Hotel Biscione, Piazza Fontana, Milano. - Very sorry that she has suffered as she has; it is true that she does not have 'new scenes' and 'interesting and exciting work' as he has, but she must not be made unhappy by their separation; his feeling towards her will not lessen, though he supposes he may love her 'intellectual or rather... spiritual nature more' when they are apart, rather than her 'immediate physical or even psychological personality'; says she must try and let him 'haunt [her] pleasantly'. Is touched that she cried for him; there is no shame in doing so. The Frys are sending some rings to Ravello for him to choose from, and he will send her one; they are leaving tomorrow if Fry is well enough, as he is in bed with a cold. Went to the Brera yesterday and saw many wonderful things; again was unimpressed with the Luinis; then they saw two other private collections, one of which included a Bellini Madonna. Fry has seen his 'Indian poem and the play about Antioch' and was encouraging about the play; thought the poem 'very good in places, but not real enough, psychologically' as [Thomas Sturge?] Moore also said. Thinks they are probably right; will be glad to get working again. The Frys wanted to find a name for Bessie; as her name includes 'des Amorie' they tried 'Amoretti or Amoretta', but now Mrs Fry has invented 'Amica', short for 'Amica di Trevi', in the same way as they and 'other connoisseurs [primarily Bernard Berenson]' have identified a painter they call 'Amico di Sandro [Botticelli]'. Asks how she likes it; he will continue to call her 'Bessie'. Wrote to her aunt this morning. Had a 'charming letter from [John] MacTaggart' which he will forward after replying. Encloses a letter [perhaps 17/134] from his cousins the Booths, 'very nice people, cousins of the Fletchers'. His friends have all been very kind, as he thinks hers have too; glad she has Jeanne Salomonson to keep her company, who is a 'sweet creature'. Thoughts on 'human misery' occasioned by her visit to the hospital.
Congratulates Trevy [on his engagement] and wishes him 'all happiness'; on hearing about it beforehand from [Charles] Holmes and [Laurence] Binyon, who had heard through [Sydney] Cockerell and Trevy's cousins the Fletchers, he had 'refused to believe it' due to what Trevy had told him about 'Mrs Costello[e] having tried to put about such stories'. However, when his sister heard the same from Miss [Bonté?] Amos, who said she had got the news from Trevy's mother, he 'had to allow it might be true'. Thinks Trevy will 'make a good husband', but that he will 'spoil all [his] children with indulgence' and thinks he should start being 'very stern' with himself so that he is able to look 'cross' enough at them; knows he is talking 'as if the little Homers and Aeschylluses [sic] and a Sappho or two were bound to turn up' and hopes they will. Keen to meet Trevy's fiancé; hopes she is not 'too like George' and suggests that the only indication which Trevy has given as to what she is like ''is very misleading and puts one deeper into darkness than total ignorance'. Asks how long Trevy has know her, and if she is 'connected with the admirers of the Dutch Milton [Vondel?]' whom he met at Taormina. Is to get a hundred pounds for editing Shakespeare [for the Vale Press] and fears it will take up a lot of time, so cannot promise to write an epithalamium. [Roger] Fry is 'of course quite wrong about Bellini', whom Moore admires as much as Fry does, but denies that he is 'characterised by passion by pathos or by Virgillian [sic] melancholy'; Bellini is a 'far greater master than Altdorfer' though Fry seemed to think he was comparing them. Sorry that Trevy is troubling to copy out Moore's "Danaë"; he could easily have got two copies made; hopes he will 'suggest how the hard sentences can be made easy, & the crooked straight, at the same time as pointing out their deficiency'. Hopes Trevy's fiancée 'will prove a Muse... though she is not going to enter the lists as a rival'.
18, Southwick Street, Hyde Park, W. - Very glad about Bobbie's engagement; knows he is going to be 'very happy'. Very interested to find that their 'beloved cousins, the Fletchers, knew Miss Van der Hoeven at St. Andrews'. Wishes Bobbie and his fiancée were both coming to stay with the Booths at Gracedieu for Christmas.
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Sends thanks for his parents' letters. Bessie is on a two night visit to the Fletchers [Dorothy and Mary, her fellow students at St Andrews, and family?] near Petworth so he is alone except for Paul, who is well. Has not heard anything new 'about Sicilian matters' [the will of Florence Cacciola Trevelyan], and has not seen Withers or Crompton [Llewelyn Davies] for 'some time'.
Went to the English language performance of Wagner's Ring last week [conducted by Hans Richter]; the 'English singers came through the ordeal very creditably, considering that few of them had any operatic experience'. Hopes this will be a 'good omen' for the performance of Ariadne [The Bride of Dionysus], for which Tovey 'seems to be getting on with the music', though it will take some time. Gives dates of Tovey's concerts at the Chelsea Town Hall in Feb-Apr, in case his mother can go to any. Went to Charles and Molly's 'at home' last week, which 'was very pleasant'; saw George there, who seems well.
Paul is well, except for a little trouble with his teeth which are taking a long time to come through. He 'can stand up alone now, at least when he does not think of it, though the moment he does, he falls down'. Hopes his parents are well.
24, Great Cumberland Place. - Sends congratulations to Bobbie [on his engagement] from his 'cousins here including the "Muggins" household"; hopes they will get to know his future wife one day, and that the Gracedieu visit is only delayed until he can bring her with him [see 13/58, where Robert tells his mother he has let the Booths know about his engagement since he had arranged to visit them at Gracedieu on New Years Day]. The Fletchers, who knew Elizabeth at St Andrews, have been saying 'how much they & everyone liked her in those days'.