Showing 18 results

Stocks Cottage, Tring. - Thanks Bob for his postcard; will 'much want' to hear his criticisms [of his own book about George Meredith?]. Is to write a 'causerie' for the "Speaker" on [Alfred William] Benn, though not until June as he recently did one about [Thomas] Hardy's "Dynasts". Is working on a book about Garibaldi in 1949: 'far and away the best fun' he has ever had in writing; had a 'splendid time walking over the ground at Easter'. Asks if Bob has read [Gabriele] D'Annunzio's "Canzone di Garibaldi" ,'fine historical poems'. Hears 'rumours that the Shiffolds are likely to become more populous' [Elizabeth is pregnant], which would give him more pleasure than anything 'in these recent very fortunate times' and 'seems a proper sequel to the General Election'.

8 Grand Parade, St Leonards, Sussex. - Ursula [Wood?] asked him to send on "Tess [of the D'Urbervilles"]?', which he does now. Would like to write a 'decent letter', but finds it difficult to hold a pen due to rheumatoid arthritis. Thanks Trevelyan for the 'great pleasure' which his translation of the "Georgics" has given him; thinks it a 'very scholarly poetic rendering' which 'should supersede all others'; cannot think of a better translation for those who do not know Latin but 'would like to get in touch with the original'. Owes Trevelyan more thanks for his selection of "Poems from the Chinese"; praises him for his introduction and notes, while 'the poems speak for themselves'. Points out his change of address.

British Museum, W.C. - Lucky that he did not come [to visit Bob, see 17/4], as he developed flu; is alright now, and asks if the weekend of 17 May would work instead. Hopes the Shoves came; has not seen them; sure Francis [Birrell?] arrived. Has been 'deluged' with proofs for "Jap[anese] Poetry", "The Story of Ts'ui Ying-ying ", and "More Translations from Chinese", though the last is not due to be published until September so he need not rush. Asks if Bob would be kind enough to look it over after Miss [Beryl] de Zoete, who is 'fairly good at spotting howlers'. The sum he mentioned as a possible fee from the Art Theatre '[for Bob translating Aeschylus' "Prometheus", see 17/2?] was too large; believes it would be about twenty-five pounds, but this is unofficial. Enjoyed James [Strachey]'s piece about Claudel's "L'Otage" in the "Athenaeum", as well as Lytton [Strachey]'s essay on Lady Hester Stanhope [in the issues of 4 and 11 April]; it 'ought to be rather an entertaining periodical under its new management'.

Received a cheque for a hundred and forty five pounds from Constable; this seemed very little, but it turned out to be for his cousin Adolf Waley for "The Re-making of China". He himself had sold about 1300 copies [of "A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems"] by 31 December. Asks Bob whether he agreed terms with Constable for his [translation of Sophocles'] "Ajax"; heard that he could not do so with Unwin. Yoshio Markino visited him yesterday and 'got very excited trying to write down his favourite Chinese poems'; however, he could not remember the characters and 'sat holding his head in his hands & groaning'; he learned them in Japan as a child, nearly fifty years ago. Heard from [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson 'discovering a "Chinese passage" in Shakespeare'; has 'not quite succeeded in deciphering his letter'. Dickinson also told him that Thomas Hardy prefers Cranmer-Byng to him which is 'hardly surprising'; he was 'astonished' to hear Hardy liked his own versions at all. Ezra Pound is going to settle at Toulouse, where he will 'wake up the sleepy Meridionals'. Wonders if [John] Rodker's [Ovid] Press has begun to print yet; feels he should order some books from it, but knows he would 'hate them so when they came'. Has got a gramophone and 'catalogues of all the exotic music of the Globe' but does not know how to choose. Has lots of 'India, Chinese, Lithuanian, Russian, Arabian, Serbian, Hungarian and Spanish records [to choose from?]'; has only got Mozart and rag-time at present.

40 Well Walk, Hampstead, NW. - Is 'pleased and honoured' that Bob, [Gordon] Bottomley, [Lascelles] Abercrombie and [Wilfrid] Gibson want to include him in their scheme for a Poetry Annual; thinks such a publication is 'needed' and would be glad to contribute. However, does not understand some of the suggestions, and has 'doubts about the wisdom of others': thinks it would not be possible to have a 'non-poet editor' who can hold a poem over for the next year, as the same poem is unlikely to be available in two successive years; also asks if contributors would be restricted to publishing in the "Annual", as he thinks this would be impossible'. Thinks [Marsh's] "Georgian Poetry" did better than "New Numbers" as it was more catholic; would like the Annual to be 'even more so'. Thinks they should form a committee of between three and five poets to decide the price and size of the Annual on financial grounds then offer an equal number of pages to, say: [John] Masefield, [W. B.] Yeats, [Laurence] Binyon, Abercrombie, [W. H.] Davies, [Walter] de la Mare, [Ralph] Hodgson, Gibson, Bottomley, himself, Trevelyan, and another. For the next number, the committee should be the only ones with a right to a place. Any untaken pages should be offered to 'people like [Robert] Bridges and H.D. the best of the Imagists for opposite reasons'; discusses how extra pages should be allocated. Thinks it important to invite 'all well known men' like [Henry] Newbolt, Rudyard Kipling, [Thomas] Hardy and [Maurice] Hewlett, 'whatever one thinks of their work' though not every year; some would refuse but 'that is their fault'. Should also invite 'as many as possible from enemy cliques' and those who have been well reviewed. Profits should be shared out by page. The committee should not 'judge of merit', except in choice of contributors, which would 'insure much more variety and a wider circulation'. The book must not seem bulky, so recommends using the 'very beautiful thin papers' available now used for bibles and the classics. Would like to 'rule out [Robert] Frost from the first list as not being a British subject'; thinks he and other Americans could be allocated a few pages but 'never be on the committee'. Discusses possible role of the publisher.

Asks Bob if in March, April or May there is 'any quantity of fallen leaves under Olive trees', and what the correct adjective formed from 'Medusa' would be. Sends love to the Trevelyans. Offers in a postscript to take responsibility for the 'physical appearance' of the Annual for no payment. Twelve may be too large a number for the 'inner list' but well-known names outside their set should be included; Yeats would be 'safe' as he would never want much space; dividing profits by number of pages would give Abercrombie & Gibson and others 'with a tendancy to metrical diarrhea [sic]' a chance of getting as much money as by the other plan. Expects to be here on the 22nd and 23rd and will be glad to see Bob; cannot invite him to the house yet as the children are ill and they have 'servant troubles to boot'.

W[est] H[ackhurst]. - Thanks Bessie for her letter and enclosure. His mother 'seems none the worse for her inquisitiveness', and he has some 'nice warm socks and a sort of waistcoat with a shoulder cape - very cosy'. Is glad none of them are ill, but 'this cold is scaring'; very sorry about Sturge Moore'. Will send Bob three tickets as soon as he can find them; if he cannot, he fears he will have 'no audience'. Hopes they are in his flat. Must now go out to bring up the coal. Has to go and broadcast to India tomorrow about The Return of the Native. Is reading Jeans' Science and Music, which he expects she knows.

Originally enclosing a copy of the petition for [Thomas] Sturge Moore. They have got [Gilbert] Murray to sign, and he thinks also [H.A.L.?] Fisher; they are trying to get [Arthur?] Balfour. Bob would like to get [Robert] Bridges, [Edmund] Gosse and [Thomas] Hardy; this copy would do for Gosse too if there is a chance of him signing. Thinks [Laurence] Binyon or [Henry] Newbolt is approaching Bridges. Thinks Eddie said [Siegfried] Sassoon knew Hardy well; has another copy of the petition if he thinks it is worthwhile asking Sassoon to try. They now have letters from [John] Masefield, [George Bernard] Shaw, Lascelles [Abercrombie], [John] Drinkwater and Gordon [Bottomley], and [William Butler] Yeats is sure to send one too. Sorry that he could not come to Eddie's prize-giving; it seems 'a very good choice'. Has told the Shoves to send Eddie Fredegond's latest poems. Sees that a number of Civil List Pensions have just been announce, and fears this may make it more difficult to get one for Sturge Moore.

7 Audley Square, W.1. - The National Portrait Gallery cannot accept a portrait of any living person; the portrait of Thomas Hardy is on private display in the Director's room and the acquisition has not been announced; a replica of Bourdelle's bust of Frazer could be accepted the same way; as to painted portraits he doesn't believe László would be able to paint a strong portrait, nor would the new President of the Royal Academy [Frank Dicksee], is not clear on De Glehn's work; could get a pencil drawing by Rothenstein, less tiring for the sitter to have a drawing done, and cheaper as well.

Strafford House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk - Is happy to hear Lilly is recovered; believes [Thomas] Hardy should have been buried in Wessex soil and the burial of the heart was a 'shameful compromise' and the funeral a mockery of his beliefs. The envelope, docketed in Frazer's hand, dates the letter 1930 [in error: Clodd died 16 March 1930].

Laity Water, Torrington. - Asks whether Bob could send him an extra copy of the booklet of poems he sent at Christmas ["From the Shiffolds"], as he would like to lend it to friends but his own copy is 'too precious to part with'. Has taken a title for his new book, which should appear in the autumn, from one of Bob's poems, "The Leaves Return", and would like to quote some lines as an epigraph. Wonders whether Bob has read Leismann [sic: Leishman]'s translation of some of Rilke's poems; Rilke 'must have been a most exceptional man, and seems to be writing in [a] new medium' or, as a friend says, is 'writing from the region after death'. Finds his poetry 'wonderfully interesting and stimulating'. He has been 'more crocked up' than he expected by his illness; is not currently working and therefore 'rather at a loss'; supposes it is necessary to 'accept periods of inactivity' as one gets older as well as other things; often thinks of Hardy's "A Wasted Illness". Asks whether Bob has read [L. H.] Myers' book "The Near and the Far"; it is 'far to[o] long and very shapeless', but he thinks it 'very good indeed in parts', and the kind which might appeal to Bob. It deals with the 'very burning question of the authoritarian attitude and opposing attitude of freedom', and though it was written 'before all the present and impending problems were fairly upon us', he thinks it 'discovered the essential conflict within the individual'. Myers is a 'most interesting writer'; does not think the 'pseudo-Indian atmosphere' of the story's setting need hinder appreciation.

Strafford House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk - Hears that Lilly has been ill and hopes to hear she is recovered; has 'unspeakable disgust' for the cutting of Thomas Hardy's heart from his body, and blames [J. M.] Barrie, points out that Hardy referred to the Church of England as the 'Vast Imbecility'.

3 press clippings, Jan-Apr 1921: piece on Aeschylus' "Oresteia", put on as the Cambridge Greek Play, by its director J. T. Sheppard from the "Cambridge Review"; brief note from the "Holborn Review" of the text of the trilogy, as presented at Cambridge, with facing English translation by Trevelyan; 'Editorial Notes' from the "Holborn Review" comparing lines from Trevelyan's translation with that of Gilbert Murray.

24 press clippings (plus a few duplicates) , mostly reviews of Trevelyan's full translation of the "Oresteia", Jan 1923-Nov/Dec 1923, from: the "Scotsman"; the "Daily Herald" (two copies); the "Aberdeen Journal"; the "Guardian" (two copies); the "Times" (also reviewing a Loeb Library translation of the "Suppliant Maidens" etc by H. Weir Smyth and a verse translation of Aeschylus by G. M. Cookson), with a following letter by J. T. Sheppard correcting some points about the performances by Cambridge University students; the ""Sheffield Daily Telegraph"; the "Saturday Review"; the "Daily News"; the "Manchester Guardian"; the "New Statesman" (two copies; by 'J.T.S' - J. T. Sheppard - which also reviews G. M. Cookson's "Four Plays of Aeschylus"); the "Saturday Review" (selection of Trevelyan's translation as a prize in a chess competition); the "Highway" (two copies); the "Hallam Review" (also reviewing "Translation and Translations" by J. P. Postgate); the "Yorkshire Post"; the "Liverpool Daily Post and Mercury"; the "Educational Times"; the "Glasgow Herald"; the "Isis" (a review of Gilbert Murray's translation of the "Choephoroe", comparing it favourably with Trevelyan's); piece by Gilbert Murray from the "Nation & Athenaeum", "Thoughts on Verse Translation from the Greek", which mentions Trevelyan's work; the "Observer (also reviewing Murray's "Chorephoroe"); the "Classical Review" (two copies: with other classical translations); the "London Mercury". Also from this span of dates is a piece from the "Daily News", 30 Jan 1923, regarding an argument between Lascelles Abercrombie and Sir Charles Walston on whether Darwin's "Origin of Species" can be considered a work of art.

6 press clippings, June-July, relating to the performance on tour of the "Oresteia" in Trevelyan's translation by the Balliol Players. Most report a special performance given at Thomas Hardy's house, Max Gate in Dorchester, to Hardy and his wife, Granville Barker and his wife, and Sidney Cockerell. From: the "Times"; the "Daily News"; the "Daily Mail"; the "Daily Chronicle"; the "Westminster Gazette".

Press clipping, 21 Jan 1926, from the "Oxford Magazine", reviewing E. S. Hoernle's "Choric Songs from Aeschylus"; Hoernle criticises Trevelyan's translation in the introduction.

21 printed order forms by the University Press of Liverpool for Trevelyan's translation of the "Oresteia".

Most press cuttings sent to Trevelyan by Durrant's Press Cuttings.

Tally [?] marks on inside cover. List mentioning Thomas Hardy's "Desperate Remedies" and 'Burnyard. Royal Nurseries, Maidstone' on flyleaf. Essay on the repulsion often evoked by the 'exhibition of pleasurable emotion in others'. Beginning of a piece 'of a talk that Coryat [a figure often used by Trevelyan to represent himself] and I had with G[oldie] a few weeks before he died'; another version, which actually includes the conversation, appears later in the book in the form of a report of it made by Coryat to Miranda, dated 28 Sept 1937. Autobiographical piece about Trevelyan believing his nurse's warning that if he carried on swinging his arms they would fall off. Draft of "Juvenilia" [published in "Windfalls"]. "Wallington Notes 1937": reference to swimming in the ponds on 6 August and notes onediting of his "Collected Works".

Notebook also used from other end in: reference to books by G. M. Trevelyan and George Santayana. Nature notes on oak trees. Aphorism: 'We hang our thoughts onto words like hanging clothes on pegs which do not fit....'; initalled 'H', perhaps not in Trevelyan's own hand. Draft of "In April" [published in "Aftermath". Beginning of piece about loss of faith. Dialogue between Colin, Jane, and Reuben. Translations: Horace, "Satires" 2.3; Juvenal "Satires" III.

19 Carleton Road, Tufnell Park, N. Dated 31/10/96 - Quotes a letter from Thomas Hardy about a bit of 'Wessex' folklore, causing a tree to wither by looking at it on an empty stomach.

West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Will not be able to come to lunch due to work on the house; hopes she had a good weekend at Littlehampton. Has sent off the index [to his biography of Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson] and just has the revised proofs to correct. Mrs Hardy has suggested that he edit her husband's letters to Mrs [Florence] Henniker; would have liked the job but feels he has done 'enough memorialising for the present' and will only do it if the pay is good. Terence Millin is the surgeon who uses diathermy; if Bessie sees her friend she could ask about him. Ackerley heard about him from his GP, Wadd of Richmond; Forster is sceptical; thanks Bessie for sympathy and support. Hopes to go to some of the Busch concerts.

Aldeburgh - Thanks him for 'Selected Passages from his Works'; reminisces about Frazer meeting [Sir Alfred] Lyall, Ray Lankester, [Sir Frederick] Pollock and [James Allanson] Picton in 1905 when they rowed to Oxford; and a visit the Frazers paid in 1910 in company with [Thomas] Hardy 'and his present wife' [Florence], [John Bagnell] Bury, and Sutherland Black, and when he was summoned to town on Holman Hunt's death; the 'Literary Review' has a review of Paul Couchoud's book ['L'Énigme de Jésus'?] by Thomas Whittaker; quotes the Einstein limerick starting, 'There was a young lady named Bright'.

Aldeburgh - Agrees that Frazer should be in London; is angry America refused to cancel war debts, gives his low opinion of that country; urges him to complete 'The Worship of Nature'; has just read 'The Pagan Background of Christianity' by [Sir William Reginald] Halliday, has seen a review of [Edward Gordon Selwyn's] 'Essays Catholic and Critical' in which Stanhope calls Catholicism a ‘treacherous institution’; is critical of the Anglo-Catholics as well; says Inge in his 'Outspoken Essays' isn’t clear enough on whether he believes in personal survival; Thomas Hardy writes that Radiant Religion is entering a back current; for himself the only child of his elder daughter has died and there is no consolation to the sorrow.