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Coign, Woking; addressed to Elizabeth Trevelyan at the Shiffolds and forwarded on to Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - In answer to Mrs Trevelyan's enquiries, she herself paid W. W. Jacobs, the writer of a story ["The Boatswain's Mate"] from which she made a libretto; she paid him a third in England and a quarter in Germany (as there she had to pay for the translation). Since her 'old friend Julius [Röntgen] has to pay for the translation into Dutch', she expects Baroness Orczy's literary agents would agree to 25 per cent [for the use of her novel "The Laughing Cavalier" as the basis for the libretto to Rontgen's "De Lachende Cavalier"; Mrs Trevelyan is welcome to quote her. Apologises for not replying sooner, as she was away from home over Christmas.

Coign, Woking. - Glad that Mrs Trevelyan liked her writing 'that letter', and is 'thrilled' to find that 'dear Julius [Röntgen]'s wife' is her sister, which she had not realised before. Cannot go to Edinburgh on 12 December, as she is 'Too poor - unless [Donald] Tovey cd yank up some little piece' of her music so she could get expenses; even so, it is too far,and the last time she stayed there in winter for her Mass she 'nearly died of it'. Asks Mrs Trevelyan to let her know what Julius is doing in London so that she can 'catch sight of him there', as Tovey is 'hopeless about such things'.

Coign, Woking. - Would 'love to have the book of dear Julius [Röntgen]'s letters', and thanks Mrs Trevelyan for her sympathy about her deafness; when it got very bad she 'resolutely turned [her] back on everything to do with music'; 'the only way' is not to read or talk about it. However, Julius's letters may discuss other matters, and could be 'most useful' if she 'live[s] to carry on [her] memoirs to later years'.

56 Chester Square, S.W. - Tells Mrs Trevelyan not to 'trouble much about the Belgian modern songwriters' [when answering her questions for the "Song" article for "Grove's Dictionary of Music & Musicians", see 18/39]: has just remembered she could write to Mrs Speyer, as she is sister of Maurice Kufferath in Belgium who should know about 'rising musicians'. Very interested to hear Mrs Trevelyan will be staying with Julius Röntgen, to whom Ethel Smyth gave her an introduction last autumn; asks her to tell him about the books, including van Duyse, she got on his advice. Asks whether Professor Röntgen himself has composed many 'real songs (Kunstlieder)' and whether they have Dutch or German words. His opinion seemed to be that not many 'good modern characteristically Dutch songs' were being written, with most new songs being more like German ones. Asks Mrs Trevelyan if she could indicate which Dutch songs were considered the best. The British Museum has bought the Closson collection of Belgian songs at her request, so when she recovers [from pleurisy] she can study it there. Hopes she can meet Mrs Trevelyan at some point and thank her in person for her help.