Showing 3 results

Stocks, Tring. - It will be a 'real proper 4.30 tea-party' which will 'blossom out into a theatre-party afterwards', probably with dinner at 'some pot-house first', to which they all want Bessie to come; it is Richard II, hopes she hasn't seen it. George and her aunt Ethel Arnold will also be there.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Thanks Bessie for her letter and the 'adorable photograph' of Julian. Was 'fighting with a chapter of her book' at Robin Ghyll, but now has time to write. Mary [her daughter] has 'appropriated the photograph of Julian', who is looking 'handsome... splendidly big & strong'. Wishes she were not missing him at Wallington, but will probably leave on the 23rd to go the Lakes with her mother or stay with an aunt in Wales [Ethel Arnold?]; she and the children must certainly go to Stocks by the 28th. Arrived at Wallington on Wednesday to find Caroline in bed with a chill and Mrs [Hilda] Runciman in bed after a miscarriage; Molly was also ill in bed at Cambo, so Janet seems to have spent all her time visiting the sick and 'administering spiritual comfort'. though Caroline is the only one to have been really ill; she looks 'very frail' but does seem to have 'an indomitable power' of recovery if she can take her time. George is away till Monday for a walk along the Scottish border; has been working hard at Robin Ghyll and will take this month as holiday to recover. Bessie is going to be a 'lonely little widow' all winter [while Bob is travelling in the East]; wishes she would come and visit them in London, perhaps on her way to the Netherlands. Asks who the Gordon Bottomleys are. Mary very happy to be with the 'Cambo cousins' again, and Humphry is 'happy everywhere', especially 'playing with the big boys in the hall'. She is also happy, except that she 'still can't remember the way to make new little Trevies'; Moll seems to be 'going on really well now', which is a great comfort. Bessie must be very busy 'getting Bob rigged out & inoculated', but may have time to write another letter.

Tyn-y-Fron, Betwys-y-Coed [sic: Betws-y-Coed]. - Knows Bessie will send this on to Bob at Settignano when she has read this. They are staying for a few days here with an aunt of Jan's [Ethel Arnold], then will go to Stocks; will be in London again on 9 October. Is lecturing at Bradford a week today, staying with the Herbert Joneses; will remember Bob and Bessie to them. Looks forward to seeing Bessie this or next month. Very good of Bob to read George's book ["Garibaldi and the Thousand"] before writing to thank him for him; 'immensely gratified' that Bob approved of it so completely, though this may be more praise than he deserved, since the "Times" which otherwise gave the book 'a blast of trumpets in favour' still finds his style 'unchaste in places'. However, it would be much worse if Bob had not taken him 'in hand over "[England under] the Stuarts". There are 'so few critics', and they never appear in print on history books 'which escape all literary [emphasised] criticism'. [Walter] Raleigh's "Wordsworth" seems a 'very fine book' to George, who is 'becoming more and more a Wordsworthian'. In a postscript over the page, Janet sends love; George confirms that he wrote all he knew 'about Cavour's and the King's thoughts', since Cavour 'contradicts himself' in his letters and the King's papers have not been published.