Showing 12 results

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - There is a provisional communication 'about the spade [?] on its way to Robert'. Would like to read [Guglielmo] Ferrero ["The Greatness and Decline of Rome"]: has always thought Caesar [subject of Ferrero's second volume] 'has been overdone as a... constitutional statesman', though it is hard to 'overdo him' as 'general... man of policy, and noble personal qualities'. He and Caroline will enjoy seeing Jan [Hubrecht]. Expects to get his last first proof tomorrow; will be glad to be finished.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Was pleased to hear from Robert about the [Apostles'] dinner, which seems to be 'almost better an institution than ever'; thinks Robert is right to read aloud 'a long and solid book' like [Macaulay's?] "Frederic the Great". He and Caroline are considering trying Ferrero; agrees with Ferrero's account of Octavius [Augustus], whom he discusses, as given by Robert. The summer has been 'detestable'. They have got some things out of Madame Cacciola [Florence Trevelyan]'s present which 'look well about the house'.

Palace Hotel, Rome. - Sorry to hear about the fall of the cedar and the little dog's death; Elizabeth must be sad. Glad about Paul; had never noticed how much 'gymnastics' a year old child does pulling itself onto its feet until Geordie was around them this autumn. They have been out to the Appian Way to lunch, and spent a morning going over the grounds of the Villa Mills on the Palatine which is to be pulled down for excavations. Always thinks of Robert at the Farnese casino on the Clivus Victoriae, where he had the 'altercation with the friend of the custode'. Has read [Cicero's] Philippics, inspired by Ferrero, and has 'rarely enjoyed a book more'; also delighting in reading Terence. Glad to hear what [James Stoddart?] Bain told Robert; there are beginning to be signs that the book [Volume III of "The American Revolution"] is a success and is doing well in America, though it came out in the midst of an unprecedented 'financial tornado'. Their hotel is quite full of 'very quiet, respectable Americans', most of whom are ladies.

8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - They are very pleased about Mary [and Charles]'s baby, who is to be called Katharine; Caroline is going to see 'the little ones at Watford'. Interested in what Robert says about the new Ferrero ["Rome and Egypt"]; asks him to send it to them and let the London Library know. Loves reading about the classics, such as books by Grote and Ferrero, when he is writing himself; supposes it is a sign of growing older that he does not then feel inclined to read the classics themselves. Attempts being made to buy Coleridge's cottage at Nether Stowey; he himself does not 'value his poems quite enough... to condone him, as a man'. They are reading [Thomas Jefferson] Hogg's life of Shelley; Hogg was a 'wonderfully clever man' and it is a 'marvellous picture of Shelley'. Withers is getting 'very angry and blunt with Philipson' [over Florence Trevelyan's will]; will write to him when he gets an answer from Sir [Arthur] Middleton.

8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W.; addressed to Robert at Seatoller, Borrowdale, Keswick. - Thanks Robert for sending the new Ferrero ["Rome and Egypt"]; Sir [Arthur] Middleton lunched with him yesterday and they talked [underlined: about Florence Trevelyan's will?]

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Hopes his parents continue to enjoy their time in Rome; they have missed some 'very bad weather' in England. He and Bessie went to stay in Oxford with the Russells on Saturday, and the Thames valley was 'completely flooded'; soon after they left Oxford, the wind blew down their finest cedar, at the head of their drive. Fortunately the trunk 'just missed' the stable; the branches did some damage to the roof but this can be put right. The night before, their 'little dog Jan died of pneumonia and jaundice': they are 'much distressed'. Paul is well, though starting to be 'troubled by a double tooth' which has nearly come through. He is 'getting very good at pulling himself up by the bars of his bed or chairs' and stands like this for some time.

They have heard nothing for a while about 'Sicilian affairs [the will of Florence Cacciola Trevelyan]', but does not doubt the lawyers 'are disentangling the various knots as carefully as they can'. Supposes his parents will soon think of returning. Booa stayed a few days with them last week, and seemed well after her holiday at Eastbourne; thinks she enjoyed herself both there and here. Visited [James Stoddart] Bain the bookseller in London, who said he was 'selling a lot of [Sir George's edition of] Macaulay's notes', and hoped his father might publish more; Robert 'rather discouraged' this hope, though sympathised with it.

Enticknap is recovering well from his illness, though will not be able to do any work for some time. Is glad his father likes 'the continuation of Ferrero'; does not think the Augustan volumes are yet translated into French, but expects they will be soon.

c/o Mrs Röntgen, 77 van Eeghenstraat, Amsterdam. - He and Bessie are having a 'very pleasant time in Holland', mainly staying in Amsterdam so far, but next Thursday going to the family country house at Doorn. Bessie is 'very well', and enjoying her return to Holland after three years. Last Thursday they visited Bessie's half-sister Mrs Versteg in the country at Heerde; this is near the Yssel, the river which, according to Ferrero, the fleet of [Nero Claudius] Drusus must have sailed along to reach the Zuider Zee. Bessie went this morning to visit her cousin Louisa Hubrecht at Leiden, but will return this afternoon.

Has just returned from a visit to the Rijksmuseum with Mrs Röntgen's eldest son Johannes; the arrangement of the pictures there has much changed. The Museum has also bought and now displays several paintings from the Six collection, such as Vermeer's 'Cook'; the Rembrandts remain in the house of the Six family, but cannot now be seen without 'an order from the consul or a friend of the family'. It is a shame for the collection to be broken up, but 'it seems that the tourists sometimes were offensive, and the Sixes, who are really quite nice people, hardly felt as if the house belonged to themselves.

Their friend [Donald] Tovey comes here on Monday night, and will go with them to Doorn on Thursday. Hopes his parents have had as good weather at Welcombe as they have had here, and that his father is 'quite well again'. Hears they are going to have an election at Stratford; fears there will be little chance of 'getting a Liberal in at present'. Here they are awaiting 'the birth of an heir to the house of Orange'; if this happens while Robert and Elizabeth are in Amsterdam, they will 'the cannons announce it in the Vondel Park opposite'. His mother's letter to Bessie arrived today; sure she will reply soon. Is finishing the fifth volume of Fererro's history of Rome: thinks he is 'very good about the most important things, such as the relations of Augustus and Tiberius, and the decadence of the aristocracy, but that in details Ferrero 'often seems to form theories with too much assurance upon insufficient evidence'. Perhaps, however, classical historians are 'almost bound to do that, where the evidence is so scanty'.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Holland must be beautiful; sure it is just the change Robert and Elizabeth need [after the death of their son Paul]. Appreciates the action taken by the Six family [agreeing not to sell any of their art collection out of the country, and to make it available to the public, in return for exemption from inheritance taxes]. Wonders what Vermeer's "Cook" ["The Milkmaid"] is like; worth going to the Netherlands to see that and his picture in the Mauritshuis. He and Caroline are reading the fifth volume of Ferrero ["The Republic of Augustus"] with delight; thinks it even better than the earlier volumes; it has got him to read Suetonius's life of Octavius [Augustus] and is inclined to read the others. They expect a Liberal candidate [for Stratford] to be announced tomorrow, to 'give a real lesson to Kincaid Smith' who otherwise might get some Liberal votes. Sends best wishes to Professor [Ambrosius] Hubrecht if Robert and Elizabeth send them again.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Hopes that Robert and Elizabeth are 'getting on with their preparations for going abroad', as it will do them good to be away from home for a while [after the death of their son Paul]. She and Sir George are 'better for the quiet' at Welcombe; they talk often about Paul, and Sir George says he often dreams of him, and of Robert as a small child. Thinks this has brought them 'all nearer together': perhaps the worst thing is knowing how unhappy Robert and Elizabeth are. Thinks she has never expressed to Robert all she feels for him, bur is sure he knows she understands his trouble, and how thankful she would be if she could comfort him. Took a long drive yesterday, and discovered Preston on Stour, a 'curious old village'. Buxton's book about Turkey ["Turkey in Revolution"?] is 'certainly amusing'; she also has the new Carlyle letters to read, though Sir George is 'rather averse to them', thinking 'the controversy should be allowed to die out'. He is reading Fererro to her, and translating parts of Suetonius 'which are most amusing'. Hopes Robert found some good books to take abroad at the London Library. Sends love to Elizabeth, and asks him to let her know how she is.

Lewes Ho[use], Lewes. - Has been to Paris about a Renoir ["Madame Charpentier et ses enfants"] which he has succeeded in purchasing for the [Metropolitan] Museum, which 'is quite secret'. This is the only time he has left Helen, who 'wants someone to walk with her all day', but hopes to get away for a few days and to 'look at the various houses'. Their own landlord is to turn them out at Christmas so they must find something, and it is 'evident that H[elen] ought to be in the country'. Encourages Bob to read Ferrero's "La Grandeur et Décadence du Rome", though he has the London Library's copy at the moment. Adds in a postscript that he is up for election at the Reform Club on 18 Apr; asks Bob to mention this to his father.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Thanks Robert for sending the Theocritus. Encloses a letter from Heinemann; he had written to ask if his firm could spare a copy of the Loeb Pindar, since the booksellers say it is out of print, and one of the Plato death [of Socrates] dialogues for Caroline; it was Heinemann who gave him the five volumes of Ferrero's history [of Rome], 'a noble gift', after he gave a speech after the booksellers', authors' and publishers' dinner. Intends to read some Pindar when he has finished writing 'a bit of literature' [the introduction to Edward Graham's life of Henry Montagu Butler?] which he supposes will be his 'last in this world'; does not think he writes any better or worse than he did, but he 'lie[s] awake at night composing' which he supposes is the reason 'old men leave off writing'.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - The 'next generation' are very fortunate: Mary Caroline, George Lowthian, and now Julian can read Macaulay, Carlyle, and [Motley's] "Dutch Republic", and the books he himself had to read 'almost secretly, and as a sin' because he was meant to be writing 'copies of bad Greek Iambics' and puzzling over Demosthenes; now his grandchildren's 'first duties' are to 'read "Clive" and "Chatham" and Ferrero'. Interested to hear that Robert and Elizabeth have been reading Herodotus aloud together; when Elizabeth comes to Wallington he will show her Paul Louis Courier's paper, which is a 'masterpiece'. Begins re-reading the last two books of Herodotus himself on Wednesday; is finishing Tacitus's "Annals" today; discusses the contrasting styles of it and the "Histories". Agrees completely about Horace's "Epistles". Asks for advice on editions of Thucydides.