States that 'Prof B[irks]. decided Tuesday' [ie was elected Knightbridge Professor of Moral Philosophy at Cambridge], and claims not to care very much. Reports that he has seen Miss Brooke, with whom he had been corresponding, and reports that 'she is not so good as to make you put aside the idea of Miss Drew' to whom G[ ] H[ ] had introduced him.
Quotes an extract from a missive to him [from George Eliot], including an invitation to Sidgwick and Myers to lunch in Blackbrook, Southborough on 'Saturday the 4th', and gives directions as to arrive at Chislehurst by train. Sidgwick states that he shall very likely join the train at London Bridge, coming from Cambridge.
7 Camden St. & Town - Thanks Whewell for the second memoir, he has only just read it as he was engaged 'upon the antithesis of symbol and explanation'. Whewell has 'done the German philosophers much good': De Morgan stops at Kant who is far too unclear - 'so turbid that I want a filtering machine'. De Morgan presents an argument claiming 'all inference consists in four parentheses and two dots', followed by a knife and fork theory of the use of figure; and lastly claims that there is a form of thought which has never entered into formal logic which is neither affirmation or denial e.g. 'Though + yet = cannot'.
The University election is a worry but after full consideration RJ will vote for Charles Shaw-Lefevre and Henry Goulburn. The latter should receive Lefevre's second votes. RJ thinks the 'Peelites will never form an administration of their own and will only come in as pendants to the Whigs who by force of circumstances have become the substantially conservative party'. Neither does he 'expect ever to see Goulburn in again at all. We have to choose apparently between him and Law [Charles Ewan Law] - now I should see with [Lord?] Stanley[,] Lord George[,] and Ben Disraeli strong enough to govern the country for a year and against Law who I consider one of them I should be ready to help a much worse man than Goulburn - there is much I admit to like in Stanley's character' but he has no 'practical talent for governing'. Everything at the moment 'points towards a Whig administration'. Did WW read an article on 'the primitive political economy of England in the last Edinburgh - I wrote it for Empson [William Empson - editor of the Edinburgh Review] who was begging for want of matter'.
Ryton, Dymock, Glos. - Catherine is to go into a nursing home in Gloucester to investigate a lump in her breast, which appears malignant.
Kenilworth Villa, Victoria Road, Dorchester. - Regrets that an Easter visit will not be possible: he will be either with the Eckhards, or his sisters at Lyme. Is 'oppressed' by the 'horror of the world'. Hopes Forster will join him at Lyme. Expects Bob will return soon.
Società Romana di Antropologia, Roma - Is sending Frazer the diploma for his honorary membership of the Società Romana di Antropologia.
"Hochried", Murnau/Staffelsee - Is pleased Frazer will soon complete the 'Fasti' and admires Lady Frazer's translation of excerpts from 'The Golden Bough'. This page of a letter was sent to the Frazers in a letter from T. E. Page to Lady Frazer dated 13 Jan. 1926 [FRAZ/3/37]
[Archibald] Wavell 'must have been thinking of Procopius's history of the Gothic wars in Italy'; Belisarius 'his hero, was a great general' who 'like Wavell [drove] the Vandals out of Africa and Carthage'. Has never read Procopius, who was a friend of Belisarius, but believes he was 'a very good historian'; the phrase Julian quotes may be there. There is 'an account of it all in Gibbon ["Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"] and in [Thomas] Hodgkin's history ["Italy and her Invaders"]. Also hears that [Robert] Graves, the poet, has written 'a very good historical novel about Belisarius', which he expects Wavell has read. Might get the 1886 translation of Procopius by A[ubrey] Stewart, listed in the London Library catalogue, and try to find the phrase, or send the book to Julian if he 'would take care of it'; meanwhile, he will look in Gibbon and Hodgkin. Bessie has gone to London today and will see Ursula.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Glad that Robert is reading his book [Volume III of "The American Revolution"]; asks him to tell him about mistakes or misprints; the book seems 'well subscribed for'. Sorry to hear about Paul and glad he is better. Sends love to Elizabeth; he and Caroline are interested in the marriage between [Arthur] Richmond and [Theodora] van Riemsdijk. Caroline is in London for a few days; he has his 'very old, and tall, friend Sir Steuart Bailey' to keep him company. Sir Walter and Lady Trevelyan 'turned up on a motor journey yesterday' so he gave them tea; Sir Walter is 'immensely improved in manner and bearing' and she is a 'bright little lady'. Is interested by the 'Wattses [paintings by G. F. Watts?] at Compton'; does not know 'who has Compton [Watts's house there?]'
69 Lancaster Gate, W. - Gives Trevelyan Leonard Woolf's address in Ceylon. Was not in St James's Square in a hailstorm, 'certainly not in new clothes'.
C/o Mr Ratcliffe, Beech Lodge, Esplanade, Harrogate. - Thanks Trevelyan for J.C. ["Jean Christophe", Romain Rolland, see 3/31] and asks if he could borrow the other half. Was going to write a 'grateful letter' but thought the postcard would give more pleasure.
110 Banbury Road, Oxford.—Sends further sheets [of his translation] and a section on vocabulary. Has occasionally cited Popelin’s French translation but it is unreliable. He wishes that Colonna’s style were as simple as the engravings in the original edition. Asks to have the translation-sheets back this week. Refers to the point he made about Boccaccio in the Modern Language Review and wonders whether his article on Fanshawe will take just as long to be published.
Lectures delivered May-August 1966, originally found together in an envelope labelled 'Lectures Göttingen'. All are in German.
19pp. ms. draft; 9pp. miscellaneous ms. notes and calculations (2pp. in English).
Letters dated 28 Nov. 1896 - 14 Aug. 1906.
Death of Charles Mayor
Items listed under several headings: Plate; Glass; Best China; Breakfast China; Lamps; Plate Leathers & Brushes; Miscellaneous Articles; Wine; Wearing Apparel of Lord Macaulay.
Collingwood - JH sends WW book seven of his translation of Homer's 'Iliad' and has begun work on book eight. JH has not enjoyed translating book seven and is 'conscious of having done it less 'piously' than the others'. Book six has really benefited from some of WW's suggestions. William Herschel is to be married on Thursday. JH can not get rid of his illness [bronchitis - see JH to WW, 2 April 1864].
Notes, calculations, 11 pp. draft.
Includes (from rear of book) some reflections on religion.
Has had to stand up for Christ in every company of Englishmen he has met, need to evangelize the British, Jaffna coolies superior to others, staying at Manaar to baptise infants: Manaar
Edinburgh - JDF has now finished his 'Dissertation' on the history of science to the present day ['A Review of the Progress of Mathematical and Physical Science in more Recent Times and Particularly Between the Years 1775 and 1850', Encyclopedia Britannica, 1853 and separately 1858]: 'A vast number of persons whose names are entitled to appear in a history of science are wholly omitted. My selection will be criticised as a matter of course'. He has often looked at WW's 'History' and 'Philosophy': 'but you well know that if one really tries to make a subject their own, one must not depend upon such helps however valuable'. JDF is sorry that George Airy has got such a high value for the Earth's density and thus throw doubt on the previous determinations: 'I am in hopes that an examination of the strata may yet diminish it'.
Peterborough Deanery. Spencer Butler reading with Munro who will be a tripos examiner the following year.