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Explains that he did not hear of the birth of Mary's baby [E.F./Fred Benson] until some days after the event. Sends his love to her. Does not expect that [J.W.?] Hales will have time to see him. Reports that he has had Arthur to breakfast that morning. Relates that he seems 'lively enough', that he is staying with Symonds, but not in his house, and that he goes to the Lakes on Thursday morning.

Is in Cambridge for the term, 'plunged in Examinations' has not had very much holiday, as he has been spending most of his time in reading at the British Museum. Reports that he went down to Wellington College in Passion Week, and that Mary seemed much better, but he was concerned that 'there was something not healthy in the flush on her face, which told of headache.' Reports that the boys seemed well, that Arthur especially 'is much developed by his school[']s experience' and that when Henry left Arthur was 'endeavouring to compose a Latin Elegiac poem on the consecration...of C[ ] Church'.

Reports that Edward is 'full of Lincoln and the Mediæval chapter and the neo-mediæval chapter about to be revived in that favoured town.' Thinks that 'he feels the difficulty of realising his ideal without more aid than he is certain to get.' States that 'they are anxious about the election of a new headmaster [at Wellington College]', which was to be decided the following week. Thanks her for her information about his godson, and states his intention to go and see the boy in June. Supposes that she does not want books to read, as otherwise he would recommend Trollope's Australia [and New Zealand]. Reports that he stayed a night with the [Roden?] Noels, and that Mrs Noel asked after his mother.

Informs him of what she knows of Edward [Benson']s plans, including the fact that he wishes to be chiefly at home during the holidays, and that on 1 August he goes to London to marry [Mr] Sp[ierling]. Suggests that if Henry comes [to Wellington College] early in August he may see Arthur, who will be coming after a week's stay with Mr Myers at the Lakes, and will be on his way to Switzerland. Announces that she will probably be at Wellington College longer than she had first intended, as 'the expected event [the birth of Minnie and Edward's baby]' has not yet come to pass. Reports that Minnie and the children are very well, and that Edward has bought a horse. Reports that Mr Hales from Cambridge and Mr Mitchell from Oxford are coming to Wellington College to examine the following week, and claims that she is anxious to see Henry's friend [Hales?].

Asks him to give her the name of his article which is to appear in the following month's Macmillan's Magazine, and also to tell her for what volume is his essay. Is glad that he is enjoying himself in London, and sympathises with his inability to sleep, and refers to the air at Wellington College being 'unusually soporific....' Wonders if he has seen any royal fêtes, and claims that she would have enjoyed 'a sight of the agricultural hall', and remarks that the Naval Exhibition 'must be considered a failure.'

22 July: Reports that Minnie has still not yet given birth. Lucy Brown has stayed at Rugby with her brother and a friend, and has gone to London to see an oculist on account of being threatened with blindness. Reports that there has been no further news of William, and hopes that he is well, 'and resting from glacier climbing for a while at Pontresina....' Refers to his having had, with Mr Esson, 'a successful ascent of the Wetterhorn...' [Incomplete?]

Reports that Minnie 'prospers daily', and describes her progress over the last few days. Adds that the baby [E. F. Benson] is also doing well. Relates that they received news by that morning's post of Edward from Carmarthen, from where he was to go on to Tenby, and then to Pembroke, Milford, and St Davids. Reports that Arthur wrote from the [ ] of the R[ ], 'where he and his friends Kitchener and Mr. Robertson betook themselves to escape the heat of Lucerne', and announces that she writes to him today at Grindelwald.

States that William went to Oxford the previous Wednesday, and that that day 'he goes on to the Raikes [home of Robert Hodgson Sidgwick and family]. She will be glad to hear of Henry's going out of London. Reports that Annie Sidgwick wrote to Minnie some days previously, and that she is very happy that William is going to see them, and wonders if he will bring Henry; she is also delighted with Henry's article on Mr [M] Arnold in Macmillan's Magazine 'but seeing, as she says, that his article on "Culture and its Enemies" is far less "cosy" than money', she asks why Henry chooses that to come down upon him for. Mentions that Minnie would like a letter from him.

[Sent from Lincoln]:- Explains that he has been putting off writing because of 'a sense of incompleteness' about his life. Considers his life 'in three aspects'; in relation to his book [The Methods of Ethics], in relation to his enquiry into Spiritualism, and in relation to 'the holiday-making which may be supposed to be the proper business of the month of August.' Reports that Macmillan has decided to take on his book, and to give him half profits. Had urged Macmillan to show a portion of the MS to Mr John Morley, the editor of the Fortnightly Review, because it is 'written in a rather obscure and technical style, intended primarily for students', he [Henry] feared that it was unfair on Macmillan to ask him to take the risk of publishing the book, but Morley said that the book ought to generate a fair amount of interest, and to pay its expenses. Reports that since then he has been correcting proof sheets.

States that he has plenty of time to spare and has been researching Spiritualism. Reports that he went to stay with Lord Rayleigh early in August to meet Mrs Jencken, 'one of the original Fox girls, in connexion with whom these singular phenomena first attracted attention in America in 1848.' Declares that they heard 'an abundance of "raps" ', but that the experiment that they were trying did not succeed. After leaving Rayleigh he spent a fortnight at Hallsteads. Reports that 'many remarkable phenomena had occurred there before [he] arrived, which were all the more interesting because there was no public medium', and gives details of these incidents. Declares that Hallsteads [home of Walter and Annie Marshall] to be a charming place, and that he enjoyed his stay there very much. Reports that all at Lincoln [new home of his sister and brother-in-law] are well, that Mary is apparently very well, and that the boys are 'in excellent spirits.' Offers his 'sincere commiserations on the matrimonial engagement', and hopes that she is bearing up against the blow.

Explains that he has been busy with much official correspondence. Confirms that he will try to go to Rugby at Christmas, and states that there are other engagements which may prevent him. Reports that he nearly went to Oxford [where his mother now lives] at the beginning of the term, but was prevented at the last moment by business in Cambridge. States that the 'Education of Women' hampers his movements more than would otherwise be the case.

Hopes that she does not find the work of establishment very tiring, and notes that she does not mention whether Mary has arranged matters 'with her "young man" ', and when she is going to leave her. Reports that Edward is with him in Cambridge, and that he gave very good accounts of Mary and the children; 'Martin has already plunged into ephemeral literature and become a contributor to the Wykehamist [the Winchester College school magazine]'. Refers also to Arthur and Edward. In relation to his enquiries into Spiritualism, reports that he does not have much to tell about them. Believes that the young men in Cambridge are beginning to become very interested in the subject. Admits that he had forgotten about the G[ ], and states that he will go and give her message.

Trinity:- Not sure when he is coming up to London; probably on Friday. Expects he will go to the theatre in the evening and stay with his parents next morning. Was 'very glad to see Charlie'; expects he will be in Scotland next Friday so Robert will not see him then. The government 'seems to have had a great victory on Thursday and... succeeded in putting the Lords in a very awkward dilemma. The best thing they can do to educate the electorate is to throw out the clause'.

He, George, and two others read Othello this morning, and decided 'it was the best play all round [they] had ever read'. George 'acted Desdemona with great pathos, and the Iago was splendidly done by [Maurice] Amos'. Kitson [Robert or Sydney?] is here today; says that Charlie visited him last Friday, when he was 'looking after a very deaf old aunt' and so not able to see him properly. Has been reading a story by F[red] Benson in the English Illustrated [Story of a Mazurka?], which was 'very poor'. Hopes Dodo will be better; they are 'all waiting' for the six shilling edition, due to come out in the winter.

Hopes his father is well and 'not too busy'; supposes he does not have much time for reading, and has not come across any new interesting books. Sees there is a 'new French book about Napoleon', but has not had time to read it.

Trinity:- Hopes his mother is 'satisfied with the political outlook': they do not know much of what is going on here. The last thing he heard was 'that [H. H.] Asquith was engaged to Dodo [Margot Tennant, given the name of E. F. Benson's character said to be based on her]' but does not know if that is true; hope 'she will not treat him as badly as she treated Lord Chesterford [also in Benson's Dodo]'.

Asks if his father is well; supposes he is 'not put out by the fate of his bill' but rather looks on it as 'a grievance', which is 'always acceptable, especially when it can be well-turned to account'. George is 'quite well and happy'; Robert went for a walk with him and 'his erratic friend Baring' this afternoon. Baring's 'last performance' was sending a 'telegram to his patron Edmund Goss[e], purporting to be from his tutor Boughey, saying - "Poor Baring passed away quietly this afternoon Boughey"'. Boughey does 'not seem to have resented the trick' when he discovered it from Gosse's 'anxious enquiries'. Is going to tea with the Sidgwicks tomorrow 'at their new house'.

Asks how Charlie is, and whether he 'has begun to make any close and more personal acquaintance with his constituents yet'.

King's College, Cambridge (received 15th Sept. 1892) - In parts of Cornwall a child who brought a piece of hawthorn in bloom or a piece of fresh bracken to a dairy on May morning was given a bowl of cream; told this by an old Cornish woman who looked after their cows when he lived in Truro, and who told him to look for either of these items.

98 Grenfell Road, Maidenhead, Berks. - Hopes that her letter of thanks last month [19/82] for Trevelyan's poems ["From the Shiffolds"] did not get lost in the post, as two of her letters have done recently. The poems were very welcome in her 'drab' surroundings, where 'all around, within, is "Ug! - Ug!- Ug!" as Philip Burne-Jones use'd to say'. Has had 'far [emphasised] worse experiences & 18 year's illness' but everything is still very blank and lonely. Despite the dreadfulness of the present time, she hopes that Trevelyan's translation is going well; to spend a 'few lovely hours with Montaigne' must be a great relief. [Bach's] "St Matthew's Passion" would be as well, though she last heard it many years ago, one Easter with E. F. Benson, who used to read many of his novels to her from the manuscript.