Showing 4 results

23 Leckford Road, Oxford.—Apologises for the interval in their correspondence. Smith’s entry into the [Catholic] Church made him feel awkward about writing, owing to the divergence in their views. Hopes Smith will not be in Venezuela for too long. Remains optimistic about the course of the war. Foligno’s departure has increased his duties, and they are working hard in the garden and digging trenches. They are expecting a daughter next month, so he cannot go away, and it will be too late for Smith to be able to visit them. Asks for his new address and assures him that, ‘incomprehension notwithstanding, my silence was not forgetfulness’.

23 Leckford Road, Oxford.—Refers to the interruption in their correspondence. He and his wife spent August working on their new house and garden, and at the same time he was trying to finish his work on Petrarch before war broke out. When war came, however, he had to prepare to take on most of Foligno’s work, as it was uncertain that Foligno would be able to return from Italy. In the event Foligno was a fortnight late and Whitfield had to spend the rest of the term catching up on his own work. Is increasingly hopeful that the war will end, but hopes that it has not upset Smith’s foothold at Cambridge. His wife has been teaching splint-making and painting W’s on wardens’ helmets, while he has translated the place-names of the British Empire into Italian and found the text of the leaflet D’Annunzio dropped on Vienna. Is trying to prevent Woolworths from destroying the Clarendon Hotel.

110 Banbury Road, Oxford.—Thanks him for the steps he has taken in connection his article [on Fanshawe?] and acknowledges his criticisms. It may be as well that it was rejected by Scrutiny, since Foligno might have disapproved of its ferocity. Refers to Fanshawe’s sonnets [his translations of sonnets by Camões] and some references he needs to look up. Discusses a point in the Inferno. Has discovered a Dürer drawing while researching Le Pautre in the Bodleian, and his article on it is to be printed in Old Master Drawings.

110 Banbury Road, Oxford.—Sympathises with his comments on the 'inhumanity' of the [English Faculty] Board [at Cambridge]. He (Whitfield) is not yet a person of much weight at Oxford, and even Foligno was unable to persuade the Press to reprint Fanshawe’s translation of the Pastor Fido. Asks for help with a translation of Colonna’s Hypnerotomachia Poliphili he is making for a timber-merchant of Tipton [Mr Round; see 1/115]. Will post the material for him to look at. Offers him and his aunt the use of their flat at Easter.