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Anuradhapura, Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. - Glad to have had three quiet days here after recent 'rushing about'. Will go to Kandy for four or five days tomorrow; they leave Colombo for Batavia on 15 or 16 February. [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson is staying for a couple of nights with an old friend between here and Kandy. Describes the ruins here, and sketches the dagobas [brick stupas] which are 'very ugly' in his opinion; the sculpture is 'conventional, and evidently made to order' but there are two reliefs of an elephant and man cut into a rock which he finds 'fine as can be'. Thinks Indian art 'disappointing on the whole', but when it does 'come off' as here, it rivals anything he has seen elsewhere. Ceylon is 'more beautiful than most of India', though they did like Travancore very much. They stayed there as 'state guests', though they only met the Maharajah, 'an amiable, conscientious, unhealthy-looking man', briefly. Mentions the night they spent at Cape Comorin, a trip into the jungle, and a 'fascinating journey by houseboat' from Trivandrum to Quilon. Travancore seems in many ways 'the best-governed native state in India', with the people 'more prosperous and better educated' than elsewhere, though they benefit from nature being 'bountiful' there. Much enjoyed their days in camp with Mr [ James Perch] Bedford, collector of Salem, before going to Travancore; their visits to Trichinopoly, Tanjore and Madura were interesting but 'very tiring'. Is glad to have good news from Bessie and his parents. Julian will have been at home for some time now; expects Sir George and Caroline will be at Welcombe. Hopes to be back in May to go to the Lake Hunt; will probably not go to Japan, but start home from Pekin [Beijing] towards the end of April. By then he will have 'seen as much of the world as [he] can reasonably want to see at one time' and will be ready to return.

Finishes the letter next day in the botanical gardens at Kandy, under a 'clump of giant bamboos' and next to a river in which he intends to bathe soon. His father would like Kandy. Has not yet seen Buddha's tooth, which they say is really a crocodile's. There were many crocodiles in the big tanks at Anuradhpura, which he did not know until he had bathed there; they saw one. There are none here in the hills. Expects he will write next from Singapore or Batavia.

Box Hill, Dorking, addressed to Trevelyan at The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - Will be in on Sunday and glad to see Trevelyan with Mr Davies [Crompton or Theodore Llewelyn Davies?] around 4 in the afternoon.

Board of Education embossed card [possibly from Charles Trevelyan, appointed as parliamentary under-secretary]; dated 'Monday. - Molly has been telling them how much better Paul was yesterday; he is very glad to hear it. Read the last half of [Robert's] "Sisyphus" again, aloud to Jan and it read 'capitally'; they both like it all very much. Is giving it to many of his 'literary friends' and hears nothing but praise; he finds some of the metres are too difficult, which is his only complaint.

3 Via Camerata, Florence. - Does not think he can get to the Hague except around eleven at night because of the trains, so she is not bound to come and meet him. Can go straight to his hotel, probably the Angleterre as he cannot remember how to address the people at the Twee Steden, then come to see her early next day. Glad to hear good news of her aunt again. Knows a Miss Crommelin, 'half or whole Dutch', who lives with Isabel Fry; expects she is the same family [as Bessie's friend, see 9/31]; likes her 'well enough, though she is rather flagrantly "New womanly"'. Weather bad; is reading some interesting books; not inclined to work. Berenson has been telling him about old Italian and Russian books; has been reading Tolstoy's "Katia" ["Family Happiness"; hopes their marriage will turn out better; thinks it 'an interesting book, but rather unsatisfactory'.

London S.W.1., No. 3 Hobart Place. - They have just returned from a gathering of influential people, including Madame [Nellie] Melba and Sir Thomas Beecham, to hear Donald [Tovey]'s opera ["The Bride of Dionysus"]. Does not know what the outcome will be, but 'there is no doubt about the immense impression it has made'. The 'drawback is, as it is always, the "book"'; hopes the music will cause 'the over-ornate far too lengthy frigid stuff' [the libretto by Robert Trevelyan] to be forgotten. There are things which have long required saying, which she hopes would be 'less harsh spoken by word of mouth' in her own house than written. Wishes for peace, is always ready to forgive, but the 'menace' the Trevelyans have always been 'to Donald's best interests' must be removed; hopes it can be by 'a clear understanding' between them and herself. Asks them to come and see her before Friday evening, when Donald returns from Scotland.

52 The Pryors, East Heath Road, Hampstead, N.W.3. - Is distressed to hear about Frazer's eyesight; sends birthday congratulations; the Biochemical dinner was a success, and regrets he had to resign when he went to Aberdeen; sends a subscription to the bibliography, agrees it should be in memory of Henry George Plimmer; they are in a flat overlooking Hampstead Heath, describes why they did not stay in Steele's Road.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking. - Has received his father's letter [12/89] and is sorry to have annoyed him by not writing more often; this is 'not through indifference', and he hopes in future to write more regularly. He and Bessie go abroad next Tuesday, and hope to reach Aulla [home of Aubrey and Lina Waterfield] on Thursday; hopes by then Campbell-Bannerman will have formed his cabinet. The Times's 'assertion about Sir Edward Grey' yesterday caused great alarm, but so far it seems unfounded. If they had indeed failed to agree, someone would be much to blame, but Robert thought George was being 'unduly pessimistic'; he thought if there had been a split nobody but 'strong radicals would vote against Protection' and the election would be a 'fiasco' for the Liberals. Robert doubts that 'principles are not just now more important than men in most minds'. Quotes [from Julius Caesar Act 4, Scene 3, 2115-2132], with Grey in Cassius' place, Campbell-Bannerman playing Brutus, and the Times the Poet.

He and Bessie are both well, though have had bad colds. Has sent the first act of their translation of Vondel's Lucifer to the Independent [Review]; George and Dickinson 'seem to like it' so he hopes they might print it; there is more of the translation, but the first act stands well alone. George, Janet, and Mary seem well. Sends love to his mother.

Rome. - Hopes Trevelyan has received his previous letter saying that everything is all right about the Deuchars; he just needs to know whether they should be met in Florence by Nicky [Mariano] or whether he should meet them later in Rome. Will be in Venice from Sept 5-7 for the PEN Congress. Is very sorry about Trevelyan's sister-in-law [Janet: news of her chronic illness]; appreciated her 'kindness and good natured intelligence'.

Membership.
Synge was co-opted to serve on the Executive Committee in 1971. He resigned in 1977.

Describes a lecture by the Belgian barrister of Edith Cavell.

Trinity College - WW has got hold of a new science (meteorology) which 'is altogether admirable both for my theology and for my induction...The people have been collecting facts for a very long time - (ever since Noah) and are now just beginning to get a notion of the general laws and proportions in to which the mass is to be resolved. I do not know any subject which is at present in so instructive a condition. Moreover those who pursue it talk excellent philosophia prima as is always the case among people so employed; the wisdom which people utter under the unconscious tutoring of practice is very noticeable in the business of the intellect, as well as of the hands and the heart'. WW is delighted with the progress he is making on his Bridgewater treatise - 'but I begin to have less trust in this feeling, having found that it may delude me; however you shall see what I have done and tell me how far I am right' ['Astronomy and General Physics Considered with Reference to Natural Theology', 1833]. Is RJ at peace or war with the logician?: 'If you will give me illustrations and examples of the ascending method applied to moral sciences we shall have no difficulty in fighting the downward mad people. I have got some additional views but no removal yet of any doubts as to the identity of the scientific method (that is the method of making a science) in physical and moral sciences'.

Extracted by Ellis & Ellis. Original signed by D. L. Strong, Registrar.

Transvaal Museum, Pretoria. Dated 3 January 1921 - Thanks him for the testimonial; is still waiting to hear the result of his application; the greater part of [Wilhelm?] Bleek's MS is in the hands of Miss [Dorothea?] Bleek; he hopes to persuade her to publish.

3 ms. and typescript drafts, using similar material to H.107. One of the drafts has a note `New Zealand 1964'.

9 Zion Place, Margate - CB has sketched out a plan for a magnetic observatory and gives a description of some of the technical features necessary for the building. Also enclosed is an estimate of the magnetic and meteorological instruments with apparatus for their automatic registration by photography.

Rearranges meeting with Sraffa.