Letters from Trevelyan dated 30 Jan. 1906 - 18 Oct. 1918. Accompanied by a letter from Sir Henry Jackson to H. M. Adams dated 22 Mar. 1951.
List of fragments from Greek tragedy and comedy on inside front cover and following page. Verse, 'Mad as the wind are the thoughts of lovers...'. Translation of Virgil's "Aeneid" Book 4 line 465ff; lists under headings 'Greek translations' and 'Latin translations' interpolated. Heading, 'Autobiographical notes', followed by poem, 'All best things fade, dear Gordon [Bottomley]'; translation of Catullus 11 upside-down at the bottom of this. Part translation of Catullus 65; essay or notes for speech citing Tennyson and Catullus. Essay, 'Greek and Roman Poets'. Translation of Montaigne I.28.
Notebook used from other end in: poem, 'What do you then believe?...'. Another version of 'All best things fade...'. Draft of "Dandelions" [published in the "From the Shiffolds" of Christmas 1947. Essay on Trevelyan's translations of Montaigne. List of contents for "Windfalls" [the second, extended, edition of 1948]. Essay on nature and happiness [two versions]. Verse, 'Mountains and rocks seem motionless and lifeless...'. Heading, 'Confession Haeretici', followed by notes and verse, 'Though now your body is growing old...'. Heading, 'Religio Poetae', followed by notes listing autobiographical topics and verse, which may carry on from the page before; list of topics relating to poetry on the next page. Verse, 'In the days of Omar, Commander of the Faithful...'. Translation of Catullus 7. Autobiographical piece about his father showing him Macaulay's annotations to the text of Catullus. Translation from Horace, "Satires" II.7. Notes on Robert Bridge's "Testament of Beauty". Page count [for the new edition of "Windfalls"].
Translations of Virgil's "Aeneid" Book 6 and Homer's "Odyssey" book 9. Notes [of possible topics for autobiography] on first page, for example 'G[eorge] O[tto] T[revelyan] and Palgrave - Keats. G.O.T. and Churchill'.
MS annotation at top of first sheet: 'note found in copy of GWY's Roof Climber's Guide to Trinity Feb. 1986'. Text records that this copy was given by Young to Prof. Norman Collie, 'scientist, artist and sometime President of the Alpine Club' on its appearance, returning to him after Collie' s death.
Written as a 'May week joke, to appear during the festival days at Cambridge at the end of the summer Term', along the lines of G. O. Trevelyan's Horace at Athens etc. Written 'from memory' when Young was studying at Jena; the MS was sent to his friend A. M. Mackay, who 'drew the illustrations but did not alter the text'. Mackay checked the routes with Young's brother Hilton, who was 'so fascinated by the traverse over the ivy-clad arch into St. John's that he crossed it three times, outward'; arousing suspicion from the porters by returning after midnight via the locked Trinity Gate; subsequent enquiries led to Hilton Young and Mackay being sent down for the Long Vac.
Comments on the history of climbing in college: Edward Bowen 'broke out of the turret stairs' onto Chapel, and Byron 'got on to the Library roof, and decorated the statues', but again Young found he had not climbed up but broken onto a staircase.
Young's own explorations were between 1895 and 1899, with companions including F. M. Levi, Young's 'close friend' Christopher Wordsworth, Cyril Clague, W. W. Greg, [J.] F. Dobson, A. Wedgwood, and G. M. Trevelyan. Further climbs were carried out in 1901 and 1902.
In the autumn of 1901, the Vice-Master W. Aldis Wright determined 'that the College must take cognisance of Roof-climbing, and decide whether or not it should be made illegal'; two junior Fellows, G. M. Trevelyan and Gilbert Walker, were appointed to report on the matter, with power to co-opt Young as a non-resident member of committee; they 'did the climbs and circuits in full daylight, with two of our former enemies, the College Porters, carrying the fire-ropes behind us through the Courts, in procession! As a result of the official Report, the practice was made (officially) illegal'.
Comments on Roof-Climber's Guide to St John's, by 'two "Blues"', including Hartley, and the second edition of the Roof-Climber's Guide to Trinity which appeared in the 1930s
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Bessie's letter with the six poems came this morning; will see John [Dower] again tomorrow and show him some, though John 'chiefly wishes to show [Bob] some new ones of his own'. John 'talked a good deal' yesterday, but was 'rather breathless'; seems he 'still tries to believe that he can get well'. Is in the room with George L[owthian Trevelyan]'s furniture in which used to be his father's room; the bed is 'very comfortable', though there is 'no washing apparatus'. Besides Kitty and her family there are several children, but he 'can't make out who they all are'; they spend all day outside, and are 'quite quiet as a rule'. There is also 'a Mrs [Esther?] Bicknell' and a friend of Kitty's whose name he has forgotten; and a daughter of Sybil Thorndike [Ann or Mary Casson] who sings 'chiefly folk-songs - not very interesting, but quite nice'. Len and Geoffrey [Winthrop Young] are coming just as he leaves, but Bessie will see them. Charles and George have gone out shooting; saw George at breakfast, and expects he will visit him [at Hallington] before he leaves on Tuesday. Expects Bessie will soon hear from Miss Dyson; asks whether 'that really is a certainty now'. Asks to be remembered to Miss Cook. Forgot to give Bessie a 'note Ursula Wood made about nurse-housekeepers', which he thinks might be worthwhile Gordon B[ottomley] trying; sends it now to send on if he thinks it worthwhile. Sends love to Bessie; is sorry he will not be at Wallington with her, but at least will see her on 27 August.
Robin Ghyll, Langdale, Ambleside. - Returns to Cambridge on 7 September. Saw Molly at Wallington last week, who proposed appointing the Public Trustee instead of George and Bob; George thought this was 'an excellent idea' and she is going ahead with it. Neither of them are business men, and Maurice [Bell]'s death is 'difficult to make good'. Will communicate with Bob again when Molly sends the preliminary documents to Cambridge. The Public Trustee manages his own marriage settlement by their father 'quite satisfactorily'.
Version of Trevelyan's "Maya" on inside cover and following pages; a verse version of "Spectacles" followed by a prose one. Notes toward an autobiography by Trevelyan, starting with a description of his first visit to Seatoller in Borrowdale in 1892 with his university friends Eddie Marsh, Bertrand Russell, Robin Mayor, and John Barran; describes visits there with Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson, quoting a poem written on the hills by Dickinson; mentions spending time there with G. E. Moore, which becomes a general discussion of philosophers and philosophy; the Lake Hunt; early reading and the library at Wallington; his father's friends, particularly Henry Sidgwick. Translation of Montaigne III.7, crossed through.
Notebook also used from the other end in: notes on Virgil's sixth "Eclogue"; notes on Chinese poetry; verse; translation of Montaigne II.8; conversation between Adam and Satan, in both verse and prose versions; translation from Sophocles's "Oedipus at Colonus"
Thinks Julian will like to see this letter from Eddie Marsh, originally enclosed; he need not return it. Hopes Julian, Ursula and [Philip] Erasmus will have a good time at Gorringes. They have got and will read 'Bernard's Club book', which 'begins very well', but he is wrong to think there has 'never been a Breakfast Club'. Bob's father belonged to one - is unsure whether it still exists - along with 'various brilliant or interesting people' such as Wolesley, Grant Duff, Henry James and [Lord] Rosebery too he thinks; they 'breakfasted somewhere about ten o clock and went on talking for hours'.
10 Downing Street, Whitehall. - Has received Trevelyan's letter of 24 April [18/135], with the report of the speech made by Trevelyan's father in 1904. Has been 'much interested to read this, recalling as it does memories of past days'.
The Shiffolds. - Is sending the Prime Minister a report of a speech given by his father at the Whitefriars Club dinner, about forty years ago, which he recently found amongst his papers. If Churchill has not seen it before, thinks he will be interested in what Sir George Trevelyan said about his father Randolph, for whom Trevelyan thinks his father 'had a real affection as well as admiration'. Sir George once told him how, just after Gladstone brought in his first Home-Rule Bill, he walked away from the House with Lord Randolph; they had to part ways at the bottom of St James's Street but stood there for some time while Lord Randolph gave him a forecast of what would happen. Robert supposes 'his prophecy did not include the Parnell divorce case', but Sir George said practically everything else came true. The Prime Minister knows Robert's brothers, but he expects he will not remember him, though they must have been at Harrow together for some years.
Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Thanks Bob for his postcard about [Umberto] Morra. Enjoyed Bob's criticism on Robert Browning in the last "[Abinger] Chronicle", and the story about seeing Browning with their father.
Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Sorry that Bob cannot come to Hallington at Easter, but will look forward to seeing him there in August or September; asks whether Bob will stay with them in Cambridge next term when he comes 'about the "Medea"'. Thinks the Memoir ["Sir George Otto Trevelyan: A Memoir"] 'has done what was wanted'; some people think it was 'too short', but he himself is unsure.
Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Is giving five pounds to the Harrow fund. Glad there is still a chance of Bob coming to Hallington; asks him to let them know by the end of the week, Hopes Bob gets his copy of the '["Sir George Otto Trevelyan: A] Memoir" soon: the letters from Sir George to Bob and Bessie provided material he is 'more and more glad [he] used'. Glad that Clifford Allen is better, and hopes he remains so. Much looking forward to Bob's new poems ["Rimeless Numbers"]. Notes in a postscript that John Buchan's new book on [Sir Walter] Scott is good.
Trevelyan, G.M. n.d. (1928?) 1p. only of letter re portrait of his father, Sir George Otto Trevelyan, left to Trinity.
Viscount Ullswater, J.W. Lowther 1924
Unidentified 1931
Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Glad that Robert approves [of the excerpts from their father's letters to Bob, to be included in George's "Sir George Otto Trevelyan: A Memoir"]. Has arranged for a cheap edition of their father's "Life of Macaulay" to be published by the Oxford [University] Press in their "World's Classics" series, since the Nelson's edition sold out a few years ago.
Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Thanks them for letting him see the letter from Julian; thinks [his European travels, including a trip to Mount Athos] 'just the right thing for him to be doing at this stage in his life'. Asks if they know Geoffrey Young's poem on Mount Athos in "Wind and Hill". Is sending back Julian's letter and Sir George Trevelyan's letters to them both; thanks them for lending the letters and encloses 'proposals for further excerpst' [in his memoir he is writing of his father'. Thinks his visit to the Shiffolds was 'particularly pleasant and memorable'; glad they felt the same; 'the past.. seemed rising around us like a mist and enveloping us'.
Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Thanks Robert for his 'marks' [suggested corrections to "Sir George Otto Trevelyan: A Memoir"]. Originally enclosing a copy of some excerpts from their father's letters to Bob, asking for comments; intends to print them at the end of the memoir, before "Horace at Athens", if Bob does not object. Very glad that C.A. [Clifford Allen] is better; agrees with him that 'the PM [Ramsay MacDonald] is cutting the best and most dignified figure of the lot', though does not know wheter that will 'save our unfortunate country and world'; hope is necessary.
Hallington Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne. - Thanks Bob for the letters: the 'only new fact' is that their father 'behaved worse than [George] knew under pressure from Uncle Mark [Philips]"; will go through his narrative ["Sir George Otto Trevelyan: A Memoir"] and make any changes necessary; will of course not go into details; Aunt Annie [Philips] has approved what he has written so far. Much looking forward to his visit to the Shiffolds. Remembers in a postscript how their father would sit at Welcombe 'saying cheerfully "We shall all end in the workhouse" - and never thought it less'; the 'workhouse seems a bit nearer today' but they must hope.
Hallington Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne. - Has received a letter from Withers saying that Bob will pay George 1500 francs, which will be 'very useful'; this is a 'very pleasant after-math to the whole of our family business' beginning four years ago [on the death of Florence Trevelyan's husband Salvatore Cacciola]. Has just finished writing a memoir on their father, which he plans to publish 'next spring unless the country has been ruined'; has had copies made and will give them to his brothers; suggests possible weekends for Bob to come to Cambridge, or for George himself to visit the Shiffolds, to discuss it.
Signatures of visitors with dates of their visits. Entries for 1897-1901 written on pasted-in sheets [from another book?]. Dates of deaths of Paul and Theodore Trevelyan written in by the entries for their last visits.
Newspaper cutting [from the "Times", Monday, June 6, 1910, p.8] regarding a visit by Theodore Roosevelt to Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford on Avon. Found in the book by the signatures of Roosevelt's party marking their stay from 4-6 June.
'R.C.T. - E.T.' written at the top of the page for 1928, the year of Caroline Trevelyan's death and her son Robert's inheritance of the house. Date of sale of house, 22 Nov 1929, entered. Visit of Julius Röntgen, 28-31 1930, marked by two bars of music beneath his signature.
Robin Ghyll, Langdale, Ambleside. - As he and Janet have 'hoped and expected' for a while, Mary has got engaged to John Moorman, who came to Hallington for a week in August; they met in June, at the Cornfords' musical parties in Cambridge. He left Cambridge this year, having stayed after his degree to train as a clergyman, and is now a curate in Leeds; he studied under [George Gordon] Coulton, who 'thinks highly of him'. He is 'liberal-minded', and George has discussed religion and history with him 'with much agreement and no feeling of barrier'. Moorman is also a 'fine walker' and is 'small but wiry'; his father was Professor of English at Leeds, and his mother is 'much respected in academic circles', and matron of a University hall in Leeds; their closest family friend is [Arthur] Grant, recently retired from the History Professorship there, a 'first-rate man'. Moorman's 'most intimate older and younger friends are Bishop Wyld [sic: Herbert Wild, Bishop of Newcastle], who conducted George and Bob's parents' funerals, and his son [John?]; in fact his 'whole entourage and atmosphere is about equally academic and clerical'. Thinks he will suit Mary very well, though 'not many people would', so he and Janet are much pleased.
H5 Great Court, Trinity College. - Scott and Jack Longland did 'the library chimney climb last night in the bright moonlight'; they took [Young's] guide and read it by moonlight at the bottom of the chimney. George Trevelyan was going to accompany them, but had a meeting and missed them. They took a look at the library face on the New Court side'; comments on problems of climbing it, with illustrations; 'part of the programme of the next meet on Saturday next', unsure whether it will be a 'new climb or not', as Young only records a downward climb with a rope. Young has added a pencil note at the end 'They did it, I think'.
Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Glad to hear from Charles that 'the Name & Arms are dead'. Originally enclosing something which 'may interest' Bob. Notes in a postscript that he has read 'nearly all the Macaulay journals' and thinks it would be 'a mistake to make an extensive publication of them': their father had produced an edited version 'with great skill' ["Marginal notes by Lord Macaulay"]; much of the rest is interesting 'if one really cares about Macaulay' but never meant for publication.
Hallington Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne. - Has been looking at the books left to him in their father's will, and believes that Bob should have the collection of over a hundred volumes in the 'Pipontine [sic: Bipontine] or Deux Ponts Edition in old white binding', currently in Sir George's study, many of which contain notes by Macaulay. Feels that Bob would appreciate these notes much better than he would himself, since they are 'on points of classical scholarship and history in which [he is] an ignoramus'. Would give him great pleasure to think of the books 'in the new Library at the Shiffolds' and often read by Bob.
Mas St Gabriel, Peyloubet, Grasse, A[lpes] M[aritime], France. - Sends condolences on the death of Trevelyan's father. Glad to think Charles can now begin 'his project & its duties'. He and May [his sister] are happy, though the future is uncertain.
Cortona. - Has just read the news of Trevelyan's father's death in the newspapers and, though it is not unexpected, knows it will be felt deeply. Has not heard from Trevelyan in a while; he gets some news through 'the B.B.s' [Bernard Berenson's household] but this is not detailed. Thinks he owes him some copies of Desmond MacCarthy's review, which he gets twice, once through Logan [Pearsall Smith]; hears the review is something of a disappointment but cannot judge. Has been at the Consuma, where he met Berenson's youngest sister [Rachel] and her husband [Ralph Barton] Perry; they are charming, but she has a horrid voice and 'looks too much American and too little jew'. They are worried that Mary will not come back well; B.B. never thinks that she should rest.
Hedenham Lodge, Bungay, Suffolk. - Letter of condolence on the death of Trevelyan's father [Sir George Otto Trevelyan]: gathers that his loss has come sooner than expected; knows Trevelyan will be glad there was 'no very prolonged suffering' but that 'it will be a shock however and whenever it came about'. Delights in the memory of the few times he met Sir George, who gave, as his "Life of Macauley" gives, the sense of 'a man who delighted in making people happy' and used his great powers without vanity in a 'long and unselfish life'. Minnie joins in sympathy.
70 Elm Park Road, SW. - Invitation to dinner on Tuesday; Trevelyan need not dress, and knows the Birrells' 'hugger-mugger style'.
Epigram which won the Browne Medal in 1959, to the set subject "Delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi" [Horace, "Epistles" 1.2.14; 20/67 is another copy]. Explanation that it refers to Louis Napoleon's comment to the Austrian ambassador Baron Hübner at the New Year's day ambassadorial levee [1859], which presaged war with Austria and recalled his uncle [Napoleon]'s attack on Lord Whitworth [March 1803]. Note at the end of the poem saying that Hübner himself, at the age of over eighty, saw the epigram and liked it.
Epigram which won the Browne Medal in 1858, when, as noted by Trevelyan he was a freshman, to the set subject "Versat / Saxum sudans nitendo neque proficit hilum" [a quotation from Cicero, "Tusculan Disputations" 1.10, perhaps quoting Ennius' "Annales"; 20/68 is a printed copy]. Addressed to 'Cotilus' [a name used in Martial's epigrams], who was a school-friend of Trevelyan's at Harrow and is now studying at Oxford.