Showing 77245 results

Turf Club, Cairo. "Studies" the Anglo-Egyptians at the Turf Club, Winston Churchill "waltzed" around Lloyd George and Bonar Law in the House of Commons, pleased that America had joined the allies,

Sends Vol III [not included] of 'The Life' [George Eliot's Life as related in her Letters and Journals] which he asks Sidgwick to read. Refers to 'the old association' between the latter and Eliot. Intends to send the volume off to press as soon as possible. States that no one outside his own family, aside from Lord Acton, has yet seen it. Claims that he shall feel it 'greatly strengthened by [Sidgwick's] revision' and does not know anyone 'whose judgment [his] wife wd. have trusted more.'

States that he and Nora are 'intensely interested' by Myers' letter. Claims that, taken in connection with their experience, 'the evidence for "spiritual [thoughtreading]" at least is strong in proportion to the improbability of unconscious self' on the part of both Nora and Myers. Does not think the evidence of identity strong, 'unless the statement about the M.S. turns out correct.' Claims that the long message seems 'vague; and the mention of Edward [ ] not very strong.' States that he has found it very difficult to think of questions to which Myers will not know the answers, but has put down some.

Explains that there is a question of her writing an article for the Pilot, 'which the Editor proposes to call - "Professor Sidgwick's theological position" '. Wishes to know if Nora would be agreeable to such an article being published. States that it would be 'an explanation of the last chapter of the Methods [of Ethics] by what Dr. Sidgwick said in class in answer to questions.' It has always been a great distress to her that the chapter has been so completely misunderstood, 'even by those whose mere knowledge of his meaning of words ought to have enabled them to understand it.' Adds that her own sense of personal loss 'seems only to go on increasing': she hardly ever saw him, 'but he was there', and adds that he was probably the only person in the world to whom she could at any time have talked with the most absolute freedom and confidence. Until she met him she never had the opportunity of talking with anyone whom she was not afraid of shocking if she said what she really thought. Says that 'it was like entering a new world when [she] first went to his lectures.' Hopes that she did not trouble or vex him when she used to ask him so many questions. States that he was her conscience in all religious difficulties at Newnham, and that it was a great help to her 'in those new conditions to consider what he would have said in any difficulty.' Reports that they were praying for him every day during his illness. Is glad to hear that Nora is going abroad. Tells her not to answer with more than a postcard, saying 'yes' or 'no' in relation to the article.

(Bibliog. 108).

24pp. paginated draft.

Thanks for looking after Kate and Emily Mayor, Robert Mayor free from pain

Ben Wyvis Hotel, Strathpeffer Spa. Dated 12 July 1915 - Describes their long holiday, in Cirencester, Edinburgh, Kenmore, and Strathpeffer; mentions that the Cambridge University Press has published a school edition of his wife's book 'La Maison aux Panonceaux'; mentions [James Hope] Moulton's loss [his wife Eliza's death] and Moulton's plan to spend a year with the Parsees in India; Macmillan is publishing a book by [Robert] Russell, ['The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India'] which will be valuable; wonders if he has seen [W. H. R.] Rivers' work 'The History of Melanesian Society' he has not read it yet; has improved his Hebrew on holiday.

Refers to a conversation they had had the previous night about an opinion of his [Maine's], expressed in his Ancient Law, about '[Jus Gerrtium]'; believes he has 'found it at p. 59.' Quotes a sentence, which claims that the confusion between [Jus Gerrtium], or Law Common to all Nations, and International Law, is entirely modern. Mentions passages in Livy, to which Sidgwick had referred and continues discussion of the meaning of [Jus Gerrtium]. Refers to a statement in his book in relation to International Law, and to proceedings described in Livy I.22 and I.32. The latter, he claims, 'have some resemblance to the diplomacy of the 17th century in formality...' States that he cannot deny that 'if this later Roman law [Jus] had been under this [ ] of writing about a world like ours, they might possibly have used [Jus Gerrtium] for International law', but is somewhat uncertain of this, since he suspects that '[Jus Gerrtium], in the ear of a Roman lawyer had always a shade of special technical meaning, derived from association with the Edict of the Praetor Peregrinus, with Market law rather than with Public law.' Apologises for troubling Sidgwick.

Town Mill House, West End, Bruton, Bath, Somerset.—Offers evidence for Kyd’s authorship of King Leir and a version of Hamlet.

—————

Transcript

Town Mill House, West End,
Bruton, Bath, Somerset.
Mar. 11, ’40.

Dear Sir,

There is not even a moderate likelihood that the Times Lit Sup. would care to insert any letter I chose to send them, though it is a bare possibility that they might forward to you such a missive. I therefore take the liberty, I hope forgiven, upon me to communicate directly with you {1} on the subject broached in the issue of Mar. 9 {2}.

In J. M. Robertson’s Introduction to the Study of the Sh. Canon—a book you must know, since your name appears in it to some purpose—the first of your Leir parallels is noted on p. 387. The inference Robertson drew from it is that Kyd was in part responsible for both Leir & Hamlet, a deduction with which I entirely agree. I carry this conviction farther than Robertson. I believe that the Hamlet First Quarto is almost entirely Kyd’s work. For the play echoes not only the Spanish Tragedy, but others—e.g. Leir, 1 Jeronimo, and Selimus—in which Kyd can be seen to have taken a hand. Simple evidence, in fact, exists for the theory, founded on Nashe’s ‘innuendo’, that Kyd wrote a pre-Shakespearian Hamlet, some of which is embodied in the present play. Did you know, by the way, that “sea-gown”, once-used in Hamlet, is also in Leir?

I have made a close study of Kyd for the past ten years, & the outcome of this is the knowledge that Kyd is a far greater poet & much more prolific than he is generally held to be. I can produce, not one, but hundreds of his lines of which “Shakespeare” afterwards availed himself. You will find some of them at the end of the accompanying reprint from Notes & Queries {3}, in which I have tried to throw light upon Leir’s authorship. I originally intended to include the Hamlet parallel in the list, but rejected it because it did not come up to my standard of consonance. But I think you will agree that it does tend to support the theory of Kyd’s authorship of both Hamlet & Leir.

I see no reason to believe that Shakespeare’s Lear postdates the publication of the old Leir. I am much more inclined to the view that the latter was brought out (although, of course, written some years earlier) on the morrow of the production of Shakespeare’s master-piece, & that its issue was a crude attempt to foist on the public a spurious offspring for a true one. King Leir is surely the play with that name that was entered on S.R. on May 14th, 1594, & of this there may have been earlier editions than the one that has come down to us. That Shakespeare read the old Leir in manuscript is highly probable: it is tolerably certain, if we can assume that the play found its way from the Queen’s to the Chamberlain’s by purchase.

May I end by apologising for the recital of these trifles? for such they must appear to one with so vast and profound knowledge of Shakespearian studies.

Faithfully yours
W. Wells

—————

{1} Followed by a superfluous full stop, the succeeding words of the sentence having evidently been added as an afterthought.

{2} In a letter by Greg printed in this issue (p. 124) he pointed out that two passages in the old chronicle play King Leir appear to be echoed in Hamlet, and solicited the views of others on the matter.

{3} ‘The Authorship of King Leir’, Notes & Queries, 6 Dec. 1939, pp. 434–8. See also the same writer’s ‘Thomas Kyd and the Chronicle-History’, ibid., 30 Mar. 1940, pp. 218-24, and 6 Apr. 1940, pp. 238-43, and ‘Alphonsus, Emperor of Germany’, ibid., 28 Sept. 1940, pp. 218-23, and 5 Oct. 1940, pp. 236-40.

Ore Place, Hastings. Postmark 24 June 1911 - Is writing an article and would like a list of the reviewed and re-edited versions of 'The Golden Bough' and those articles that represent his views the best; he does not promise to agree with all of his theories. At top is a MS note in R. A. Downie's hand giving the postmark date.

8 pp. notes.
11 pp. typescript version.
Letter from J. Thomson (son) enclosing comments and revisions.

3 Princes Buildings - JDF had intended to pay his respects to Cordelia Whewell 'but I found myself a little fatigued after my ride'. He hopes WW goes to Chepstow tomorrow and brings them a full report.

Hotel Alwin, Gloucester Road, South Kensington [on mourning stationery] - Congratulates him on receiving the [Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur]; reminisces on their youth and her friend Tiny [Christina McCall Frazer]; describes her husband's [Charles'] sudden death.