Pen Rose, Berkhamsted. - Jokingly claims to be 'appalled' by Bob and Bessie's 'productiveness and industry'; Bob's translation of [Aeschylus's] "Oresteia" has just arrived, and now she hears that Bessie is also 'producing a great work'. She herself knows 'the arduousness of a long translation', having spent '6000 years of [her] youth... over Jülicher' [his commentary on the New Testament]. Gathers that Bessie's translation [of " Character and the Unconscious; a critical exposition of the psychology of Freud and of Jung" by J. H. van der Hoop] has 'quite amused her'; will definitely buy it when it is published. Hopes Bessie and Bob can come to spend a long weekend in February with them; from Saturday would be best as she usually has something keeping her late in London on Friday. She and George are planning a long trip to Italy; she has not been since before the war; they will take Mary and leave Humphry as a boarder at his school. Agrees it is good about Mary's Latin exam: she has never been 'particularly good at that formidable language', but 'they have dragged her somehow'. Her book ["The life of Mrs. Humphry Ward"] is going well; hopes to almost finish it by the time they go away and that it can come out in June; it is 'a great grind [emphasised], but rather lovely to do all the same'. Originally enclosing a photograph of Humphry, 'with a gun given him by Sydney Knutsford', and 'little Charles Fletcher' at Ellergreen; expects Bessie has heard about Edith Cropper's illness, a 'tragic change for that happy house'.
The Master's Lodge, Trinity College, Cambridge. - Encourages Bessie to make a 'great and mighty effort' to visit before George and Janet go north in the summer; Miss Simpkins is of course also welcome. They are fairly busy in May, with visits from the Cheswrights and the 'young Fletchers', but June is possible; though it would be best to avoid Whitsun when travelling is bad, and the weekend of the Trinity Ball as she thinks she will have to put up some of the 'young ladies' at the Lodge'. Bob could come a little later, unless he prefers to come to Hallington in August. Does 'tremble a little' at the thought of Hallington 'with limited service, limited food and limited petrol'; have just spent three weeks there 'putting it all to rights again' and it does look attractive. Wants very much to show Bessie all their babies [grandchildren]. Asks in a postscript whether Bessie would be able to bring any rations, as she and George have 'no allowance of any kind'.