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Reports that she has recovered from her cough, and gets out whenever the weather permits. States that Arthur is quite busy, since no new classical master has yet been appointed. Claims that she spends much time writing to friends whom she had neglected while she was ill. Refers to [J.R. Seeley's] Ecce Homo, which she found very interesting, as well as to Lady Duff Gordon's Letters from Egypt, which she found pleasant reading. Asks Henry to tell her of some other interesting book. Expresses the hope that she sees signs of her 'heretofore active, restless life merging into something more quiet and contemplative...after the wear and tear of half a century....' Remarks on the amount of letters that Henry has written to her in the past, and suggests that he may like to look over them as Arthur has done with the letters he has written.

Reports that William has bought a horse, and that Minnie tells her that Martin was quite ill 'from the effects of a bad drain at Harrow'. States that the news from Stone Gappe 'is more cheering': Henry's Uncle Lace has hired a piano for 'poor Elizabeth' at York, who is much better. Refers to a melancholy letter received from [Lucy] Brown, who has been suffering from intense headaches. Asks him to send her the January number of Macmillan's Magazine, as she wants to read an article on ' "Natural prayer" '. Hopes to see Henry at Easter.

Thanks her for writing. Sends his love to Mary. Reports that he is living up [in Cambridge] 'in much peace and prosperity now the undergraduates are gone down and [his] hayfever is kept at arm's length by a careful regimen.' Asks her when she intends to go abroad, and hopes that she will enjoy the trip. Contemplates staying in England during the long vacation, and intends to 'go North' in August to see everyone who wants to see him.

Reports that a friend of his [Edwin Charles Clark] got married the previous week, and that he wishes to find out something about his wife - Miss Kitson of Leeds - as they are going to be living in Cambridge. Reports that a book of travels by Lady Duff-Gordon has been published, and a friend of his who has had it to review has recommended it. Refers to another 'interesting book': 'Palgrave's journey across Arabia' [W. G. Palgrave's Personal Narrative of a Year's Journey through Central and Eastern Arabia (1862-1863)], and also to Miss Yonge's last novel. Of the latter, he claims that he got bored with it towards the end. Declares that Miss Oliphant's present story in Blackwood['s Magazine] 'sends [him] into fits'.

Asks his mother to tell Edward [Benson] that he was sorry he could not come to examine, and that the man who is going is a friend of his.

Il Frullino, San Domenico di Fiesole, Florence:- Recent rainstorms have put off their planned 'expedition' to San Gigminano; does not think he will start back to England before 8th [March], but 'should be back soon after that'. Would 'like to stay in London for a few days before going to Welcombe', which he thinks might be in mid-March; does not mind where he sleeps and 'the night nursery would be very nice', but would like to 'sit in a room looking out onto the garden'. Hears they have been having 'severe snowstorms' which may have caused harm 'after the early Spring'.

Has just finished the first scene of his libretto [on Theseus and Ariadne], 'or rather Mrs Costelloe's': she 'seems very much pleased with it, and thinks it will sing well', but they will have to see 'what the musician [Emánuel Moór] thinks of it'. Is using 'almost all the metres in the world, and inventing some'.

Encloses 'a receipt for gnocchi' given to him by Mrs Costello which they have had a couple of times: 'it is very good indeed'. Has been 'seeing Mrs Ross, who used to know Papa'; she 'remembers him as a young swell about town, and he was her partner in her first dance'. She 'tells wonderful stories' about her mother Lady Duff Gordon and grandmother Mrs Austin; her niece Miss [Lina] Duff Gordon is coming on the San Gimignano expedition.

Is sorry his mother did not get tickets for [Wagner's] Ring: 'it was not a thing to be missed'. If he had heard about it sooner, he would 'have wired for a seat in one of the sets', but fears it is too late now, and he will 'have to go to the gallery'. Is glad his father is well. His parents must go to see Mrs Ross next time they are in Florence. Mrs Ross says the cook will probably understand 'how much flour to put into the water [for the gnocchi]'.

Cud Hill House, Upton Saint Leonards, Glos. - Bob has given him great pleasure [by sending him his book "Windfalls"]: finds himself drawn first to the essays with personal names: Browning, Virginia Woolf, Meredith; these are all '[d]elightful', with '[s]uch sensitive discrimination in the literary criticism', combined with 'personal pictures - so vivid', such as 'Meredith's thumps with his stick in honour of the lovely Lucy Duff Gordon'; asks which of Meinhold's works Duff Gordon translated. Praises Bob's literary criticism: calls his defence of rhetoric 'timely needed & excelled'; might not have had Marlowe and the University poets 'without the Schools of Rhetoric of Oxford & Cambridge', and without Marlowe, there might have been no Shakespeare. Comments on 'how neatly' Bob 'refute[s] Edgar Poe's heresy!'. Likes what Bob says about Shelley's "Music when soft voices die": has sometimes read the last stanza as 'addressed by Shelley to himself'; cites 'Less oft is peace in Shelley's mind...' [from "To Jane: The Recollection"] as another instance of self-address. Diana [his wife] and the children are going to Sennen at Land's End on Monday; he himself is not, since he always finds South Cornwall 'too damp'; will go instead to the 'Brit[ish] Ass[ociation for the Advancement of Science]' in Broghton from 7-14 September. His eldest son [Oliver] is engaged to be married to Rosemary Phipps, a 'charming girl' living at Fairford on the upper Thames; she and Oliver have been to visit. Tom [his other son] is staying with Lodge's sister [Barbara Godlee?] near Manchester, but will join the rest of the family in Cornwall. He is 'very musical-studying'. Bob's grandson Philip is here, playing in the garden with Colin; he is a 'dear little boy'. Sends love to both Trevelyans; hope Bob's has a 'good holiday & enjoy[s] Italy'. Asks if 'the cause of Virginia Woolf's death [was] ever known'. Adds a postscript to say her heard a 'marvellous Beethoven piece' on the radio last night, the String Quartet in B flat, Op. 18 no. 6.

Begins mid-sentence stating that [his brother George's book "The Age of Wycliffe"] is 'a good piece of history', which shows up John of Gaunt as 'a sort of 14th century Taman[n]y ring boss'. Also recommends Rostand's "Les Romanesques", which he read recently and things is even better than "Cyrano". Cannot think of any more modern books for the moment; fears his list is 'chiefly composed of friends' and relations' books'; [Roger] Fry is also bringing out his book on Bellini soon, which is well worth getting. Asks Elizabeth to tell Mrs Grandmont that the Frys would like her to visit when she is in England; gives their address. He himself is getting a house near Dorking at Westcott, and will move in September, when he will be within a mile of the Frys; the house he is giving up at Haslemere is, though, very beautiful.

Supposes she has been back from Taormina a while; asks her to send some photographs, especially the ones of 'Mrs. Cacc. [Florence Cacciola Trevelyan] and the dogs' and himself in the loggia. The last few days of scirocco were 'a great bore', but he almost forgives it for preventing the trip up Monte Xerito as it 'made [them] those splendid waves among the rocks'; it also 'put [Elizabeth's] fiddle out of sorts' though, so he could not hear any more Bach suites. Heard Isaye [sic: Ysaÿe] play one yesterday, as well as the Mendelsohn concerto; he was in good form, and he will hear him again playing the Beethoven. Is having a musical week, as he has already seen Paderewski, for the first time, and will hear [Wagner's] "Tristram" tomorrow. 'Paddy was great fun, at all events to look at'; thinks he played a Chopin concerto better than the Beethoven. Spends most of his time at the British Museum library when he is in London; has found a translation of [Joost van den] Vondel there by a Dutch American; it is 'very conscientious and scholarly' but he does not think much of the blank verse; still, he can now go on where Elizabeth left off. Would like to know when Mrs G[randmont] is coming to England, and if Elizabeth is likely to be in London so he can 'make a display of [his] extensive and profound knowledge of Italian painting in the National Gallery'. Not sure whether he is going to Bayreuth yet; discusses times he could come to Holland.

Suggests older books she should read: Keats's letters, most of which are available in Sidney Colvin's edition though he advises getting Buxton Forman's four volume edition with the poetry; Butcher and Lang's translation of the "Odyssey"; Meinhold's "Sidonia the Sorceress" and "Amber Witch", translated by Lady Wilde and Lady Duff Gordon. Could lend her all of these books, as well as [Henry James's] "In a Cage" and his brother and father's books . Asks her to write with news and to say when would be best for him to come to Holland; he will write soon to the Grandmonts when he sends them [Thomas Sturge?] Moore's book. Thinks he remembers Elizabeth said she had never read Jane Austen; she should read them all, especially "Mansfield Park", "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma". Breaks off mid -sentence: 'by advising to...': 9/71 forms the rest of the letter.

A portion of what seems to be a poem by Robert Trevelyan based on the "Mahabharata", with some explanatory notes, is found with this letter but not referred to in it