Hotel Cecil, Agra - This is their second day here; will go on to Gwalior on Monday. Had a 'very interesting 5 days at Delhi', and spent a night at Muttra [Mathura], which was the most 'purely Indian' town they have yet seen, on the way; it is 'full of monkeys, and Brahmins bathing in the river, and 'no sign of English anywhere' though there are several regiments stationed nearby. The river and ghats are 'very beautiful'; though they saw 'no fine temples' there, there was a famous old Hindu temple, sacred to Krishna, at nearby Brindaban [Vrindavan], which was the finest he has yet seen. They are having a very pleasant time here; they saw the Taj [Mahal] in the moonlight yesterday, which was more beautiful than he could imagine. Today they saw the buildings in the fort; the Pearl mosque is a 'masterpiece', but the others 'rather disappointing in detail', though the 'general effect is marvellous'. They will visit Fatehpore Sikri at the weekend with William Archer, and [Arthur] Moore, the "Times" correspondent in Persia, whom they have made friends with here. Moore is a liberal, and writes 'telegrams on Persian affairs from the Persian constitutionalist point of view that the "Times" prints and 'then write leading-articles to explain away'. Saw I'timad-ud-Daulah [Ghiyas Beg]'s tomb this afternoon, which is 'a most exquisite building'; [originally] enclosing a photograph of an interior chamber, as well as a view of the Taj. Cannot remember whether his father has been to Agra. After Gwalior, they hope to go to Chhatapur as the guest of the Maharaja, then to Benares, Patna, and should be at Calcutta by Christmas. [He and Dickinson] have not yet decided whether they have time to go to Burma; Forster is with them now, but will leave them at Chhatapur. They cannot go to Jaipur as there is a bad outbreak of plague there, so have 'reluctantly decided' to miss Udaipur and Rajputana completely. Has been keeping well, except for a slight touch of fever at Lahore which the doctor 'stupidly mistook for German measles'; Dickinson is also well. Very glad the ceremony at Stratford 'went off so pleasantly'; returns the cutting of the speech made by his father; if he has another copy, he could send this to Bessie to keep. Has had 'very cheerful letters from her', and expects she is now back from the Netherlands; glad that Julian is 'so well and happy', and hopes he will not 'become too noisy'.
2, Cheyne Gardens, S. W. - A son [Theodore] was born half an hour ago; Janet is doing very well; George asks Bessie to let Bob know, since he is not sure of his address.
Pen Rose, Berkhamsted. - Thanks Bob for his letter. Has already sent on the corrections [for his "History of England"] to Longman's, though they will be too late for a reprint this week. Glad Bob thought 'the Victorian part was tolerable'. The Epilogue was 'imposed' on George by the 'Publisher's view of necessity'; believes this view to be 'correct', but thinks the epilogue 'could not be anything but a blot'. Does not 'understand the age we live' and what he does understand he does not like. Mary is enjoying herself in the Netherlands; George believes 'her attachment will be permanent'. The introductions Bessie gave her 'have made a great difference to her happiness there'.
Hotel & Pension Palumbo, Ravello, Golfo di Salerno. - Expects this is the last letter he will write her from Ravello; will start on the 24th, spend some of that day at Pompeii and take the evening express to Florence, arriving next day. Bessie's last account of her 'patient' [her aunt] was better; hopes she may be recovering by the time he reaches the Hague. Has been unlucky with the weather for the last two years but should not complain, as if the weather had not been bad last January he may not have accompanied his brother [George?] to Sicily and met Bessie. In the same way, if the Grandmonts had had a cook at the start of 1896, they would not have dined at the Timeo so he would never have met them and heard of her; he ought to 'like all cooks for that henceforth'. Bessie's quotation from Dante was 'very charming'; asks if she copied it out at Ede before 2 September or after. Encloses a 'little relic' he found in his waistcoat pocket, which he has kissed; she too should 'put the bits [of the railway ticket] together and kiss them' since they brought her and Bob together and made them kiss each other, though she did not kiss him till November, and he kissed her wrist 'a whole month and more before'. Did not sleep well last night as '"that horrible little dog" Gyp (as Mrs Cacciola [Florence Trevelyan] would say' was barking; Madame [von Wartburg] has the dog safe in her room tonight.
Finishes the letter next day; the weather is lovely, and he almost regrets leaving, but will enjoy a few days in Florence and seeing [Bernard] Berenson; wants to see what he thinks of his last year's poems, and what he has done on this play. He usually likes Bob's work, but not always. Discussion of how no one person can be relied on to say whether something is good or bad. Hopes to see a few pictures at Florence, though does not mean to do much sightseeing. Sorry that Bessie had to miss Ambro [Hubrecht]'s lecture; thinks she is right that she should not come to England before her aunt is nearly well. Glad that her cousin [Louise Hubrecht] and the Röntgens liked his poems; Bessie is indeed a 'fine advertising agent'. Describes his breakfast here and in England.
Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey; sent to Bessie at 45 Egerton Crescent, London S.W. - Thanks Bessie for sending the 'nice cutting', which was very welcome since she has had nothing from D.F.T. [Donald Tovey] except for a postcard on his arrival [in the Netherlands for his concert tour] on the 9th. Asks if 45 Egerton Crescent has a telephone so Donald could communicate as he passes through London. A 'great blessing' that Julian has recovered well from his operation.
12 Avenue Jules Janin, Paris (XVI). - Is 'still alive, but not very well', so is staying in Paris until spring instead of coming to London at once as he had hoped. Bolton King, author of "The Unity of Italy', has written a small book on Fascism ["Fascism in Italy"]. Salvemini would much like to get this published, and a group of friends is willing to guarantee purchase of two hundred copies so any publisher would be at no risk of losing money. 'Treve' [sic: Italian rendering of 'Trevy'] gave him an address of a publisher friend with offices not far from the British Muesum, who publishes small books like Bolton King; asks if this work could be proposed to him. If the friend does not seem 'averse', will write to King and ask him to send the manuscript.
Larchfield School, Helensburgh N.B. - Sends a subscription from 52 small boys; the school had gone down in numbers under his predecessor but they are now going up; has forwarded her letter to the Larchfield Club.
Società Italiana per la Organizzazione Internazionale, Roma, Palazzetto di Venezia, Via S. Marco, 5. - Writes from the office for his new position, which corresponds to the W.F.U.N.A., that is, the continuation of the League of Nations Union. Was pleased to receive Trevelyan's good news, and the gift of his publication; hopes he will be well enough to come to Italy in the spring. He is almost certain of coming to London in May, to join the Executive Committee of the International P.E.N, as the P.E.N. Congress will be in Venice in September and he is pushing to be sent to continue preparation. Sends greetings to the Trevelyans and hopes for 'a peaceful and stabilised 1949'.
Birnam. Quotes from Ezekiel Ch 37, treatment of Fritz Sommerkamp contrasts with that of Nevile Butler.
(London Hospital, Whitechapel?)—Asks to borrow his motor tomorrow, and asks if he is enjoying Walmer.
(Dated Sunday.)
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Transcript
Sunday.
I wonder if you’d like to let me have the motor tomorrow, if you did I would pick you up at a few minutes after 5 if you really felt you could face the Whitechaple† road again.
Let me know when you want to be picked up.
Are you having fun at Walmer, be very nice to Margot so that she asks you again on the 11th. The P.M doesnt dare ask Diana tho’ he longs to.
Venetia {2}
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Probably written at the London Hospital, Whitechapel.
{1} ‘Margot disapproved of the “Coterie” in which Lady Diana Manners was prominent’ (H. H. Asquith: Letters to Venetia Stanley, p. 496, note).
{2} A postscript consisting of two sentences has been struck through and is illegible.
† Sic.
Russell Avenue, St. Albans - Thanks him for his letter, defends his belief that the preface to the Addison essays volume was not a fiction, and points out that the Librarian at the British Museum [Sir Frederic Kenyon] was also hoodwinked.
1989 correspondence relates to historical writing on the discovery of Gramicidin S and the role of Gause (who died in 1986).
Announces that they are all going to London 'on the 6th', and he proposed to attend regularly from that time forward. Adds that he will come 'on the 4th', if Myers really wants him. States that five of them (including Lady Rayleigh and Nora) propose to attend 'from 6th to 17th, at Holland's invitation'. Reports that because he had not heard from him he 'concluded to put off Dakyns.' Reports that he has just heard 'the terrible news'. Asks Myers to write to him.
Thomson's ms. notes.
Ms. draft of lecture.
RJ sees no reason why WW should not publish his lectures ['Lectures on Systematic Morality', 1846]: 'They will be extremely useful to your class and out of them and your Elements ['The Elements of Morality, Including Polity', 2 vols., 1845] you may at some future day make up a finished work - an elaborated system by which you may be content to abide'. RJ is to dine at Henry Brougham's today. 'I am to be examined by the Lords Committee on Tuesday'.
Announces that as there is no satisfactory replacement for his brother as College Chaplain he will announce the position as vacant in a fortnight. Accompanied by a note that Mr Travis died immediately after the date of this letter.
St Thomas's Hospital - WRL outlines the terms of which the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana pays for work - '5 guineas per sheet': he canvasses WW to do the treatise on geometry - which would 'probably not be required before next spring', and a piece on Archimedes - which they need 'for the next part'. WRL would also like WW to do a life of Plato - which could include what little is known of Pythagoras - ready for the Christmas issue.
WW rejoices 'especially in Lord Lansdowne's mode of approbation' over RJ's book ['An Essay on the Distribution of Wealth, and on the Sources of Taxation: Part 1. - Rent', 1831]. He has received his proof sheets from the British Critic ['Review of An Essay on the Distribution of Wealth and Sources of Taxation by the Revd Richard Jones', The British Critic, Quarterly Theological Review and Ecclesiastical Record, 10, 1831]: 'I think I will not send you them. I do not like them at all but shrink from the task of altering them so as to make them good'. William Buckland and his wife are coming to stay next week.
Appeals to those proposing to vote the following day 'against all consideration of the question of relaxing the requirement of two classical languages as a condition of the Cambridge Degree in Arts'. Maintains that their arguments render their 'summary refusal of inquiry peculiarly unjustifiable.'
Says that a certain section of his opponents who campaign for a refusal of inquiry into the matter base their arguments on the belief 'that it is impossible to impart literary culture without two ancient languages...and that the amount of knowledge of Latin and Greek now imposed by the Previous Examination secures on the average an adequate amount of literary culture. States that 'if the opposition to the Graces had been based on grounds such as these', he would have thought it 'narrow-minded and ill-judged', but 'should not have complained of the stage at which it was offered.'
Strongly objects however to the argument that if the suggested change were to be adopted, it would result in the extinction or abandonment of Greek. As a counter-argument he points out that 'the experienced headmasters - mostly classical scholars - who are foremost in advocating the change, consider such predictions groundless.' Suggests that there is a strong case for further inquiry into the matter, and that the opinions of schoolmasters on the subject 'might be obtained and laid before the University.'
States that 'the list of residents who have declared themselves in favour of the appointment of a Syndicate includes 18 of the University professors', and that to these may be added the name of Lord Rayleigh, formerly Professor of Experimental Physics. Adds that he has been authorised to state 'that Mr. Arthur Balfour has telegraphed from Dublin to a friend in Cambridge expressing his regret that he cannot be present to vote, as he is strongly in favour of the Grace.'