Showing 8 results

Larkbeare, Cumnor Hill, Oxford. - Thanks Trevelyan for his letter; will be 'delighted' to come on Monday if he does not hear otherwise; will be at the National Liberal Club at half one.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking. - He and Bessie are 'so sorry' to hear from his mother about her influenza, but relieved that there is 'now no fever'. Hopes she will soon recover, and be able to return to Welcombe. Bessie is very well. They heard this morning that Madame Grandmont, who was due to visit today, has had a 'bad attack of neuralgia' and her doctor will not let her come for a week: 'very disappointing'.

Has 'finished canvassing Coldharbour', finding that 'exactly half' the voters were 'certain for Brodie', with no doubt a few more who will vote for him; now has to canvass Ockley, which will probably be less good. Brodie is speaking there tomorrow evening, after a short meeting at a village school about two miles from Ockley, and Robert has agreed to take the chair - expects he will not have to say much, and it should be easy to find material 'in these days'. Will go up to London for Saturday night to see the results at the National Liberal Club, returning on Sunday morning: otherwise, they might not hear anything until Monday. Their own election is on Monday 24th; thinks they should win, but it is 'by no means certain'.

Sends love from Bessie. Their new horse seems 'satisfactory', and they will buy it.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Sees there is something in his father's last letter [12/276], which he 'ought to have answered at once', about his National Liberal Club subscription. Spoke to the Secretary last winter, and agreed that in future Robert would be a 'country member'; the subscription is therefore three guineas, not six. His 'domicile is in the country', and he is 'very little in town' so it was 'quite unnecessary' for him to have been a town member recently.

There is a delay with the publication of his translation, Lucretius on Death, but hopes to send it in two or three weeks. The weather is 'as bad, if not worse, than ever'; they are however all well.

Adds a postscript saying that they are reading Wells' Mr Polly; likes it 'almost as well as Kipps, which it somewhat resembles'.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Thanks Robert for having arranged the altered subscription for the National Liberal Club [see 46/237]. Has also been thinking about [H.G.] Wells, having carefully re-read "The New Machiavelli"; thinks him 'cleverer than ever', but has 'never read a less defensible book'; there are things he would rather discuss with Robert than write 'which fall morally below anything [he knows]', though many of Wells's other books are 'wonderfully good'. Thinks no-one ever wrote 'so many books of auto-biography so varied' as Wells.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Perhaps the strongest proof of the strangeness of the times is the 'oversetting of very familiar British institutions': it should be the first day of the black game shooting season, yet they have been eating both grouse and black game for a fortnight, 'at a lunch which begins at 12.30!'. Very interested by Robert's list of Macaulay's 'naturalisations of words', which show 'the sure touch of a man who knows what was wanted' and supports Bryce's claim that in two thousand years people would debate whether Macaulay had more influence on English prose, or Cicero on Latin. Asks if Robert has found out about the country members' payment for the National Liberal Club; would pay the town subscription for him if it is more convenient, but time times call for 'any practicable economy'. Looks forward to seeing Robert's treatment of Lucretius; is reading 'the first decade of Livy', strangely for the first time, and quite sympathises with '[Barthold] Niebuhr's manly and uncompromising love of it'.

National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, S.W.1. - Is in London for the day, 'staying at the N.L.C.'. Saw Charles and his family yesterday, 'all seem very flourishing' except that Charles needed to wear a 'sandal on his left foot' since he had 'just had a cyst (or is it cist?) cut out of his sole, a minor, indeed minimus, operation'. They walked together to the House of Commons, where Charles went in to 'hear the budget-speech'; he will be 'right again quite soon, in plenty of time for the Lake Hunt at any rate'.

Bessie had a 'strenuous week playing in the Orchestra of the Dorking Music Festival'; thinks she greatly enjoyed it. Julian 'looks in very good health, and evidently has had a very happy term [at Bedales]'. He is continuing reading Latin with Robert, and they also read the Bible together: currently Samuel and Kings. 'That part of his education seems to be entirely left out the Bedales curriculum'. Does not doubt that 'too little scripture lessons is better than too much, and at least he is spared those terrible Sunday Bible repetitions. But it would be a pity for him not to read it at all, especia;;y as he enjoys it a great deal'. Last year they read 'the first part of Pilgrim's Progress.

Robert is doing a 'good deal of work, such as translating Theocritus, including 'The Fisherman', [Idyll*] XXI, which though it is said to be by Leonidas of Tarentum rather than Theocritus, seems to him 'a wonderful poem'.

Berenson, I Tatti, Settignano, Florence. - Hopes Bessie has got his letter saying that Julian has managed to get Bob a sleeping berth for the train leaving Florence on 20 April; will arrive on Monday 21st and stay the night at the N[ational] L[iberal] C[lub]. Would like to go to London for some of the Busch [Quartet] concerts so will also engage rooms then. Hopes his earl return will not disturb Bessie's plans; would have liked to stay in Italy a little longer, but this was impossible. Will see George and Janet on Tuesday, then they lunch at I Tatti on Wednesday.

5, The Terrace, Gillygate, York. - Thanks Trevelyan for his letter; would love to breakfast with him. Is coming to London by bus; asks if she can meet him at the National Liberal Club at nine in the morning. Looks forward to going through the play [Trevelyan's "Fand"] with him.