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Wotton Lodge Nursing Home, Gloucester. - Thanks the Trevelyans for their letters following Catherine's operation [see 1/113 and 1/114]. She seems to be recovering well. The children are well and being cared for by grandmother or aunt. It is very good of the Trevelyans to offer a home for David, and please thank Lady Trevelyan for her kindness.

7A Stanley Gardens. - Has left the Trevelyan's umbrella with the rug at Horbury Crescent; was surprised to find Miss [Marie?] Busch there. Liked what he saw of the theological students to whom he gave an address yesterday, though he is unsure whether these talks do much good. Pleased to see Bessie and Julian: hopes to see Julian in Cambridge. Asks about [Bob Trevelyan's mother's] will. Ends by quoting a 'maxim of Goethe' in German.

The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - Glad to hear Hubrecht's wife has been outside and hopes to find her 'really better' when he comes over in May. Bessie has told him Hubrecht does not object to Whitweek for the wedding; this will be best for Robert's parents and brothers who all intend to come; doubts if anyone else from England will come; Hubrecht and Bessie should decide on the exact date. This will depend on when the Rotterdam consul [Henry Turing] can come; asks whether it would be best for him or Hubrecht to write about that, or should he ask Sir Henry Howard to do so? Bessie says they will probably need another witness; remembers Hubrecht said that if the consul were Dutch he might do, or he would have no objection to [Abraham] Bredius or any other friend of Hubrecht. If it is necessary to have an affidavit indicating his parents' consent this will be arranged. Has seen his birth certificate; the settlement is being drawn up at the lawyers. Very glad his parents are coming. Will write soon to Sir Henry Howard to let him know the date. Will come over as soon as Bessie wants him to. Bessie made all his family 'very fond of her' when she visited, and his friends who met her also liked her very much.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - He and his wife appreciate the feelings Hubrecht and his wife have about the future of Miss [Elizabeth] van der Hoeven, who has written to his wife. Hopes and believes that the marriage will make both young people happy, and will reward the Hubrechts for their 'kindness and affection towards [their] niece'. Looks forward to meeting them. Has himself five times been to the Netherlands as a tourist, visited the scene of William [the Silent?]'s death at Delft, and 'read the whole of [John] Motley's "Dutch Republic' on Dutch soil'. Glad that the proposals satisfy Hubrecht; brings up the point of what Robert's position would be after his and Caroline's death, when he will be 'independent and at ease'; suggests that as well as the settlement on Robert's wife and children already discussed, he and Caroline should covenant to pay him personally eight hundred pounds a year until then. Regarding the settlement itself, expects Hubrecht knows what an 'exceptional institution... the Equitable Mutual is" Would be glad to know what Miss van der Hoeven's 'personal circumstances' are. Asks in a postscript if the Hubrechts consider the marriage 'sufficiently fixed' to make it known; on their side it is so.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Hopes that Hubrecht's wife is much better and not 'overdone' by the trouble which a marriage inevitably brings. He and his wife are looking forward to their visit; they intend to come straight from London to the Hague on the 1 June and to keep their rooms at the "Oude Doelen" hotel throughout their stay even if they make any excursions. His wife will write to Elizabeth about the hotel nearer the time. Has read the marriage contract and will show it to his lawyer in London next week; will then instruct him to arrange the settlement of the Equitable [and Mutual] Insurance and the allowance to Robert.

8 Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Originally enclosing the draft of the [marriage] settlement and the undertaking [by himself and his wife] to pay a yearly allowance of eight hundred pounds to Robert until either of their deaths, when he will receive twenty thousand pounds; this was his wife's settlement and his own and is now assured to Robert in addition to any other sum they may leave. The policy Robert settles on Elizabeth is worth fourteen thousand pounds now, and has prospects of reaching a large sum 'if he lives to be old, or even elderly'. Encloses a cutting from today's "Times" ["The Money Market", "Times" 36136, p 4] with under-linings in pen, showing that the average increase in policies in the Equitable [and Mutual Life Assurance Society] is over one hundred percent.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - He and his wife will be pleased to dine with Hubrecht on 5 June; will let him know as soon as possible whether Charles and George will be in the Hague in time to come too. In response to Hubrecht's questions, encloses a letter from Mr Ellis [13/50], a 'solicitor of the highest order", nephew of Sir George's uncle [Macaulay]'s 'now well-known old friend, Thomas Flower Ellis', and son of his father's family solicitor. This explains that Robert and Elizabeth's marriage will make 'the settlement irrevocable'; the circumstances which would invalidate the covenant are, he 'hope[s] and believe[s], impossible'. Has lost his copy of the marriage contract: thought he had returned it to Hubrecht, after having read it through with Mr Ellis, both having been 'fully satisfied'.

8 Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - He and his wife had a good crossing after Hubrecht kindly saw them off, and return with 'pleasant recollections' of the 'kindness and cordiality' they met with in Holland. They hope that Hubrecht's wife has not suffered from 'all the movement, and the trial to her feelings'. Asks to be remembered to Hubrecht's daughter [Marie] and to the Comte and Comtess de Grammont [? Alphonse Grandmont and his wife Bramine Hubrecht?] if they are still there. Asked his lawyer today to get certified copies of the two documents [relating to a settlement and covenant made on Robert and Elizabeth Trevelyan's marriage], which is 'quite a recognised proceeding'; will take some time, as the documents must be stamped by the Inland Revenue. The 'filling up of the blank is a trifle'; explains that this clause is in Robert's favour rather than their own.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Originally enclosing the 'attested copies of the two documents' [relating to a settlement and covenant made on Robert and Elizabeth Trevelyan's marriage]; the stamp duties have now been paid. They have had happy letters from the young people, and are much looking forward to their visit this summer. His wife has had a letter from Miss [Marie] Hubrecht, and is glad to hear Madame Hubrecht's health is improved. He is hard at work and they are leading a 'quiet, rustic life'.

Hotel de la Poste, Bruxelles - Does not know how to thank her for her 'extraordinarily kind letter' which arrived yesterday. She will have seen his last letter to his father, acknowledging that he did wrong in not consulting them before proposing [to Elizabeth]; thinks though that everything will be for the best. Is here for two days, as he and Elizabeth's uncle agreed it would be good for him to go away for a little while after 'this last somewhat eventful and in some ways anxious week'; will return to the Hague on Thursday, and there is plenty to see. Thinks Elizabeth's uncle sanctions the engagement; unlikely the wedding could take place before the summer, as Elizabeth wants to spend more time with the Hubrechts; she also wants the Grandmonts to be there, and they do not generally return from Sicily till May or June. Expects he will soon go on to Italy. Will send a photo of Elizabeth when he returns to the Hague; his mother 'must not expect a beauty', though he finds her looks 'anything but disagreeable'. Thinks she will be able to 'look after [him] properly' as she is 'prudent and orderly, and in many ways thoroughly Dutch'; glad that her intellect is 'neither particularly poetical, nor romantic' and she has 'quite enough imagination and insight to understand anything' he might want; she has good taste for art, literature, and other things 'for a woman', and tends to be 'reflective and critical, rather than positive or creative'; she is of course 'a Protestant, at least not a Catholic'. Thinks he wrote that she knows the Nicholsons, 'by which I meant the Donaldsons of St Andrews' [James Donaldson and family?]. Has told no-one apart from the Frys [Roger and Helen] about his engagement, and will not do so until everything is settled between his father and Mr Hubrecht.

10 Prinsegracht, The Hague. - Has received her letter this morning, and sent a telegraph to say he has already written to all [the friends and relations] she names, as well as to a few others, such as Mrs [Mary] Booth, since she had invited him to Gracedieu for New Year's Day. Wrote to [Charles] Sanger first, as he lives with him, who got the letter at Cambridge and told George there; had however written to George, and Charles, next day. Has also written to his aunts and Booa [Mary Prestwich]. Has been busy: Mr Hubrecht sent him to visit Bessie's sister Mrs Röntgen in Amsterdam on Saturday, on Sunday he received callers with the family, and on Monday he went to Ede with her and her sister-in-law [strictly, Elizabeth had no sister-in-law: Bramine Hubrecht meant?] to see about the furniture moving. Thinks his mother will have seen his and Hubrecht's letters to his father; hopes that 'little difficulty' is now resolved. Elizabeth is about five foot ten, has 'brownish yellow hair, of rather a light tint', and eyes of he thinks 'greenish grey'. Has not yet written her any poems, but 'must try in Italy'. Will try to get her a ring in Milan; [Roger] Fry may be able to help; leaves tomorrow afternoon, and will spend a few days there as he has much to discuss with Fry. Not sure when he will return: depends how his work goes. Hopes a visit by Bessie to England in the spring can be arranged.

West Grange, Cambo, R.S.O, Northumberland; dated 'Saturday' only. - She and her husband are very glad to hear of Robert's engagement; hopes he has made a good choice and will be very happy. Mr Gow tells her to add that he is very pleased 'that there is still someone who has a warm side for the Dutch!' [in spite of the Second Boer War].

Pinewood, Godalming. - Does not need to say how interested he and his wife were on hearing about Robert's engagement but does not like to be 'quite silent' on the occasion. From Robert's account of Elizabeth, which he recognises may not be 'very impartial'; she 'seems likely to make him very happy & to please [his parents]', which is all a mother can want; hopes they may indeed all be happy. Sends love to George.

Tibberton Court, Gloucester. - For once Caroline has 'brought down the house' with her news': very glad that Robert is going to be married, and that Caroline seems to be pleased; hopes he will be happy and 'that it will assist to bring about an Anglo: Boer reconsiliation [sic]!' (assures Caroline that is 'only fun'). Glad Miss van der Hoeven is a musician.