Clovelly, Metung, Victoria. Dated 2 April, 1906 - Thanks him for 'Lectures on the Early History of the Kingship'; has been busy as Chairman of a Royal Commission in the Coal Industry but will take notice of [Andrew] Lang's 'Search of the Totem', has a reply ready to send off as to the 'pirrauru', the undivided commune, his attack on Frazer and himself, and other matters; [Baldwin] Spencer will join in when he has time; asks Frazer to help distribute 500 copies of his letter to members of Anthropological societies, journals and newspaper; May is in Melbourne with him and they express their thanks for their kindness during their visit to Cambridge; [Lorimer] Fison is slightly better but unable to do any mental work; Spencer is well but Howitt fears he is overworking himself.
Three unidentified images of icons, one of John the Baptist, another of the Madonna and child; one unidentified image of a crucifix.
Sketch showing the front elevation and side elevation of a chimney.
C/93 includes replies to an invitation to the Trinity Ball held on 14 June.
Letters dated 5 May 1822 - 10 Dec. 1837.
Lecture notes.
WW sends the first part of JCH's translation of Goethe's epistles. He has made one or two slight alterations and 'marked one or two other lines, always on account of the rhythm. I am desirous that in our book the verse should run smoothly to a common ear, so that the hexameter may get hold of people [Dialogues on English Hexameters, 1847]. Afterwards, when it is become familiar, we may take greater liberties, or rather may aspire to a more comprehensive melody'.
Wilton Crescent - HH has received a book which is certainly that which WW led him to anticipate in his last letter of December 28th [WW's anonymous publication, 'Of the Plurality of Worlds: An Essay', 3rd edition, 1854]. The subject is one which occupies all reflecting men: 'The belief, or conjecture, that other planetary bodies are inhabited like, or somewhat like our own, naturally began with the moon and obtained reception, half seriously and half in sport, through many writings long before that of Fontenelle, who expanded the hypothesis'. HH does not altogether agree with the book where it argues 'that there is no transition from human and animals; certainly there is an immense leap, even in the case of the natives of the Alderman islands' or 'New Guinea. But taking in the whole constitution of man. I cannot say that the conformity to type, on which the author so well dwells in another part of the book, has been disregarded'. Neither does HH agree with another part of the book - 'that we can connive to being but man. If this were so, it would still only prove the limitation of our conceptions. But surely it is easy to alter in imagination the bodily structure of man, as to a great degree his mental faculties'. With regard to WW's notion of space: 'if space is no objective reality, the nebulae themselves are but luminous phenomena, part indeed of the non-ego world, but no more really distinct than our own notes, if we could see them. I have not however been able to go along with Kant as yet in this'. HH thinks the geological argument presented in the book is very sensible. 'On the whole, it is an original and very remarkable book, and will probably make an epoch in such speculations'. HH is 'not sure whether this book is yours - some things suggest it, some might make me doubt'. In looking over again WW's edition of James Mackintosh's Dissertation [James Mackintosh, 'Dissertation of the Progress of Ethical Philosophy', with a Preface by WW, 1836], HH 'was surprised at some facts and incorrect assertions of his, what you have not noticed. Is it not strange that he should charge all moral philosophers with confounding the theory of moral restraints with the criteria of virtue'.
Lord Francis Jeffrey is expecting a copy of WW's paper ['On the Fundamental Antithesis of Philosophy', Trans. of the Cambridge Phil. Soc., 1844] - 'you had better send one'. Charles Babbage would also like one Edward Ryan says. 'Ld. J. has been reading my copy and scribbling on it but he has been so seriously ill with the influenza that I have not had any talk with him about it '. John S. Mill 'has been publishing a paper to prove that a priori reasoning is not only good in Pol. Eco. but the only reasoning applicable to it. God help him and those this belief leads to trust in him[,] his Papa and his school'. Charlotte Jones is still an invalid and RJ is worried that her symptoms are precisely those which preceded the fatal illness of her sister.
Ajaccio, 54 Cours Napoléon - Refers to her story of reconciling with Marett [after the Frazer Lectures volume disagreement] and being on good terms with Elliot Smith as well; mentions an article by an admirer, Vincent de Peretti in the Corsican newspaper. Accompanied by the envelope.
Department of Ceramics and Ethnography, British Museum - States his reasons for believing that there are two trilithons at Tongatabu [Tongatapu], citing accounts by J. L. Brenchley, Basil Thomson, and A. de Quatrefages.
The Gallows, Ryton, Dymock, Glos.; addressed to The View, Upper Wyche, Malvern. The Abercrombies are at last 'suspended at The Gallows'. Arrangements for Trevelyan's visit.
Robin Ghyll, Langdale, Ambleside. - Originally enclosing a 'quite informal introduction' which he thinks best, since he knows [Arthur?] Sidgwick so well, 'I should certainly apply to him'. Will send for Clutton Brock's "[William] Morris". 'Public affairs at home and abroad are dreadful but most interesting. 'Norman Angellism' has a 'long battle to fight yet'; George hopes that civilisation will not have been destroyed before it wins.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Thanks for Robert's 'jolly' letter; agrees that these are 'great times'. George has just returned from Richmond, the 'beautiful hill-town which Turner so often painted'; the victory [for the Liberals] there and at Stratford are 'almost the most satisfactory of the lot'; gives a detailed description of the Stratford candidate [Thomas Kincaid-Smith], who was a 'perfect godsend'. Caroline was 'of great service' and their 'hold on the neighbourhood came very strongly out'; a 'great blessing' they were there and not in Rome or Northumberland. Much interested to hear about [William] Everett's letters; has been reading Catullus and realising his aristocratic status for the first time, and that the people he satirises are not 'the middle class rag tag and bobtail' of Martial and Juvenal but men who would have 'histories, many of them tragical ones'. Caroline is in London today at a Women's Liberal Committee. Notes in a postscript that they were very interested to hear about Bessy's cousins [the Hubrechts?].
Oban. - Hopes his own letter will reassure Trevelyan on most of the points in his [about "The Bride of Dionysus"] and that his idea of a Dionysus and Ariadne duet will preserve the 'matter of the big speech'. Trevelyan's treatment of the Minos and Phaedra incident seems excellent; perhaps Phaedra is a little too dislikeable for this stage. Is working on the Minotaur-Labyrinth material now. Cannot help but find Trevelyan's favourite line 'Beautiful in pied fawn-skin' comic. Expects he will be at the Speyers' house by Sunday; will see them on the 8th as they go abroad next day, then 'hover about Worpledon' unless it suits Trevelyan to put him up 'and have Ariadne thumped on the clavichord all day'.
Benet House, Mount Pleasant, Cambridge.—Asks him to suggest books for Part II of the English Tripos, and contrasts the approaches of Downs and Leavis. Asks whether he has heard any of the broadcasts to South America from Downside. Suggests that Bewley might be interested in St Anselm’s Priory, [Washington] DC. Gives accounts of visits to the Carmelites and to the Observatory.