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Conduit Head - Newnham College Council's decision about Eily Darwin's design and that of Duncan Grant

50 Gordon Square. - Likes Bob's '"fu" very much' ["The Dream" in "From the Shiffolds?"]; thinks it is his 'best long poem'. Will 'repay it inversely' by asking Bob soon to read the proofs of the Chinese novel he has translated ["Monkey"]; hopes Duncan Grant will do the cover for it; will send Bob a copy when it is published, but there might be delays. Not possible to cycle over from Walton Heath in winter, but Bob should let him know if he is ever in London and might have time to lunch with him. 'Events in the Far East' have changed the nature of his work. Transfers are 'very complicated': he is a member of the 'Intelligence Unit of the Censorship [?]', but is seconded to work in 'the Far Eastern Section of the M[inistry] of Inf[ormation]n.

Charleston, Firle, Sussex. - Bob's poems [this year's "From the Shiffolds?"] gave him, and Duncan Grant, 'great pleasure, as they always do'. This is not just a 'Christmas compliment'; thinks these translations are, in their way, as good as anything Bob has done. Regrets that he was beforehand 'quite unaware of [the Latin] poem' "Moretum"'; that is his favourite piece, though some of the extracts from the dramatists, as well as the [Homeric?] hymn are 'more beautiful and give wider scope' to Bob's poetic powers; he 'grow[s] old, and bucholic [sic]'. Is also getting 'cold', and his fingers can no longer hold the pen; they are 'enjoying one of those intervals which must not be called "cuts" - mere easements of the pay-load'. Curses Mr Shinwell [Minister of Fuel and Power].

Went to the L.Gr. [London Group] Show yesterday; thought Julian's pictures 'looked very well'; went with [Hasan] Suhrawardy, who also liked them; saw Roger [Fry] who 'thought the water-colour came off best but was interested in the others too'. A 'great thing' to have got them shown, since the 'hanging committee is quite strict and impartial' and would not have shown them just to please [Frederick] Porter. Liked Porter's 'snow picture', as well as Fry's landscape and [Duncan] Grant's still life. Rehearsals [for Robert's "Meleager"] on Wednesday went quite well; Mrs [Penelope] Wheeler likes [Julian's] idea of painting the shrine on the wing-cloth, which will allow more room for the actors, as well as the tomb on the opposite side. Suhrawardy thinks that a 'vaguely suggested image' on the shrine 'would worry the audience', so it should be assumed to be inside; Robert is not sure whether he is right, but thinks Mrs Wheeler will want the image suggested. Has paid Higson's bill for the canvas. Lists the rehearsal dates; supposes that Julian will be able to get the cloths to Oxford by 4 or 5 November. Will come to Cambridge if he can if Julian wants him to; asks if he could send a sketch of his designs. They seem to be finding some costumes which will meet Julian's 'requirements'.

A manuscript volume of poetry dated 1896-1900; a manuscript of a short play, possibly by Saxon Sydney-Turner; page 1 of a typescript entitled "The Need for Aestheticism"; a single page from a piece on prestige in art; a short piece on Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell for South African art lovers; a typescript made in 1990 of Bell's memoir of Ottoline Morrell; the typescript "The Published Works of Clive Bell" by Donald A. Laing.