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8 Southwell Gardens. - Condolences on the death of Lady Houghton; notes that Lady Houghton's 'sweet letters' were a comfort when her father died.

24 Bryanston Street, W.—Discusses the Cliffords’ health and movements. The doctors do not think that Willi should return to England yet. She and Fred think of coming to join them, perhaps with the children. Gives news of their present activities and engagements.

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Transcript

24 Bryanston Street W
June 13./78

Dearest Lucy

A great many thanks for 2 letters from Malta & Genoa w[hic]h I got the day before yesterday, & for the others from Malta w[hic]h I could not acknowledge as we had no address. We were thankful that Malta seemed to suit Willi & that you fell in with pleasant friends. It was a great pity that you had an accident & were laid up; how did it happen? I do hope you are quite right again. I hope you took your journey to Lugano very very quietly and that you will soon establish yourselves comfortably at Monte Generoso. Fred wrote to you yesterday to tell you of his interview with Dr Clark. He said that nothing he sh[oul]d like better than to order you home in August or so, it would be so good for Willi morally, but that unless he really improves in the next month it would be most imprudent. Both he & Dr Beatty agree that in his present state nothing wd be worse for Willi than an English climate. You know Fred & I have set our hearts upon joining you wherever you are when the time comes for our holiday, at the Rieder Alp or in Yorkshire or Scotland & I sometimes think that we might easily manage to bring out both our kids so as to enjoy them altogether—I mean Ethel & Alice & perhaps C. Alice too. We shd not bring Alice if we cd not bring Ethel too. Don’t you think it would make Willi happier to stay abroad if he were to see his little girl & have her for about 4 weeks? Everybody goes abroad in August & if you were to come home you would find all your friends scattered. We have been staying with Mrs Ritchie near Windsor for Whitsuntide, & they & the Douglas Freshfields are all thinking of going to the Rieder Alp with great enthusiasm. The Tyndalls would be close by at the Bel Alp. So that on the whole I cannot help thinking you would enjoy yourselves more in Switzerland in August than in Great Britain, & that I suspect would be the only month Willi would be allowed home.

The W. Colliers are in London for a week & ask after you. Also we have some Dutch people over here to entertain. We did so enjoy our holiday in the country & London feels most dreadfully stuffy & stale on coming back. It is a joy to breathe in the country. Fred will have told you about Walter’s lecture at the R.I. They went to St Julians for their holiday & the parents are in Paris. I am a great deal better, in fact quite well. We are to take our Dutchman & woman to the R.I. tomorrow to hear Prof. Dewar on the Liquefaction of Gases. An interesting article in Mind next month will be “An infant’s Progress in Language”—i.e. Alice’s, done by her dada. I do hope you will be happy at Monte Generoso & meet friends. Best love to yr old man & you. Ever dear Lucy yr affectionate

GHP.

15: Describes life at Somerby with W. H. Brookfield and family.

Has been asked by Messrs. Cassell to edit one of their monthly magazines [The Lady's World, whose name Wilde changed to The Woman's World], and is 'anxious to make it the recognized organ through which women of culture and position will express their views.' Says that Mrs Fawcett, Miss Thackeray, Lady Dorothy Nevill, Lady Wentworth, Miss Orne, Mrs Frances T[erne], Lady A[rchibald] Campbell and other have promised to write, and expresses the hope that Nora will allow him to add her name to the list of contributors. Hopes that she will write an article 'an any modern subject', or on any subject on which she wishes to write. Suggests that an article on the women benefactors of the two universities would be interesting, and asks if she would 'do' Cambridge. Explains that the article will be illustrated in any way she wishes, 'and the honorarium for writers is 1 pound a page, an illustrated page counting to the writer as a full page.'

Reports that he has been very busy in relation to the vacant [Knightbridge] professorship; considers becoming a candidate himself, but does not think that he has much chance of being successful, and believes that if he puts himself forward he may harm the chances of another man [J. H. Stirling] who he believes has more claim to it. Was shocked at Maurice's death. Reports that he has been travelling about a lot since the end of the previous term; has been to Bournemouth, stayed with the Pauls at Bailie, and also at Freshwater, where he 'smoked a pipe with the Laureate'. Declares that Tennyson was 'exceedingly kind', and that he and Symonds 'had a most interesting conversation with him. Adds that Miss Thackeray was also there, 'most delightful of authoresses'. Hopes to go to Rugby on the Saturday of the following week. Reports that he has just seen Robertson, who is going to Harrow, 'but with eyes halfregretful fixed on Rugby'. Asks to be remembered to the Temples.

Declares that he was very glad to get news of Mary [Minnie], as the latter does not write to him. States that he has not heard from William either. Claims to be very busy with correspondence. Refers to developments at Rugby, and remarks that 'things keep dragging on'. Reports that he has asked about the governess, but without success. Asks his mother if she has applied to Mrs [Frances?] Kitchener, who has 'a sort of calendar of the women who pass and take honours in the July examination: in case they want any post of an educational kind. Reports that his old friend Tawney is in England, but that he has not seen him yet because of his [Tawney's] wife's illness. The latter 'was a Miss Fox daughter of the Dr. at Clifton'. Refers to the 'matter of young Meyer', which he declares to be 'a horrible puzzle'. Presumes that his mother hears enough from Rugby to know that 'the crisis seems to have come.' Speculates on the likely outcome.

States that he has read very little in the recent past, 'except Plato and Greek History', and reports that he has been writing 'an erudite paper on the Sophists for [their] Philological Journal.' Reports that he has 'only managed to read Macmillan and Miss Thackeray's story in Cornhill and Middlemarch: and O. W. Holmes's new book [Poet at the Breakfast Table]' which he thinks is 'a falling off but still enjoyable'. Has heard that the new Darwin [Expression of the Emotions] 'is very entertaining'. Sends his love to all, and adds that '[Strange] Adventures of a Phaeton in Macmillan [by William Black] seems to [him] excellent'.

States that he has been very busy. Reports that his lectures have now come to an end. Explains that Charles [Sidgwick, his cousin?] had informed him of his uncle [John Benson Sidgwick]'s death before she had written to tell him, and says that he was 'much startled and grieved'. Refers to the last time that he saw him at the Mill; remembers all his 'childish feelings about him as the Head of the family' and is saddened by the thought that he 'shall never see his fine impressive old face again.' Mentions that one or two people in Cambridge had talked about him and the Ryddlesden family that term. Observes that Charles seems to be very popular.

Remarks that when this letter reaches his mother he shall be thirty-five, and goes on to discuss the ageing process, and the years which 'are beginning to go with Railroad Speed'. Intends to ask her to give him some of Miss Thackeray's works for his birthday. Hopes that she has 'good accounts of Isabel and the baby [Nevil]'. Reports that William was thinking of 'running over' to Cambridge, 'but somehow did not.' Announces that he is going to London to conduct an examination on 16 June, then to Margate for a fortnight, and after that he is uncertain about his plans.

Writes from 7 Athelstan Road, Margate;, having stayed last year in nearby Ethelbert Terrace; comments that 'all this part of the town was built by some fanatical Anglo-Saxon'; intends to be there for ten more days. Thinks that he never wrote to thank her for Miss Thackeray's books. Relates that he has been staying with the [Leslie] Stephens since he left Cambridge, where he has seen Miss Thackeray. Reports that she is going to write 'another Fairy Tale - Jack and the Bean-stalk', which is still a secret; she also told him some interesting things about Browning and Red Cotton Nightcap Country'; will tell his mother if she has ever 'read or tried to read that singular production'.

Recommends Mrs Cornish's novel Alcestis and Mrs Webster's dramatic poem The Auspicious Day; this made him cry while he was supervising the Local Examination in London, though he 'was perched so high that sixty-five young ladies could see... an Examiner Weep'. Asks her tell Arthur 'that Symonds's Greek Poets is very good in parts - on the whole, better than [Symonds's book about] Dante - and will improve his mind.' Asks how are all her affairs. Reports that 'many sympathizing strangers in London enquired after Rugby', but that he told them that the situation was unchanged. Reports also that all the M.P.s he has seen 'believe in the "Conservative Reaction" so that possibly H. H[ayman] may be made a Dean soon'.

(Place of writing not indicated.)—Praises Fred Pollock’s obituary notice. Will try and see her on Wednesday if her head is better.

(Dated Sunday.)

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Transcript

Sunday

My dear Mrs Clifford I have just read Fred Pollocks beautiful notice. It is written without words I think & makes one feel what it is he knows so well, & something of what your blessed knowledge & love & loss must be. Thankyou for sending it to me.

I am not yet up but tomorrow I shall be all right I hope—& meanwhile I must tell you how I have read it & how thankful I am that you have the—only—consolation of feeling that your husbands influence & sympathy kindles such hearts.

If my head gets right I shall try & find you on Wed[nesda]y morning & bring the book.

Your affectionate
Anne Ritchie

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Written in pencil. Letters missing from a word abbreviated by a superscript letters have been supplied in square brackets.

Announces that Stirling is not to stand [for the post of Knightsbridge Professor of Moral Philosophy], and that therefore he shall; predicts that if either Venn or Pearson are elected, his days in Cambridge 'will be brief', if he can believe 'sufficiently' in himself or his work - 'Otherwise Cambridge is a comfortable hospital for maimed intellects and carrières manquées'.

Tells Myers to write and give him 'the next chapter of the romance.' [Note in Myers' hand suggests that this could be a reference to The Fair Tasmanian ]. Reports that '[p]oor Jebb is in influenza in Ireland.' Reports that Miss Thackeray was very hospitable to them at Freshwater, and describes how she acted in her role as hostess. Adds that 'as the immortal Swinburne said to [him], a man's Best is his real Self and it is only a Philistine who judges him by anything else'.

Asks Myers when he intends to come to Cambridge. Reminds him that his card says the following week, but that his letter to 'Mrs V. said 18th.' Announces that he [Sidgwick] goes to Rugby on 11 [May] to steep himself in 'H. Hayman' [headmaster of Rugby School, at odds with Arthur Sidgwick and other masters]. Refers to an un-named matter of mutual concern, and states that Birks also 'has a work of Ethics in his desk.' In relation to his failure to be appointed to the post of Professorship of Moral Philosophy, claims that he regrets 'the gentle external compulsion that it would have given.' Thinks that he must stay in Cambridge 'at least one year more: and most probably for ever.' Believes that he is ill-adapted for Cambridge society. Thought Pearson was going to be chosen for the post. Regrets that Myers is 'so decided about Old Kensington [novel by Annie Thackeray, currently being serialised in The Cornhill Magazine], and claims that he himself is hesitating. Notes that 'W. M. T[hackeray] had a way of boring one with long introductions.' Adds ' "Christ[ ] North" no good?'

'She told me that not long before Thackerary's death she said to him "Father, which one of all your friends have you loved best?" and he replied "Why, old Fitz to be sure, and Brookfield"'

Monk Soham Rectory, Wickham Market, Suffolk - Hardly ever keeps letters, so has none of Edward FitzGerald's; indeed, generally only had notes or cards from him since they lived near to each other and 'kept our topics for such times as we met and talked them out'. Suggests John Allen, Dean Blakesley, Dean Merivale, the Master of Trinity and Mrs Thompson as people who could supply letters, but has 'misgivings whether such letters should be published, good and pleasant as they may be', questioning whether FitzGerald 'would have sanctioned it? He, who carefully tore up letters almost as soon as he received them'.

Encloses a letter from John Allen [ADD.MS.a/6/23?]. Thanks Crabbe for congratulations on the engagement of his son William to [Emma] Colvin.

Will not go to the auction, but would like to have catalogues. Mrs Ritchie (Miss Thackeray) should have some, as two of her father's drawings are on sale. 'Also Mowbray Donne, Allen and Crowfoot cum multis aliis'.

Two letters in which Sandars discusses the Lockhart Bogle portrait of W. M Thackeray, Mrs Ritchie's pleasure in it, and the arrangements to get it to Cambridge. Also asks about the subscription for the Tennyson MS for the College Library.

Refers to [Charles Kegan] Paul's intended visit at Easter. States that he has to go up to Cambridge on the Monday [after Easter] to examine. Intends to pay a visit during Passion Week, and shall probably join her 'either just before of just after Easter Sunday.' Declares that he lives in expectation of 'the portfolio and [ ].' Promises to write to let her know when it arrives.

Asks if she has sent off 'the "de Mirville [Pneumatologie]" to Miss Attersoll' Reports that he has been corresponding with the latter on the subject, and is 'trying to instil into her some sound views on the subject of spiritualism'. Reports on a book that has recently appeared on the English Constitution, 'which is lively enough to interest people in the subject who have not previously given much attention to politics' and is 'entirely free from party spirit': The English Constitution by W. Bagehot. Declares that the two best books he has read for years on politics, are the latter and Grant Duff's Studies in European Politics. In relation to novels, refers to The Village on the Cliff [by Anne Isabella Thackeray] which he deems 'first-rate'. Claims that he is busy at present with University business. Sends his love to all at Wellington College, and refers to the fact that 'they have got a Schol[arship] at University Coll[ege].'

Reports that he did not see Sidgwick's article on Bentham until a day or two previously, and was please by his 'kind (only too kind) reference' to him. Refers to his omission - pointed out by Sidgwick - in relation to Bentham in his own book, and explains that he had intended 'to add some account of him, both as a [ ] and a political writer' when he revised the book, but failed to do so. Remarks that he does not always agree with Sidgwick, but that the latter always sets him thinking, 'which is the most valuable of intellectual services.' States that he had hoped to see HS at Oxford some days previously, but he did not go. Hopes to see Sidgwick and others 'at future [Ad Eundems?] if the institution survives'. Refers to the increasing solitude of his life, and reports that he is soon 'to lose Miss Thackeray' [due to her forthcoming marriage], which he describes as 'a giant wrench'.