Clarks Hotel, 14 Clifford St, Bond St. - Houghton's 'kind note' has been forwarded to his hotel from home. Mr Gladstone has 'so kindly asked Mr Glyn' to propose him at the Reform Club; since a personal introduction to Glyn was necessary, Bell was 'naturally anxious to have the highest voucher for my respectability'. Houghton was in town, so Bell was emboldened to ask the favour of an introduction to Glyn', as 'for considerably more than a century my family has been professionally attached to yours' and he believes 'the same stern, honest independence which marked my great grandsire (a friend of the Priestleys) still dwells in my two brothers and myself'. Hopes, then, that when Houghton sees Glyn he will do Bell 'the favour to say that I come "of reputable stock" and am not likely to belie the honour he has done me'. Mr Baines will second Bell.
85 East Broadway, New York, U. S. America. - Asks if Milnes can retrieve ten pounds owed to Wood by Mr Weeks, who is editing the Anglo-American in London; assisted him unwittingly and did not join conspiracy to swindle Houghton; suffering caused by Weeks and Edge. Dr Charles Mackay should be expelled from the Reform Club; he is an extreme Tory and has taken blood-money here; Wood saved Mackay's name and kept his son from the workhouse but Mackay still attempts to blacken his character and owes him money. Sorry to see the Tories in power; riots may be harmful to the cause but may show that 'popular disturbances and tory (mis)rule are coincidental'. Postscript: sending letter via brother in Yorkshire.
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.
Reform Club, Pall Mall, S.W.1 (address embossed), sent to ‘Mrs Trevelyan, The Shiffolds, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking’) . - Tried to ring Bessie from the station this morning, but 'phone recalcitrant. All seems going well'; hopes all well with her.