Showing 23 results

Emsworth House, Emsworth, Hants. - Has looked into his notes for the story he wrote, and found a copy of an article about Sven Hedin's discoveries in the Teklamakan desert which had a short passage with the information that served as his inspiration. Responding to 'Uncle Don's' offer to do research into the story, he quotes from this passage at length. Comments that 'Mr Trevelyan' will be probably be able to tell Uncle Don about Fa Hsien, who introduced Buddhism into China, and, 'having travelled through the desert to China' returned with a tale about a beautiful city in the desert, destroyed because of the wickedness of its inhabitants; would like to know more about Fa Hsien and his book, and believes there is an English translation as 'Kipling mentions it as "Beal and Stanislas Julien" in Kim'. Does not expect Mr Trevelyan has the book, but would be very grateful if Uncle Don could find a fuller account of Fa Hsien's tale, or any more information about the desert cities; wonders if [Herbert?] Giles discusses them in the book Uncle Don told him about. Hopes he is well, and that Aunt Grettie is better; tells him to come to the sports [day at school?] if he can; it will probably be about the middle of June.

Association Guillaume Budé, 157 Boul. Saint-Germain, Paris - Announces he has been proposed, with Rudyard Kipling, as docteur honoris causa of the Université de Paris; it is not yet official and he should consider the communication confidential.

Bateman's, Burwash, Sussex - Is sorry he Frazer is not able to come to the University of St Andrews next month [to receive an honorary degree]; was looking forward to meeting him, believes there are 'very many things on which we were well agreed'.

Bateman's, Burwash, Sussex - Offers Frazer an honorary degree from the University of St Andrews on the occasion of his installation as Rector.

3, Hare Court, Inner Temple. - Begins the letter in the National Liberal Club near Trafalgar Square, where he will soon go to an 'anti-jingo' meeting. Expects this will not be a big affair, as 'pacific people are only too few'; the 'self-satisfied Anglo-Saxon conceit gets worse and worse every year', and 'Kipling, Fashoda, Mr [Joseph] Chamberlain, and even the Dreyfus case' have contributed to it; wishes there was a 'good chance of a fiasco in the Transvaal, not so much for the sake of the Boers' but for the British; has never felt less of a patriot. Is working at the British Museum while his house is being decorated, for which [Roger] Fry has a free hand; expects the result will be 'most charming'. Glad the Frys are going to Ede; he is 'very interesting and full of ideas', though he always wants 'an orthodoxy to comfort him', not necessarily that 'of the multitude', and 'wonderfully sympathetic and imaginative'; she is 'delightful... in quite a different way to him'. Was not there when they cut into the cheese and did not send instructions, so it is now 'as dry as pumice' though they say they like it. Going to see a Japanese melodrama with them tomorrow; expects it will be 'pretty bad' but has heard the 'scenery and costumes are first rate'. Envies the Frys their trip to Holland, wishes that he could go there again so soon, and that Bessie were in the room with him now looking as he writes things he 'scarcely could put into articulate words, things which [he] dare not write now'. She would be safe, as [Charles] Sanger is away; otherwise he would be shocked, 'so mistrustful of ladies as he is wont to be'. His feelings have not changed, as he feared they may when he was away from her, and he now believes that they will not; will say no more, as he is 'not supposed to be writing [her] a love-letter', though he would if she gave him leave. Wishes they could see each other again soon; will come whenever or wherever she might say she wishes. Apologises for sending her that quote from [George] Moore [see 9/75]; meant to show her it was foolish of 'so muddle-brained a creature' as he is to try and understand such things; finds it easier to understand Moore when he talks than when he writes, as in writing he 'compresses his thought so small that it almost becomes invisible'; most philosophers 'sin' the other way. Says he sees nothing wrong in 'trying to think properly, which is all philosophy tries to do'; does not think it does imagination any harm. Could never agree with Neitsche [sic] that 'speculation is a kind of mental disease'. Quotes from Balzac ["Les Secrets de la princesse de Cadignan"] in French. Will send Bessie more books when she wants them.

Finishes the letter the day after the anti-war demonstration, which 'turned out to be antiboer', as the 'great majority of the crowd was for war'; they 'looked picturesque enough' but the meeting was dull since there was too much noise for the speakers to be heard and 'not even a decent fight'. Glad she is going to make some music with [Willem?] Witsen; asks when she starts her lessons with her new teacher in Amsterdam [Bram Eldering]. Is sorry he forgot to say goodbye [to her uncle]; they will think him vague and absent-minded, which is perhaps right. Hopes she is not worried by their suspicions; is glad Bramine [Hubrecht] is kind to her and that Bessie has taken her into her confidence. Fears there is 'only one way' [marriage] of things coming right for him. She guessed his age correctly: he turned 27 on 28 June. Guesses she is 24 or 25, but he is a bad guesser, and if she were '30 or even 40' he would not mind much, 'except that then [she] would not have as many years in this curious world'. Invites her to call him 'Bob', like his family and most intimate friends; is known in general as 'Trevy'. Now going to the British Museum to read Diodorus Siculus; he could make out he was 'very learnèd' in revenge for his confusion on saying 'something stupid about music'. Asks to be remembered to Bramine; is going to give one of her sketches to his mother. His mind is made up as to what he wants, but he can be patient 'for some time at least'.

The University, St Andrews. Dated 7th July 1923 - The Senatus Academicus would like to confer the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws at a graduation ceremony to be held on the occasion of the installation of Rudyard Kipling as Rector of the University.

40 Well Walk, Hampstead, NW. - Is 'pleased and honoured' that Bob, [Gordon] Bottomley, [Lascelles] Abercrombie and [Wilfrid] Gibson want to include him in their scheme for a Poetry Annual; thinks such a publication is 'needed' and would be glad to contribute. However, does not understand some of the suggestions, and has 'doubts about the wisdom of others': thinks it would not be possible to have a 'non-poet editor' who can hold a poem over for the next year, as the same poem is unlikely to be available in two successive years; also asks if contributors would be restricted to publishing in the "Annual", as he thinks this would be impossible'. Thinks [Marsh's] "Georgian Poetry" did better than "New Numbers" as it was more catholic; would like the Annual to be 'even more so'. Thinks they should form a committee of between three and five poets to decide the price and size of the Annual on financial grounds then offer an equal number of pages to, say: [John] Masefield, [W. B.] Yeats, [Laurence] Binyon, Abercrombie, [W. H.] Davies, [Walter] de la Mare, [Ralph] Hodgson, Gibson, Bottomley, himself, Trevelyan, and another. For the next number, the committee should be the only ones with a right to a place. Any untaken pages should be offered to 'people like [Robert] Bridges and H.D. the best of the Imagists for opposite reasons'; discusses how extra pages should be allocated. Thinks it important to invite 'all well known men' like [Henry] Newbolt, Rudyard Kipling, [Thomas] Hardy and [Maurice] Hewlett, 'whatever one thinks of their work' though not every year; some would refuse but 'that is their fault'. Should also invite 'as many as possible from enemy cliques' and those who have been well reviewed. Profits should be shared out by page. The committee should not 'judge of merit', except in choice of contributors, which would 'insure much more variety and a wider circulation'. The book must not seem bulky, so recommends using the 'very beautiful thin papers' available now used for bibles and the classics. Would like to 'rule out [Robert] Frost from the first list as not being a British subject'; thinks he and other Americans could be allocated a few pages but 'never be on the committee'. Discusses possible role of the publisher.

Asks Bob if in March, April or May there is 'any quantity of fallen leaves under Olive trees', and what the correct adjective formed from 'Medusa' would be. Sends love to the Trevelyans. Offers in a postscript to take responsibility for the 'physical appearance' of the Annual for no payment. Twelve may be too large a number for the 'inner list' but well-known names outside their set should be included; Yeats would be 'safe' as he would never want much space; dividing profits by number of pages would give Abercrombie & Gibson and others 'with a tendancy to metrical diarrhea [sic]' a chance of getting as much money as by the other plan. Expects to be here on the 22nd and 23rd and will be glad to see Bob; cannot invite him to the house yet as the children are ill and they have 'servant troubles to boot'.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Wishes Robert well for the examination and advises him on the attitude he should take towards it. Thinks he is right to go to the House Supper; they will have a good second shoot in Christmas week. He is making some speeches in Lancashire next week, but after that they will 'enjoy the winter'.

Hotel Bristol, Piazza Barberini, Rome, Italy. - Is actually writing from Castellammare [di Stabia]; gives detailed impressions of Pompeii, where they spent the morning, including his sense that Martial and Horace's works could have been written by people who lived there, in the same way that Kipling fits with 'Anglo-Indian society and houses'. A man living in the house where they are staying kept the main hotel on Ischia and lost everything in the 1883 earthquake. Can see Vesuvius 'smoking away' as he writes. Bob can write to Rome as their letters are sent on.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Asks Robert if he knows the whereabouts of a copy of [Dickens's] "Barnaby Rudge", and the "Harrow Atlas of Ancient Geography" which he very much misses; has found an entry in the list of lent books indicating that Robert had these, but the initials have been crossed out. Has just finished Conrad's "Rescue"; seems a 'strange delusion' that people consider him out of the ordinary, and rank him with writers such as 'Arnold Bennett, Wells, Mrs Sidgwick, Shaw, Kipling, and Stevenson'; he is of course clever, 'but he does not know how to tell a plain, or an impassioned story'; read "Chance" aloud to Caroline, which amused him despite 'the upside down of the narrative', but can read nothing else of his with pleasure. Sends birthday wishes.

Guildford. - Apologises for being in Paris. Thursday afternoon or evening the best time; has to dine in town on Wednesday, Sorry he 'seems so snarkish' [ie, elusive, like Lewis Carroll's Snark?] at the moment. Has been 'seeing the French Post-Imp[ressionist] poets'; Bob does not like them but they are 'nice people, only they will like Kipling'.

The Shiffolds. - Now back from Edinburgh, where he 'spent a few very interesting days staying with the Professor of Chemistry, [George] Barger, who is half Dutch, an old Cambridge man'. The Toveys do not have enough room in their house for guests, but Robert 'saw plenty of them, which was a great pleasure'. The concert went well: the [Reid] Orchestra is said to have 'played better than it has ever done, and the orchestra seemed to enjoy the extract from the opera [The Bride of Dionysus, and recalled Tovey several times']. If [Thomas] Beecham 'had not gone bankrupt, he would probably have produced the opera this year'; instead they will 'have to wait, for operas are expensive things'.

On returning home, found Julian's [whooping] cough much better; he is 'thin, and gets tired easily' but generally 'fairly well and cheerful'. Robert reads history, poetry, and the Bible with him; they 'don't read the bible at his school, so it is as well he should at home, and he certainly enjoys it a great deal', though Robert sees 'no signs as yet of his having a religious turn of mind'. Bessie is reading [Kipling's] Captains Courageous to Julian, who 'likes it very much'.

Robert will go to Cambridge next month to see the Oresteia performed [in J. T. Sheppard's Greek production; Robert's translation was available for the audience]. A letter from Robert's father to Julian came today; Julian will open it tomorrow on his birthday.

The Gallows, Ryton, Dymock. - Very glad to hear that Bob may be at Silverdale while he and his family are at Grange [over Sands]:will be 'extremely nice' to see him, and the 'smaller points of the "Annual [of New Poetry"' will be easier to discuss in person than writing. Agrees with Bob about [Thomas Sturge] Moore's suggestions so much [see 20/51] that it is 'scarcely necessary to discuss them further': an annual embracing the 'whole of English current poetry might be a laudable project', but one 'totally different from the one proposed', and he personally would feel no interest in it. An annual including Kipling and Ezra Pound would 'command only a very faint and academic interest' in him and he expects also in Bob, Wilfrid [Gibson] and Gordon [Bottomley]; let people call them a 'clique' if they like. Including such contributors would increase the circulation, but also result in a 'more drastic division of profits'; they might possibly if the whole 'board' agreed invite 'some special celebrity to contribute to some particular number', but this should not 'threaten [their] close corporation'. If this is done, is sure it is 'unfair & unpoetic to pay by the page'; they should discuss this, but as an example he insisted that the profits for "New Numbers" should be divided equally, despite some resistance, and it was 'Rupert [Brooke]'s six pages of sonnets' that led to it selling out, not his own or Wilfrid's 'voluminosities'. Since Bob 'partly agree[s]' with him, he will discusss this more when they meet.

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'.

Addressed to Charles Trevelyan at 14 Great College Street, Westminster, London S.W. - The postcard shows the gun 'that comes in the beginning of Kips [sic: Kipling's "Kim"]. Has had a very mild case of German measles, which has prevented him going to Peshawar; Charles 'need not be afraid of infection'. Is staying with A. M. Stow, who was at Harrow with him. Will go to Delhi in about a week.

8, Grosvenor Crescent. - Much looks forward to receiving a book by Turgenieff from Elizabeth; it is to the later writings 'what "The Plain Tales from the Hills" is to Kipling's work'; will read thoughts of Elizabeth into it. Caroline very much enjoyed her afternoon; he went to the National Gallery; yesterday they saw the 'delightful exhibition' of sketches and drawings at the British Museum.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Glad to hear they are all well; Caroline sends love; a 'cuckoo for ever calling here' makes him think of 'the dear little boy' [Paul] and of 'Will Shakespeare'. They have just finished Hogg [his life of Shelley], and thinks more of Hogg 'in his queer way' than ever; has been reading a Macmillan edition of Shelley: 'What a poet!'. Has read [Roger] Fry's article in the Burlington Magazine, and paid a second visit to the illuminated manuscripts [exhibition at the Burlington Fine Arts Club] yesterday before leaving London; has also looked through the British Museum facsimiles here and at Grosvenor Crescent. Hopes Fry's wife will 'go on satisfactorily'. The 'Doctorate business' [his forthcoming honorary degree at Cambridge] is 'very plain sailing': Lord Halsbury, Lord Rayleigh, and Sir James Ramsey will also be staying at [Trinity College] Lodge; they lunch at [Gonville &] Caius, whose Master [Ernest Roberts] is Vice Chancellor. Others receiving honorary degrees are: the Duke of Northumberland; Admiral Sir John Fisher; Charles Parsons; Sir James Ramsay; Sir W[illiam] Crookes; Professor Lamb; Professor Marshall; Asquith; Lord Halsbury; Sir Hubert Herkomer; Sir Andrew Noble; Rudyard Kipling; Professor Living; they will 'advance on the Senate House...like the English at Trafalgar'. in two columns. Is looking forward to dinner in the hall at Trinity. Went to Harrow on Tuesday and will tell Robert about it and about the 'Cacciola affair'.

Expresses his appreciation for Balfour's personal acknowledgment of the receipt of Marshall's Instinct and Reason. Regrets that he found no opportunity in its pages to express the obligation he felt he owed to him for the help obtained from Balfour's writings. Explains that he is an architect 'in very active practice', and claims that he has been influenced by Balfour's example to continue his work in psychology, even though it has involved 'much arduous labour and not a few sacrifices.' Hopes that Balfour will find the opportunity to read his book, and make criticisms on it. States that all Americans 'are just now rejoicing with all England that Kipling's life has been saved.' Declares that the latter introduced him some years previously to Balfour's brother Eustace. Adds that one of his pleasantest memories is connected with Balfour's sister, Nora Sidgwick, 'who entertained [him] most graciously when [he] was last in England.' Asks to be remembers to her and to Henry Sidgwick.

5 St Mary's Passage, Cambridge - Kitty and Leslie, took tea with Kipling, description of Kipling, attended exhibitions of the works of Rembrandt and Burne Jones, Christmas party.

Trinity [on headed notepaper for the Harrow Philathletic Club]:- Thanks his mother for her letter and the half sovereign. Is afraid the paper 'was not as good as it ought to have been, in fact it was very bad indeed'. It is 'bound to be a failure', as 'every sensible person' thought long before it came out. Sees Kipling has a new book of ballads out [Barrack-Room Ballads], which are 'said to be very good' and seem to be from what he has seen of them.

Will have to arrange a day soon to come and see Woodhouse [his dentist], who says after this visit Robert's teeth should be 'right for a very long time'. Does not think he will get Hurst's rooms, so will probably have to wait for Charlie's. Hopes his father is well, and 'will soon have the satisfaction of hearing that [the Liberals] have won North Hackney [in a by-election]'. Hopes G[eorgie] is well at Harrow.

Finds he knows so much about Waterloo that he thinks he will 'have to go to America to lecture on it'. Thinks that Aunt Alice is coming to the Myers' house next Sunday.