121: Letter from Hannah Jane Locker to Miss [Amicia?] Milnes
125: Letter from Hannah Jane Locker to Richard Monckton Milnes.
Fragments and complete drafts.
The Commonwealth Relations Office agree to the publication of the letter (see 1/206), provided that certain references to Nehru and Jinnah are omitted or altered.
Postcard. Blank on one side. With a note in HS's hand: 'Is this symbolical of your frame of mind, the Ultimate Fact of the Universe or What?'
The Victoria, University of Manchester - Congratulates Frazer.
British Museum, London, W.C.1. - Thanks him for the gift of 55 notebooks.
Accompanied by an envelope with note "British Museum Letter w/ 55 Notebooks, and 2 Letters of Mr Downie dealing with 'Letters'. Museum".
Imperial Hotel, Barnstaple - Has just returned from an expedition and found her letter announcing Frazer's election to the Royal Society under special circumstances which enhance the honour; are in Devonshire for the first holiday they've had in two years; it will not be possible to meet her in Caius College and can't help her 'with the design you have in hand'.
Accompanied by the envelope.
Strafford House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk - Thanks him for his copy 'The Gorgon's Head', is looking forward to light reading during his convalescence; has given Marett's 'The Diffusion of Culture' to Sir Hugh Clifford, who rejects Elliot Smith's 'wild theory'; Elliot Smith has resigned from Folklore Society because President Myers attacked his theory.
Pen Rose, Berkhamsted. - The Prime Minister has asked George to 'go to Cambridge [as Regius Professor of History]' and he has accepted; the 'K[ing]'s pleasure has yet to be taken' so this is still a secret. Has been to Cambridge and talked to the 'principal history dons there with satisfactory results' about what he can do, and need not do, there. [His book, "History Under] Queen Anne" will move more slowly, but she will move'. Expects they will move there in January; sketches out his movements for the next month or so; will have the 'fun of writing an Inaugural Lecture up in the North'. Discusses financial affairs, and the amount Bob can expect to receive from him [from the Hallington estate].
Bessie has reminded him it is Julian's birthday, so is writing a 'hasty' letter without really knowing what to say except good wishes for him and his family; supposes he ought to write in verse too, but does not 'see [his] way to that'. Has a sort of lumbago so 'can't get about much these days'; hopes it will soon pass.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - The lawyers acting for Robert and George [in the matter of Florence Trevelyan's legacy] should see an old letter of 1884 which he has found; has written to George in London, as the lawyers must see Philipson personally. Philipson is 'the most honourable and kindly of men' and Sir George thinks all is going right.
Savoy-Hotel, Ouchy-Lausanne. - Sent a card from Paris, which was hot and unpleasant; the heat continued till they reached the Jura and arrived in a thunderstorm. Today the weather is beautiful and the hotel is charming; they go to Les Avants tomorrow, and she hopes they will stay a few days. Sir George is 'very energetic' and needs to be held back or they would 'be round Switzerland in a fortnight'. They are taking tea with Hilda Trevelyan, who is staying in a nearby hotel. Is anxious to hear whether Elizabeth 'engaged the nice looking nurse'; would be very sorry if Nurse Catt had to leave altogether; hopes Julian has not been disturbed by the hot weather and that his 'little "freak" tooth has done no harm'. Lausanne very large now, with much new building going on. They have got a new music box. Glad Elizabeth got a good cart for Julian; hopes she received the money orders as Caroline 'ought to be responsible for his locomotion!'. Sends love to Robert; they have a new edition of Stevenson's letters which are 'delightful reading'.
Montepulciano (Prov. di Siena). - Thanks Trevelyan for his gift of [Woolf's] "Waves". Is here till tomorrow and saw Iris Origo last night; appreciates her all the more as he comes to know her; hopes to take Walker to stay with them for a few days. Heard 'the pathetic voice of Lloyd George' [on the radio?] a few days ago; did not think what he said 'first-rate' or 'accurate'. Asks where Julian is; was expecting to see him in October. Nicky [Mariano] said there is no water at I Tatti, but expects it will be better now due to recent heavy rain. Was amazed that Clifford A[llen] supported MacDonald [over the National Government]; asks for Trevelyan's opinion. Was in Arezzo recently for a commemoration of Petrarch; the foreigners he met there were 'all very gloomy'. Asks if Trevelyan has received the Baudelaire which Alberti says he has sent him.
c/o GPO, 216 KAA Bty R.A., Brough, E. Yorks. - Leopardi is wonderful, and Trevelyan's translations some of the best work he has done. Had leave last weekend and spent a night with the Waleys, then stayed with Sandra [his sister] and Theo [Rikh, her fiancé] at Henley. Glad to hear they had visited Trevelyan; asks what he thinks of Theo, who 'was completely enchanted' by Trevelyan. Also rang up Joan [Allen], but she 'was busy with nursery centres and the Lloyds'. Is reading Rex [Warner's] latest novel "The Aerodrome", which is 'very Kafkaesque... a little sordid' but still interesting. Joan's brother David [Gill] is now stationed nearby at Leeds which is good as Yorkshire people are 'amazingly kind' but he misses his southern friends. Hopes Trevelyan is not too depressed by the news from Greece.
Postmarked Surrey. - Describes how Ariadne's speech [in the trio in Act II of "The Bride of Dionysus"] now ends; "Phaedra can eke [hers] out by hurling Dr Smith's Classical Directory at Hecate' but Theseus does not have enough to say. He must keep singing as Phaedra and Ariadne will sound thin; asks if he could distinctly disapprove of magic. A pencil note on the address side of the card seems to be Trevelyan's first draft along these lines.
Wixenford, Eversley, Winchfield:- Is sure she will be sorry to hear that 'little Tom Booth' is 'suffering from "ringworm"', which will prevent his return to school this term. Mrs Arnold believes that Tom caught it during the holidays; however, since Dr. Sivering [?], who has been consulted, thinks that from 'the present state of the malady' it is possible that it before Tom left school at the end of last term. They cannot therefore 'feel happy' until they hear all the boys are 'safe & well', and 'feel particularly anxious about Bobbie', since he shares a bedroom with Tom. They have been told that this 'unpleasant malady' can go without discovery for some time, as it does not cause pain or discomfort and is 'often in the head & hidden by the hair'. They hope Mrs Trevelyan will be able to reassure them that Bobbie is safe and well, and that they will 'have the pleasure of welcoming him back' on the 13th. She and Mr Arnold send 'kind regards' to Mrs Trevelyan, and love to Bobbie.
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his father for his letter [12/94?]. Bessie 'seems to have enjoyed her stay in London' and had a good journey to Holland. Is very glad his mother has recovered; expects she will soon be 'entirely well' after a stay at Welcombe in this 'fine weather'.
Has found organising the 'Easter party' rather difficult, involving much 'writing and telegraphing', but thinks all will 'come right'. George Moore usually organises it but 'gave it up at the last moment' and left everything to him. Has got the 'two latest elected apostles' to come: [James] Strachey and [Harry] Norton; they are both in their first year, so 'the destinies of the Society will be in their hands for a long time probably'.
[Ralph] Hawtrey, a Treasury official, is staying with Robert for his holiday; he is a 'nephew of the actor', whom Robert supposes his father will have seen in The Man from Blankney's [actually Blankleys: by Thomas Anstey Guthrie]. Theodore [Llewelyn] Davies 'insisted' on Hawtrey's transferral from the Admiralty to the Treasury, as he 'thought he was the kind of man required' there; this was an 'exceptional step', and Robert believes 'much criticised at the time', but he supposes it 'quite wise'. Hawtrey is 'a man quite of Theodore's type of mind'; expects he has less of his 'power of influencing and directing others', but still 'with the fine common sense and intellectual power, and the same good political tradition', since like Theodore Hawtrey is a Home-ruler as well as a Liberal.
Will write to Welcombe from the Swan Inn, Fittleworth to say how the gathering goes; will go there tomorrow, but how long he stays depends on what the others do. The 'Vesuvius eruption seems very bad'. Lord Rosebery is at his villa now: Robert hopes he will not 'act the part and meet the fate of the elder Pliny'.
40 Weymouth Street - V[alentia] and Donne dined with the Archbishop who is not looking well, benefits of having whooping cough and measles when young, meanness and stupidity of radicals over Princess Louise's dowry, Civil list
22 pp. typescript with ms. revisions.
Correspondence with J.R. Newman of Harpers