'Killadreenan House, Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow, Eire' in case Bessie wants to write direct, or he could send a message for her if she prefers. Richard [Moya's son] has a new wife 'in the place of Ann Stephen, who has got someone else [Richard Synge]'.
Is very pleased with the new Abinger Chronicle; 'not entirely carrried away' by his own contribution, but Bob's is 'very good'. Asks whether she agrees that they are generally *much more comfortable and vigourous [sic] on our own'; found S. S. [Sylvia Sprigge] a 'most enervating editress'.
His mother is 'fairly well, though she hasn't been up to her former level since illness at the beginning of the year'; she is enjoying the garden, which is 'lovely'. Hopes that Bessie will be able to visit soon, though next week he will be away a great deal. Went to see Florence [Barger] yesterday, who 'seems very well and is on yet another committee - reforming London University'; gathers Edith Mathews is staying with her. Margaret is 'cheerful, but no better, whatever Florence says or thinks or pretends to think'; would be better if she went to an institution, and she will have to one day as it is 'too much for Florence and Harriet'.
Sends his and his mother's love.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Bob's visit was timely, as Sir George was not well and it did him good to talk; he has recovered now. Hopes Elizabeth will see Dr Cornish; the nettle rash shows she needs treatment. Does not think she should eat porridge: she herself gets a rash when she eats it. The children are stopping until Monday since the weather is cold. Though Marjorie was indeed 'very dull & stupid' when Robert was here, she has brightened up; she is backward in learning but 'quite intelligent... and rather good with her fingers'. Hopes Miss Clark will teach her. The little one [Florence] is a 'vigorous clean little imp'. Glad Julian is improving; thinks children gain self-control as they grow. Wonders whether Elizabeth will get to London soon; would be good for him to see other children's work. Is interested to hear about Jan Hubrecht [his diplomat posting to Tokyo] is 'a fearful long way to go', and she half wonders at him taking his wife and children. Booa is definitely recovering, but slowly; she has been ill for three months. Sir George liked 'the Butler book' [Henry Festing Jones's edition of Samuel Butler's notebooks?]. Caroline would like to read the Tagore. Read 'the Poetry Annual' ["An Annual of New Poetry", edited by Robert Trevelyan?] with interest; 'if not very striking [it] is thoroughly pleasant reading'; asks when she should order it.
Originally enclosing a few more promotional notices [for the forthcoming production of his own "Meleager" and Sturge Moore's "Medea"], which Julian could send to [his Cambridge contemporaries?] [Douglas Elliott?] Braithwaite, Lintot, and [Evert?] Barger, though they may not go even if they are in London. Could not come to the "Bacchae", as he fell from a bus step, sprained his knee, and has been laid up for six days at the Abercrombies' house. Had a rehearsal today, then Bessie fetched him home in their 'new second-hand Vauxhall'. [Ronald?] Watkins said today that he found the "Bacchae" rather disappointing; however, asks Julian to let [J.T.] Sheppard know why he could not come, if he sees him. Originally enclosing a card for the Independent Gallery, where there are ' '6 lovely early Corots... a very fine Degas, a Courbet' and some other things. Will go to the [Jan?] Hubrechts' party on 18 March. Bessie and the Röntgens are going to Edinburgh on Tuesday; he will probably take the night train that day or go up the day after; if Julian also goes to the party he could travel up with him.