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Cercle Mohammed Aly. - Asks Trevelyan always to write beforehand saying which books he is going to send, as the anticipation gives much pleasure: he and [George] Antonius have discussed the matter extensively. Unfortunately he is prejudiced against 'the poetry, prose, personality and papa of Edward Thomas', and his aunt has already sent him "Years of Childhood" which he will return for the Trevelyans. Praises 'Askanov' [sic: Sergei Aksakov]: the Stracheys 'never grow up' [cf letter from Trevelyan to Forster, 22 Dec 1917, King's College Cambridge]. Is reading James' "Piddle Years" ["The Middle Years"; discusses James's flatness. Is Glad Trevelyan liked his poem [satire on the Duchess of Connaught]. Is doing some journalism, and reading Racine and Claudel. When he goes for a weekend with Furness at Cairo, is sure Furness will read Edward Thomas to him 'for everyone except me likes him'. Asks for a copy of Trevelyan's Lucretius ["Lucretius on Death"]. In a post-script dated 11 Feb, Forster thanks Trevelyan for the Lucretius and suggests "The Principles of Social Reconstruction" [Bertrand Russell] as another book he would like.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his parents for their last letters. Interested to hear about his 'New Year's gift from America [a silver cup from Theodore Roosevelt, Elihu Root, Henry Cabot Lodge, see 12/123] which shows that her best statesmen appreciate your history at its true value'. Perhaps today 'the lessons it has to teach would be more useful for English statesmen', but he does not expect that Chamberlain, Balfour and Milner are likely to present his father with a silver cup.

Thanks his father for returning the '"opinion" [on Florence Cacciola Trevelyan's will': no new developments, but Withers begins to think it would be better to 'make some sort of friendly bargain with Dr Cacciola', who 'certainly has the interest on the £20,000 during his lifetime' if it passes under the will, which seems clear. The weather has been 'very unpleasant' recently, but Bessie and Paul are well.

Has been reading several plays by Aristophanes in B[enjamin] Rogers' recent editions: these have good notes, and 'a first-rate verse translation opposite'. True that 'one does not often want a translation's help' for Aristophanes, but thinks that if he did not read Greek he would prefer this translation to any other he knows. In the introduction to the Wasps, Rogers 'pays a compliment' to Sir George's Cambridge Dionysia, saying there is 'considerable Aristophanic spirit in it'. Rogers has 'just called Racine's Les Plaideurs "a feeble and insipid play"': Robert does not know how justly, as he has never read it.

The Devonshire election [the Ashburton by-election of 17 January, in which the Liberals lost the seat to the Liberal Unionists] was 'unpleasant', but he expects it will 'do good indirectly by making Liberals feel less secure'.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Is watching the developments [surrounding Florence Trevelyan's legacy to Robert] 'with a friendly, but not a critical eye'. He and Caroline have also had 'vile weather' but have suffered no physical harm; glad the same is true of Elizabeth and Paul. Agrees with [Benjamin] Rogers about [Racine's] "Plaideurs"; thought it 'very poor stuff' when he read it as a boy 'to illustrate [Aristophanes's] the "Wasps"'. They have just finished the Queen's letters ["The Letters of Queen Victoria", edited by A C Benson]; there is much that is interesting 'embedded in a vast mass of twaddle': too much is included by 'so many royalties... not above the average of their class', and though the Queen's letters are often 'very human and spicy' the book should have been half the length. Agrees with Robert that the Mid-Devon [Ashburton] election should shake the [Liberal] party up. Hilda and Audrey Trevelyan have been staying.

Nora remarks on how sad it is that her and Henry's quiet time [in Paris on their honeymoon] is coming to an end, and how quickly the time has passed, but how long it seems since their wedding day. They go to Rouen the following day and then by Amiens to Calais, from where they will cross the channel back to England. They must be at Carlton Gardens the following Tuesday as Henry must look over some examination papers. They go to Cambridge on the following Friday for one day and return to London until the Monday following when they settle at Cambridge.

If the following day is as delightful as that day they may stay on in Paris 'till the last minute', because it 'does look lovely in the sun, with the fresh green trees, and the chestnuts just coming into flower'. They have been two or three times 'to the play, and enjoyed the excellent acting very much': last night they heard Racine's Athalie, and found it dull, but there were 'two very good little comedies afterwards'.

Henry writes that he is sorry to hear that William has been so depressed; hopes that the change will do him good, and that he will come over to Cambridge as soon as possible. Undertakes to write to him in the next couple of days. In relation to his mother's 'Munificent offer', states that Nora says that they have no breakfast service, dinner service, glass or cruet stand; they would be very grateful if she were to give them any of these. They have looked at the china shops in Paris, but prefer London pottery. Is sure that the crest sent to Arthur Balfour [see 105/9] was satisfactory. Notes on Saturday, 22 April that the morning is 'perfectly Lovely, and it is Madness to leave Paris, but Nora has an extravagant passion for church architecture, and is carrying [him] off to Rouen.' They will cross the channel on the following Monday or Tuesday, and have arranged to be at 4 Carlton Gardens on Tuesday; will write again from there.