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'.
108A Lexham Gardens, Kensington, W.—Commends the latest issue of the Gentleman’s Magazine (the first of a new series under the editorship of A. H. Bullen, with McKerrow as assistant).
(With envelope.)
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108A Lexham Gardens, Kensington, W.
2 March 1906.
Dear Mr McKerrow,
I am very much obliged to you for your courtesy in sending me a copy of ‘The Gentleman’s Magazine’ for February. It presents a very satisfactory appearance, and will, I do not doubt, prove very serviceable.
I am
Yours very truly,
Sidney Lee.
[Direction on envelope:] R. B. McKerrow, Esq., | 30 Manchester Street, | Manchester Square, | W.
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The envelope was postmarked at Kensington Sorting Office, W., at 1.15 p.m. on 2 March 1906.
{1} This number began a new series of the magazine, under the editorship of A. H. Bullen, with McKerrow as assistant. It was effectively discontinued the following year, though ‘copyright registration copies’, consisting of the wrappers only, continued to be sent to the British Museum till 1922. See F. C. Francis, ‘A List of the Writings of Ronald Brunlees McKerrow’, Transactions of the Bibliographical Society, 4th series, xxi (1941), 235–6, and McKerrow’s letter in the Times Literary Supplement, 18 June 1931, p. 487.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Likes to think of Elizabeth in Ravello. Has been very busy since coming to Welcombe on 3 January; has been arranging a room for her own use in the mornings, which is 'quite comfortable' though has 'no view' and, currently, a 'hideous paper'. The Arthur Sidgwicks and their daughter [Ethel] came on Monday, Sidney Lee joined them. On Wednesday the library opened; has sent Elizabeth a Stratford paper with a report. The ceremony was 'nicely arranged' and went well; likes the building, which is in keeping with the surroundings. [Andrew] Carnegie gave the building and fittings, which are 'in good taste', then maintenance of the building will come from rates, and there is a subscription fund for buying books. Hopes it will 'do good': there is 'room for "sweetness & light" in Stratford'. Miss Corelli did not appear but 'must be very angry'; is sure she will 'do something malicious'. Mary Booth says in a letter that Charles will probably bring Meg to Elizabeth; gave a 'cheerful' account of the family. Is going to London on Monday, and will spend the evening with Janet. Pleased to hear Mrs Enticknap has had a little girl [named May]; has sent her a coat and hood. Has never read [Stendhal's] "Le Rouge et le Noir", but knows "La Chartreuse [de Parme]". Has Madame [Juliette] Adam's memoirs, and has been 'delighting in Burne-Jones life [by his wife]'. Hope Robert's work is going well; asks whether they are continuing their translation; whether the road is mended yet, and whether the Capucini Hotel at Amalfi goes on 'as before'. They are taking a trip to Rome next winter. Sir George is well; he took a week's break from his book, 'travelling & doing his speech', and now happily at work on it again. C[harles] and M[ary] are at Cambo; they celebrated their wedding anniversary by catching the train to Woodburn and walking back by Sweethope Lake, and enjoyed this 'immense expedition' very much.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Sends belated New Year good wishes. George arrived on Friday from Wales and has been in bed ever since with 'a return of the influenza'; he is now recovering but cannot go abroad this week. Hopes Janet will be able to change the tickets; she is coming this afternoon. Sorry that Julian is troubled with constipation; important not to neglect it, but it will probably go when he can do more 'walking exercise'. Hopes Elizabeth's sister [Mien Röntgen] enjoyed her visit; they had the A[rthur] Sidgwicks and Sidney Lee this week. They have just been watching a tree being cut down; the men are very clever.
108A, Lexham Gardens, Kensington, London, W.8. - Asks on behalf of Professor Volterra of the University of Rome if Frazer would be interested in giving a course of lectures during the next year.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Returned 'quite comfortably', and found Sir George 'well & cheerful'. Miss Martin had been 'a very good companion'. Sidney Lee, Miss [Lily?] Noble and Ella Pease came on Sunday, but they are alone again now. Will send Elizabeth's Christmas present with the hamper going to Gr[osvenor] Cr[escen[t]; it will be there on Saturday morning so can be collected if she stays in town for Friday night. There will be 'a little "pot pourri" in the parcel also'; sent some flowers yesterday. Sorry Elizabeth's cough continued to trouble her; asks if it is gone now and what the doctor thought of it; also when they plan to go abroad. Good that Elizabeth can leave Mrs E[nticknap] in charge of the house. Hopes Mrs [Helen] Fry keeps well and that 'the event [the birth of her child?] will come off soon'. Madame Grandmont has written kindly, and seems 'cheerful about her husband' Wishes Elizabeth could see the 'school children's [Christmas] tree. It is so pretty in the Hall'.
108A Lexham Gardens, Kensington, London, W.8.—Thanks him for the first number of the Review, and praises it.
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16 Dec: 24
108a Lexham Gardens, Kensington, London, W.8
Dear McKerrow,
Many thanks for the first number of ‘The Review of English Studies’. It seems to me to be quite admirable. The articles are all of interest. I wish the venture every success.
I enclose a subscription.
Yours sincerely
Sidney Lee.
[No direction.]
Dictionary of National Biography, 15 Waterloo Place S.W. - Is sorry to hear of his correspondent's 'disablement' and hopes it is temporary only. Passes on the results of his research into the death of Savile Morton and the acquittal of his killer [Harold] Elyot Bower.
108 Lexham Gardens, Kensington, W.—Is puzzled that there is no reference in the new Capell Catalogue to John Soowthern’s Pandora.
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108 Lexham Gardens, Kensington, W.
Feb. 2. 1904.
Since I first wrote to you I am rather puzzled by my inability to find in the Capell Catalogue any reference to John Soowthern’s Pandora—the Musique of the Beautie of his Mistresse Diana, 1584, of which a perfect copy is at Britwell, and copies without the title page—the only others apparently known—are, it is usually stated, at the Brit. Mus. and in the Capell collection. Ritson, according to Heber’s Catalogue, described the Capell copy. Heber also speaks of the copy, and so does Corser. It is rather puzzling to find no trace of it in the new catalogue. I know the Museum imperfect copy, which once belonged to Steevens.
I believe there is only one other copy known of Thomas Watson’s “Ould facioned loue &c.” I recently examined it in Sion College Library.
Sidney Lee.
[Direction:] Dr Aldis Wright, | Trinity College, | Cambridge.
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Postmarked at Kensington, W., at 8.30 p.m. on 2 February 1904.
108a Lexham Gardens, Kensington, London, W.8. - Congratulates Frazer.
(The article contains a reference to the controversy between Greg and Sidney Lee regarding the quartos recently acquired by the Trustees of the Birthplace.)