Originally enclosing several photographs of pictures and statues from the [Louvre] Museum in Paris: two drawings by Leonardo da Vinci; a picture of Charles I; an old man's head by Durer; a lady making lace - 'perhaps an ancestor of Mummy' - by Van der Meer [Vermeer]; Italian paintings of an old man with 'a big bulbous nose' and of Mary and Jesus; a Giorgione; and a Watteau; Julian has probably never heard of the French painter Corot, who 'liked bent trees'; the 'Man-bull' comes from Nineveh, and it would be 'fun to see him fly'; the winged bull and lion made from coloured bricks come from Persia; the 'little ladies' made out of earthenware are Greek grave goods, so that 'the dead may have lady friends to talk to', one carries a fan; 'Cesar is Cesar [Julius Caesar?]' and no doubt Julian has heard about him; finally an Egyptian sphinx. Will be starting home in about eighteen days.
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.