Holly Lodge, Richmond Park, S.W. - Does not think he would be able to come to Wallington, as he has to go Scotland a few days earlier than he intended to at first. Yesterday was 'delightful': it poured with rain so he read 'all day without stopping': '"Vita Nuova", [Brooke Foss?] Westcott, Montaigne, "Sir Charles Grandison" and the life of F. W. Robertson'. Asks whether Bob has read the last: it is worth it for Robertson's letters; 'the life part, by Stopford Brooke' is 'quite well done'. Got an 1818 edition of Montaigne in five volumes at his mother's shop, 'not so nice in some was as Quaritchs', but still very nice' and is reading it with 'delight'; also got Leighton's Rabelais, which 'gave great satisfaction'. He and [Desmond] MacCarthy went to see the "Sign of the Cross" on Saturday; found it 'much more amusing than the Alhambra', which he thinks 'dealt the final blow to [his] curiosity about Music Halls'. Asks 'Am I not saucy?... (this is all exactly in the style of Harriet Byron [in "Sir Charles Grandison"]. His mother says 'she is as well as she ever was', and does seem to be, but she has also agreed 'to take care of herself' so he hopes 'all will be well'.
Holly Lodge, Richmond Park, S.W. - Writes to tell Bob the 'awful news' that his mother died 'quite suddenly last night at dinner'; they had known 'there was danger', but had no idea of 'the end coming so soon', since she had 'been extraordinarily well & happy lately'. She had 'expected & wished to die very suddenly', and since she was unconscious from the start of the seizure, all was over in five minutes, and they were 'all with her and happy together' he thinks 'it happened as nicely as it ever could have both for her and us'. Bob 'always seemed to understand her so well', and he was one of the friends she was fondest of, with Oswald [Sickert], Reggie [?] or Maurice [Baring?]. Marsh and his mother had been 'such particular friends lately': she knew 'all about' him, they had not quarrelled for a long time, and he had of course not as spent as much time with her for years. Wonders if Bob saw he had come second in the Home Civil [Service examinations]; is very glad his mother knew, and that it was settled he would choose the Colonial Office. Only came home the day before yesterday; his visit to the Balfours 'didn't come off' so he had been staying with the Lyttons for ten days; it is a 'blessing' he came in time. Asks Bob to visit him if he is in London.
Thanks Eddie for his letter on his mother's death; she had 'become very feeble, both in body and mind, of late years', so her death was 'not unexpected'; Bob's father still 'feels it a great deal, though he takes it stoically'; Bob fears he is 'becoming very weak physically', though still has much vitality. It was a very happy marriage, of almost sixty years; she was 'a very affectionate mother to us all, and to Bessie too'. Glad that Eddie knew her 'in old days', just as he has 'so pleasant a recollection' of Eddie's mother.
Copse Cottage, Fernhurst (Friday's Mill crossed through), Haslemere. - Was very shocked to hear Edward's news; has lost 'a real friend' in Edward's mother. As Edward says, it is fortunate she knew about his successes, since 'the happiness of [her son's] career was what she had nearest her heart'. Is at Haslemere, but will come to see Edward in either Richmond or London if he names a day; is coming to London on Wednesday for Harrow Founder's Day on Thursday; will probably stay at the National Lib[eral] Club. Would like Marsh to visit him here very much, whenever he would like; there 'are no P. Smiths about the place'.
5 Barton St (on headed notepaper for National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, S.W.). - Called on Edward's mother this afternoon since he has been ordered to go abroad by his doctor; when he said that he was probably going to a village 'in the hills near Paestum to spend a month or two by himself', Mrs Marsh 'immediately decided' that Edward should go with him; says he said it was a long journey to take for a stay of three weeks, and that if Edward had wanted to go he would have proposed it himself; did not mention that a long stay alone 'with an individual who has theories on the state of the English language which... are tedious when repeated overmuch' would be tedious for him. Does say, though that he could 'conceive [of] nothing more delightful' than for Edward to come; he would be working much of the time, and hopes his temper would be better; would not go to see places except for Pompeii and Paestum which are near, but that would not stop Edward 'playing the giddy dog at Naples or Rome or M[onte] Carlo' as much as he liked. Is going to a village called Corpo di Cava recommended by Roger Fry, who has spent time painting there. Leaving on Tuesday; Mrs Marsh says that Edward could not leave until Wednesday, and he could wait till then or meet him in Paris, but cannot wait longer as he wants 'to get out of this damned fog'; tells Marsh to telegraph if he wants to come. Will 'accept any reasonable modification of place' but it must be 'hot and quiet'. Found Marsh's sister playing children's games with the Sunday school children; she was 'quite exhausted, and the canary was carried into the drawing room in a fit'. Tells Edward that if he saw Bob's last letter to his brother, he should read ' [John Frederick?] Dobson' for 'Drummond'.