Raj Bhavan, Calcutta.—Is too unwell to welcome him to Raj Bhavan, but hopes he will make himself at home. Refers to their previous meeting at the Gauhati Congress.
He cannot attend the reception at India House owing to an engagement in Stratford-on-Avon.
(Place of writing not indicated.)—Reflects on the nature of their love.
Privy Council Office.—Advises him when he is to be sworn of the Privy Council, and gives related instructions. Encloses a memorandum on procedure (3/111b).
Privy Council Office.—Invites him to call at the Privy Council Office in order that the form of ceremonial to be observed at the Privy Council meeting may be explained to him.
They accept an invitation to a reception at India House.
Normandy Farm. Requires 3 1/2 tons of bonemeal
Brixton Prison.—Is glad to hear she is well. His Italian is progressing, and he has been attending chapel. Evelyn Sharp, Mary Neal, and Sayers have visited, and his sister Annie has written.
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Transcript
Brixton Prison
11th March 1912
Dearest
I was delighted to get your letter and to learn from it that things are going well with you and that you have come across some of the others—you will not now feel at all alone. Also you need not have the smallest anxiety about me as I am very well[,] have plenty to do and get regular exercise & have not a trace left of indigestion. I started learning Italian on Saturday {1} and have already made a good deal of progress; I find it very easy, in view of French and Latin, and also very fascinating; when I know a little more I shall start on Dante.
I had two visitors on Saturday as in addition to Miss Evelyn Sharp, the Govenor† kindly allowed me to see Mary Neal who was on her way to Holmwood & wanted instructions. It was a great pleasure to see them both. Sayers came to day & I quite cheered him up—he has promised to send me a book I have not yet read—I forget its name. I have also had a letter from my sister Annie & I shall send her a reply soon. It will not be long after you get this that we shall meet—that will be good will it not though the place will be not one that we would naturally choose! Also we shall see those two other dear people—I hope they will be better than they were last Wednesday {2}.
I went to Chapel twice yesterday—there was some very hearty singing, I have not missed any day except the first.
Your loving
Husband
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At the head is printed, ‘In replying to this letter, please write on the envelope:— Number 3408 Name Lawrence F. P.’, the name and number being filled in by hand. The word ‘Prison’ of the address and the first two digits of the year are also printed, and the letter is marked with the reference ‘C1/12’ and some initials. Strokes of letters omitted either deliberately or in haste have been supplied silently.
{1} 9th.
{2} 6th.
† Sic.
Fourways, Gomshall, Surrey.
London.—Advises him of an alteration in the the time of the Council meeting.
Collingwood - Thanks WW for his remarks concerning JH's translation of Homer's 'Iliad', and gives his reply to WW's comments. JH is thinking of stopping at book six and getting his translations printed. However he has started book seven - 'not to mind a pleasing book. Homer is too hard upon Hector in making him so evidently no match for Ajax'. JH has given WW's friend Mr Kindt [Hermann Kindt] 'a castigation' for criticising Pope.
11 Old Square, Lincoln’s Inn, London, W.C.2.—Thanks her for looking after him and his wife while they were in Delhi.
(Directed c/o Mrs Gandhi, Prime Minister's Residence, New Delhi. See 1/324.)
Confidential. Royal Observatory Greenwich - Miss Sheepshanks [Richard Sheepshanks sister] wants to use some of her brother's money in a way he would have liked: 'Her thoughts naturally turn to Astronomy, Cambridge, Trinity. and she has in the final instance consulted me about it'. It is her wish that GA and WW 'should decide entirely about it'.
20 Somerset Terrace (Duke’s Road, W.C.).—Encourages him in his work on The Echo.
He admits that Columbus' egg is a myth. Discusses the relationship of obtuseness or acuteness of sides to obtuse and acute angles in a spherical triangle and proposes a theorem; has found nothing in the literature of the affections of oblique triangles. Accompanied by a drawing of a [spherical triangle?] with the note, "Yours came in after I had written the above. You are right, as here appears."
Commonwealth Offices, Treasury Place, Melbourne, C.2.—Has edited the letter in question (see 1/115a). Has nearly finished the draft of his book and will bring copies to London in April.
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].
Lady Pethick-Lawrence will not be able to attend the reception, as she is confined to bed with back trouble.
Discusses proposals made by the Commission on Monetary and Banking Sys-tems, some of which the Australian Government has decided to implement.
Rotary Club of Madras.—Invites him and Lady Pethick-Lawrence to be the chief guests at a special dinner meeting of the Club.
(Signed as President.)
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, 12 Rue de Vieux Collège, Geneva.
(Undated.)
Flamsteed House, Greenwich - GA has already sent three copies of the Account of the Haston Experiments [see GA to WW, 1 Nov. 1854]: 'Pray cause a search to be made for them'. Two copies of the Greenwich Appendixes were sent to WW: 'But if they trouble you, I can send only one in future'. GA will think of a time when they can 'talk over Italian and other matters'.
Brixton Prison.—Nance has visited and Uncle Edwin has sent a goodwill message. Has been thinking about his defence and reading The Solitary Summer.
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Transcript
Brixton Prison
12th March 1912
Dearest
Just a word in pleasant anticipation of seeing you on Thursday. I had a delightful visit from Nance this afternoon and am looking forward to seeing May tomorrow. How very good everyone is to us!
I have been busy today looking into the question of my defence but of course there is not very much one can do until we hear what the other side have got to say.
I think I told you I had had a letter from my sister Annie, I have also received a message of goodwill from my uncle Edwin[.] I am going to write to him tomorrow.
The book Sayers has sent me is “The Solitary Summer” which is very good reading—I have only read before “Elizabeth and her German Garden” {1}.
I expect you see the Times, there is a capital letter today from Annie Besant.
Your own loving
Husband
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One folded sheet. At the head is printed, ‘In replying to this letter, please write on the enve-lope:— Number 3408 Name Lawrence F P’, the name and number being filled in by hand. The word ‘Prison’ of the address and the first two digits of the year are also printed, and the letter is marked with the reference ‘C1/12’ and some initials. Strokes of letters omitted either deliberately or in haste have been supplied silently.
{1} A popular semi-autobiographical novel by Elizabeth von Arnim, first published in 1898. The Solitary Summer, a companion piece, was published the following year.
20 Somerset Terrace (Duke’s Road, W.C.).—Reflects on the nature of their love.