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c/o A. Waterfield, Fortezza la Brunella, Aulla, Massa Carrara, Italy. - Bessie will be with them by now; hopes they are having the same good weather with 'at last' is beginning here today; until now there has been 'nothing but rain and wind'. However, since the castle walls are 'about 15 feet thick', they are 'quite warm and sheltered within'. Must have been through Aulla, along the valley at the foot of the hill, that 'Hannibal marched after crossing the Appennines'; likes to think of him 'riding along down below on his last elephant, on which he crossed the flooded Arno'. The bones of an elephant, 'supposed to be of some extinct kind' were recently found about two miles from here; Robert prefers 'to imagine that they belong to Hannibal's last but one elephant, which had wandered away... and that Hannibal was in too great a hurry to send after it and recapture it'.

Wrote a paper about poetry for the Heretics Society at Cambridge last November; Kegan Paul have now offered to publish it 'as a small book' if he writes some more, so he will work on that now. It will be part of 'a series of books by various writers, some of them quite good, each with a classical title'. Thinks he will call his Thamyris, possibly Marsyas; the 'sub-title will be Is There a Future for Poetry', and of course he concludes that there is, but first 'point[s] out various problems to which modern poetry is liable'.

Does not think his translation of Theocritus will now be out before Easter, nor his 'small book of poems' [Poems and Fables, to be published by the Hogarth Press]. Expects his father is still reading the Gibbon letters, which 'Bessie would be sure to enjoy listening to'. Encloses a letter for her, and sends love to his mother.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Hopes his parents have had a good journey to Welcombe, and were not too tired by it; at least the weather for it was beautiful. Was very interested in the 'paper on the Dramatic Monologue' which his father sent him; most of what the writer says 'about Browning and the Victorians generally seems to be sound and sensible'. Is going to read a paper on poetry to a 'Trinity Hall Literary Society' this term, though has not yet decided on the topic; perhaps the history of blank verse, 'a dull subject, but one which interests me, which is what matters most, when one wants to interest others'.

Thamyris [or, Is there a Future for Poetry?] 'grew out of a similar paper' he read last year to the Cambridge Heretics. Has generally had good reviews, except for the piece in the Times Literary Supplement, and lots of them, though he does not yet know how the book is selling. Had a 'very kind and generous letter from Professor Murray [see 26/12/3-4]' saying he liked the book and 'entirely disagreed with the Times reviewer, which quite compensated for any annoyance' Robert might have felt'.

Bessie is well and enjoys the beautiful weather, as Robert hopes his parents also do.

Glad that Julian can see no difficulty with the idea of putting a tomb in the right wing [of the scenery for Robert's "Meleager"]; does not want him to alter the backcloth with the three tombs. Likes his suggestion of putting the shrine in the painted side-cloth on the opposite wing, but must discuss it with Mrs [Penelope] Wheeler when they rehearse again on Wednesday; suspects she may think it is too important to be 'a mere painting half-hidden in the side-wing', but she may appreciate the extra room it would give for movement on stage. Glad Julian has a place to paint; he should not worry about the canvasses being late. The first performance is on 7 November; expects they will all go to Oxford for rehearsals three days before. 'So you have seen Wittgenstein, and survive!'. Likes him himself, though sees 'one could easily have too much of him', and 'the younger generation don't seem to be able to put up with him'; a shame he is 'always so serious'. Julian seems to have 'got together a good team of Heretics' [speakers for the Heretics Society]. Will certainly go to the L[ondon] G[roup exhibition]; had no idea Julian had sent anything. Sorry he will not be able to come to Cambridge on 23 October, because of rehearsals, but will come another time. If Julian thinks it necessary, he should send a small sketch of his idea for the side-cloth with the tomb; would also like to see one for the opposite wing showing the shrine if they decide on it, but that can wait. Went to see Shaw's "Apple Cart" and thought it 'very good fun', with 'the politics not very serious, and certainly not offensive'.

c/o Prof. [Herbert] Grierson, 12 Regents Terrace. Edinburgh. - Encloses a cheque for expenses and 'fee as designer and scene-painter' [for a recent production of Robert's "Meleager"]: Julian did 'a great deal of work' and 'the result was very successful'. Will also send a cheque. Has just read his paper on metre, which seemed to go all right with 'a fog-diminished audience'. Bessie is at Welcombe; will join her there next week then go abroad. Has not yet heard from [Umberto] Morra, but will probably visit him first, then go to Aulla [to see the Waterfields] around the time Julian comes out. May get [Hasan] Suhrawardy to come out with him, but is not sure. Sorry that [Arthur?] Waley is 'trying to get out of his heresies [ie, of giving a paper to the Heretics Society]; wonders how Wittgenstein's paper went; asks if 'Francis B.' [possibly Birrell?] is going to read a paper despite an initial refusal.

Thanks Julian for his letter; fears he will not be able to come to Cambridge next week, as he has scalded his leg; may be able to visit after Julian's tripos [exams], but does not know has long his term lasts. Expects the Waterfields [Aubrey and Lina] would be at Aulla in September, but that is a long time away. He and Elizabeth seem a little nearer a settlement with Roland [Vaughan Williams] about the house: they are holding out for a thirty five year lease, at least one longer than the twenty one year lease he is offering. Hopes Tom [Sturge Moore?] will not be 'too cantankerous at the Heretics [Society]'. Bessie is still in the Netherlands, and seems to be enjoying herself; C.A. [Clifford Allen] is recovering, but 'very slowly'. Thinks Roger [Fry] is painting a portrait in Cambridge and Julian could see him; tells him to ask Goldie [Dickinson] or at King's.