Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Glad to hear Elizabeth and Robert have found 'such a charming place'. George has been staying, but returns to London tomorrow; he has been reading his chapter on William III [from "England Under the Stuarts"] to her, which is 'very able'. Charles and Mary are enjoying Cornwall, and will stop at Welcombe next week on their way to London. There is a delay in the post from Italy; 'something delightful' in not having a post and telegraph office. Wrote a letter addressed to Valescure, but Elizabeth will not miss much if it has gone astray. There was a 'grand victory' [in the General Election] at Norwich, and they are hoping for one at Gateshead. Mrs [Dobree] Trevelyan of Netherwitton died suddenly, having been ill for years and a few days later so did her husband, Thornton; he was a 'nice quiet fellow' and they will miss him very much. Sends love to Robert; hopes that he will continue to enjoy La Croix [-Valmer?] and that the sunshine will do him good. Hopes they have pleasant company, and that some of their friends will join them. Sir George is well and has begun reading for the next volume [of "The American Revolution"]; he is getting lots of reviews, many from America, which he is happy about. Booa [Mary Prestwich] was worn out for a few days, but is more or less recovered now. Pleased Elizabeth and Robert are out of the 'cold fog'; Britain has an 'odious climate'.
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - It is a 'sign of the times' that Robert noticed [Thomas] Nelson Page in Piccadilly because he was wearing a top hat; fancy Robert 'meeting him over Loeb!'. What Robert says about the foxes is 'curious and disgusting; most unjust and selfish as a usurped class privilege'. Thornton Trevelyan once saw a fox catch a pheasant quite high up in the air. Interested and 're-assured' by what Robert says about Julian.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Left the vest he borrowed from Bob in Sanger's rooms; thinks he left his razor strop at Haslemere and if so 'bequeath[s]' it as a present. Had a good day's shooting yesterday with John and Thornton. Clear that there will be peace for at least a few months [after the Fashoda Incident], though 'there is perhaps more permanent danger of war than there used to be'.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - They have settled with Thornton Trevelyan to shoot the covers at Wallington on 4 October; asks if Robert will be able to come; predicts the game will be good. They have a large party of visitors: the Knutsfords, Jebbs, and Sir Spencer Walpole; Sir Alfred Lyall and the [Henry?] Sidgwicks come tomorrow. Is getting on well with his book [the first volume of the "History of the American Revolution"], and has revised the first half with 'great help' from Robert's comments; it is 'very much improved' and he hopes to have it all finished in a fortnight.
The Master's Lodge, Trinity College, Cambridge. - Liked Bob's reminiscences of 'old Thornton [Trevelyan?] very much, and his 'defence of rough shooting' is the best George has read; in general Bob's last article [in the "Abinger Chronicle?"] was a 'delightful piece of writing', and brought back the past. He and Janet concerned that Bob is losing his servants; they hope he and Bessie will 'be able to make a shift'
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Glad that Robert found Julian 'so well and stout', and to hear about Aunt Annie [Philips]; as well as Robert's 'report about "darkling". His shoot yesterday was very disappointing; plenty of birds but they only got fifteen and Charles shot all day; once got thirty-nine in a day on the same day while shooting with Thornton [Trevelyan?]. They are waiting for six hundred Newcastle Liberals to arrive; will give lunch to fourteen of them 'of whom 4 are knights or baronets', but will 'take care not to give bite or sup otherwise' since 'the Dorsetshire petition... warns us that hosts must not be Guests' [a pun on Freddie Guest, unseated due to election irregularities by his constituency agent]. Impressed by Byron's 'courage in making "darkle" a verb. But he was an audacious aristocrat.'
[On headed notepaper for Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland]:- Thanks his parents for their letters. The work is 'very slow in the sixth', but he does not mind too much, as 'the Sophocles is very hard to do really correctly' and at least Welldon thoroughly explains it. Studies in his own time to 'make up', and has 'now got fairly into the Prometheus Vinctus [of Aeschylus]', which he has always wanted to do. Will also 'finish the De Corona [by Demosthenes] easily before the end of the term'.
Is 'very glad' that Sanderson has come back, 'as he is the only person who is really interesting'; he is 'conservative in opinions, but not in heart', and Robert thinks 'he will be converted, in part at least'. Football is 'rather slow, and [their house's] torpids are too small to be good' but they are 'doing [their] best to teach them'. [William?] Strutt 'promises to be a really first rate player, if only he will grow'. Asks his father to tell his mother that he is 'not in the Philathlet[ic Club], and shall not be for a long time': he just used Charlie's writing paper.
Had a cold which looked as if it were going to become serious, but is 'well now by judicious stopping-out'. Hopes Georgie will recover by the end of term, and will at least have 'a happy time at Wallington'. Is 'very surprised to hear about the 5 at a shot business', but is 'always for defending Thornton [Trevelyan?]'s veracity'. Has written to his grandfather, though found it 'rather difficult' since he 'had had now experience'. Is 'very sorry for him as he feels it so much'.