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Standlands, River, Petworth, Sussex.—Refers to his catalogue of English manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College (see O.11.5), and to his plan—long since abandoned—of compiling a corpus of all English manuscript works down to 1500.

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Standlands, River, Petworth, Sussex
25 Sept. 1944

Dear Bennett

When I drew up that catalogue of 100 English MSS at Trinity, at the time I was librarian, I naturally hoped that the College might see its way to print it. Then came the last war and any idea of the sort had of course to be abandoned. By the time things settled down again I was busy in other fields, and moreover the catalogue I knew had become in some respects out of date. Had I examined it I should probably also have found it unsatisfactory. So I did no more about it and finally deposited the MS in the Library for the use of any one who might be interested. I need hardly say that it is at the disposal of you or of any body else who should be able to use it as a basis for further work.

During the last war I dreamed of compiling a corpus of all English manuscript works down to 1500. It would have been a big undertaking. I estimated, on a very rough basis, that there [are] some 5000 MSS surviving, exclusive of legal and diplomatic documents, private letters, and collections of recipes. I envisaged the work in three parts. (1) A catalogue, possibly roughly chronological, of the actuall† MSS, with full bibliographical descriptions, giving particular attention to the make-up and growth of the MSS when these were not written all at one time. (2) A catalogue of the works they contained, giving the MSS of each and such information as was possible concerning the relation of the MSS. (3) An atlas containing some hundreds of facsimiles of pages from the manuscripts, especially the dated or datable ones, with transcripts and palaeographical notes. I also had in mind a catalogue of all works to 1500 giving a brief literary account of each with and† specimen of some 50 lines transcribed exactly from the oldest or most authentic MS. An ambitious project! which I need not say I have long since abandoned.

Best wishes

Yours
W. W. Greg

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Marked at the head in pencil, ‘Letter to H S Bennett, Emmanuel College, given by H S Bennett to Trinity College Library.’

Brixton Prison.—Was glad to hear how she is. Refers to his own situation and activities. Supports her idea of conducting her own defence, and agrees that she should consult Lutyens about the rose garden.

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Brixton Prison
8th March 1912

Dearest

I was glad to have your letter telling me how you were getting on. I was sorry to hear that you were all alone but at least you have the dear Sun for company. Our cell numbers as you see are not very different & our direction must be the same for the moon also came in at my window on Thursday morning {1}, but whether it came in this morning or not I do not know—for I was asleep. As you prophesied the second night was a very good one—& the old complaint has disappeared.

I went to chapel for the first time this morning & found it very stimulating; what a wonderful feeling of comradeship one has “with all the other sinners”. I do not think that if the carrot of the story were held out to us we should want to shake them loose like the old woman did in the fable.

I do not see any reason why you should not conduct your own defence, there are certain things which you can say far better than anyone else. This applies to the trial, assuming we are committed, and probably not to the police court proceedings; however we can discuss this when we meet.
I should certainly ask Lutyens to come and see you to discuss the rose garden—he ought to get on to it at once if the place is not to be cut up a second time.

I have hosts of books but I do not seem to have so very much time for reading; I have a visitor coming to see me every day—it was first rate to see Mort yesterday.

It is raining now so I do not know whether I shall be able to get any exercise this afternoon, but I have already had the better part of an hour this morning as I am allowed two a day.

When Aeneas was at Carthage & he & his comrades were having a distinctly odd time one of the party gave vent to the following remark “Haec olim meminisse juvabit” we shall have pleasure in looking back on this some day! Does not that rather describe our position?

All good luck to you

Your loving
Husband

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At the head is printed, ‘In replying to this letter, please write on the envelope:— Number 3408 Name Lawrence F. P.’, the name and number being filled in by hand. The word ‘Prison’ of the address and the first two digits of the year are also printed, and the letter is marked with the reference ‘C1/12’ and some initials. Strokes of letters omitted either deliberately or in haste have been supplied silently.

{1} 7th.

Collingwood - Thanks WW for his annotations to JH's translation of Homer's 'Iliad', and shows WW where he thinks he has misread him. Book five is nearly finished but JH does not like it. Maria Herschel hopes to be well enough to accept WW's invitation - along with Amelia Herschel - to Trinity Lodge. JH attaches a short verse of translation.

Lakhan Kotri, Ajmer.—Sends copies of his correspondence with Malcolm MacDonald recording his unsuccessful attempts to arrange a meeting with Pethick-Lawrence. Also encloses a brochure of speeches made when Dr Radakrishnan presented him with a commemoration volume, and asks Pethick-Lawrence to contribute a message for a revised edition.

Flamsteed House, Greenwich - Further to GA's letter written in January and WW's subsequent answer: 'I do not know that any thing could have passed more to my mind than did the proceedings in Hall on the last Commemoration Day. I am sure that the impressive words addressed by the Master to the Class men will have a lasting and beneficial effect on them' [see GA to WW, 6 Jan. 1854]. GA has had the 'measures of Jupiter overhauled quo ad ellipticity. They extend from 1840 to 1851...The mean result is a-b/a = 1/16.84'.

Commonwealth Offices, Treasury Place, Melbourne, C.2.—Asks permission to use a letter he wrote to Pethick-Lawrence in his book (Personal Experience, 1939-46). Hopes to have a draft ready when he goes to London in March, via the United States.

Drawings of cattle and pigs [with 20th cent note]

Palma de Mallorca.

20 Somerset Terrace (Duke’s Road, W.C.).—Encloses letters in response to the announcement of their engagement, and discusses how the girls of the Club have reacted to the news.

54 Cours Napoléon, Ajaccio, Corse - He is pleased things are going well for her; is working with maps of Corsica, and some have Dutch text he cannot read (Jan. 19); he thanks her for various things she has sent in the post: the 'Times', with its coverage of Edward VIII (Jan. 28), an issue of 'Punch', with an image [?] of Canon [Alexander] Nairne at Windsor (3 Feb.) and pictures for Martine [Giamarchi]. He has sent a parcel of responses to the questionnaire to Varagnac; is happy they had a good evening with Wickham Steed (16 Feb.).

10 Downing Street, Whitehall.—The Prime Minister (Baldwin) intends to recommend Pethick-Lawrence as a Privy Counsellor, and wishes to know whether this will be agreeable to him.

10 Downing Street, Whitehall.—Asks for his correspondent’s correct designation, names, and address.

Normandy Farm. Surplus of cabbages, wants to sell them in Guilford, requires epsom salts

Royal Observatory Greenwich - The installation of a Photographic Magnetic Observatory at Cambridge 'would be a matter of serious expence and of great trouble'. The Magnetic Observatory at Greenwich 'cost about £500 without instruments. Its use is very good for its purpose'. GA gives a break-down of the personnel costs at Greenwich. He does not think that a magnetic observatory at Cambridge 'would very probably give a single leading idea on this mysterious subject...As regards the results obtained at one isolated place, it is not likely that any could be obtained differing generally in character from those obtained at Greenwich, and there, as you correctly remark, have led to nothing yet. And I cannot conceive that there would be any advantage in adding to the accumulation of existing unproductive observations'. Besides which Cambridge is too near to Greenwich to compare observations, if the proposed observatory was somewhere like Rio Janeiro, GA would look upon the project favourably. Further if there was a Cambridge mathematician deeply engaged in theories of terrestrial magnetism, with the physico-mathematical power of Professor Stokes, 'it might be a sufficient justification of the expence of an observatory that he would have its results ready to his hand'.

Brixton Prison.—Is glad to hear she is getting on well. Duval and Evelyn Sharp have visited, and he has started learning Italian. Looks forward to seeing her on Thursday.

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Brixton Prison
9th March 1912

Dearest

Thank you for sending me news that you are getting on all right, I hope by this time you have had your letters, this is the third I have written to you {1}. I am very well indeed & feel sure when you see me on Thursday you will think so too. I had a very pleasant visit from Duval yesterday aft[er]noon and from Evelyn Sharp this morning.

I have just started learning Italian, I have not got far enough yet to be able to say how I like it. I thought when I came here I should get through an immense mass of reading, but somehow there are so many things which take up time, that I do very little & of that a good deal goes in reading the newspapers.

We had a hymn practice this morning in chapel which I thought was good; some of the hymns & tunes were inspiring & refreshing.

I had my second exercise indoors yesterday afternoon as it was wet but today is lovely and I expect we shall get both outside.

It will be jolly to see you on Thursday {2} but mind! you have got to look as well as I do!

your loving
Husband.

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At the head is printed, ‘In replying to this letter, please write on the enve-lope:— Number 3408 Name Lawrence F. P.’, the name and number being filled in by hand. The word ‘Prison’ of the address and the first two digits of the year are also printed, and the letter is marked with the reference ‘C1/12’ and some initials. Strokes of letters omitted either deliber-ately or in haste have been supplied silently.

{1} Only one of the previous letters (PETH 6/110) has survived.

{2} 14th.

Offers a theorem for the four colour problem, which has become an axiom in his mind, an example of Whewell's latent axiom, things which are not at first credible but which settle down into first principles, asks for Ellis' thoughts.

Hotel Christina, Seville.

Commonwealth Offices, Treasury Place, Melbourne, C.2.—Has already agreed to submit a draft of his book to Norman Brook for governmental approval (see 1/115). Intends to submit copies of the text to publishers in London in April.

Collingwood - JH sends WW his translation of book six of the 'Iliad', and thanks him for his 'just and welcome' notes on his translation of book five. JH has compared his translation to others, and prefers his own since it does not 'gallop so oppressively...which always makes me seasick and puts me in mind of making game'. Maria, Amelia and William Herschel have returned from their stay at the Whewells. Margaret Herschel is now off the sick list but JH has had terrible bronchitis.

(Place of writing not indicated.)—Reflects on the nature of their love.

Raj Bhavan, Calcutta.—Is too unwell to welcome him to Raj Bhavan, but hopes he will make himself at home. Refers to their previous meeting at the Gauhati Congress.