"We have beaten Old Joe and done with the whole affair ! A good omen I hope !"
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15 Sept. 1927
Royal Monceau Hotel
55, 57, et 59 Avenue Hoche, Paris
My dear Gerald,
I am writing this letter in Paris, but shall not post it till I return to England at the end of the week, because it would be a bother to find out the right postage here, and in any case it would probably be exorbitant.
I was also here when I received your letter of Aug. 7; but since then I have been spending a fortnight on a motoring tour, the longest I have ever been, and have seen a great deal of France: Burgundy and the Jura as far as the Swiss Frontier, and then Lyons and Clermont Ferrand. The weather was good almost all the while, and I was lucky, for in Paris as in England it was bad, like most of this summer and autumn.
Unfortunately I shall not see Oscar in England; at least I am afraid that he will be leaving just when I get back. I had a very interesting letter from your mother about the total eclipse of the sun last June, for which Hartlepool was the best spot in England.
I hope you have killed your hippopotamus by this time. I have not heard whether you have yet shot a lion, but I suppose you would have mentioned it if you had. I am glad you like your job and do not mind being in the bush. It is fortunate you are not so much devoted to tennis as Oscar; though I suppose your blacks might be taught to play it.
I remain
Your affectionate godfather
A. E. Housman.
[Direction on envelope:] Gerald Jackson Esq. | R.C.B.C. Ltd. | N’Changa | Via N’Dola | N. Rhodesia | S. Africa
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The envelope, which bears some rough diagrams and the date ‘Sept 15th 1927’, was postmarked at Cambridge at 12.[..] p.m. on 19 September, and at Ndola, N.W. Rhodesia, on 15 October. The postage stamp has been torn off.
(With a photocopy of an envelope.)
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Trinity College | Cambridge
17 Dec. 1926
My dear Gerald,
I have got your letter of Oct. 11 and am glad to hear of your doings, but the earlier letter which you speak of did not find its way to me. I expect it was eaten by a lion, as you may have been by this time.
If I remember right, you were here in May just before I went off to Venice to see my gondolier. I found him better than I expected, as hot weather suits him, and he is still alive, but he’s just gone into hospital with hemorrhage. I stayed there only a few days, and then spent a week or so in Paris. In July and August I was at my old home and other haunts of childhood in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. At Woodchester, once my grandfather’s parish, there is a Roman pavement, the finest in England, which is uncovered and shown from time to time, and this year was one of those occasions: I spent a week in the place, which I should have enjoyed more if I had not been dragged in to make explanatory speeches to the visitors, owing to the lack of persons in the village who could do it. Then I made a short motoring tour in Derbyshire, to see the most picturesque spots.
I heard from your mother not long ago, but I need not tell you any of her news. I am glad that Africa is geologically a good continent, and I hope its Christmas weather is not too hot.
Your affectionate godfather
A. E. Housman.
[Direction on envelope:] Gerald Jackson Esq. | R.C.B.C. Ltd. | N’Changa | Via N’Dola | N. Rhodesia | S. Africa
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The envelope, which has been marked ‘Answered 24/3/27’, was postmarked at Cambridge at 10.45 p.m.(?) on 17 December. The postage stamp has been torn off.
Trinity College, Cambridge.—Sends two letters relating to a letter of Byron given to the College in 1912 (R.2.40A/10).
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Dr J. R. G. Bradfield, Senior Bursar, Telephone 58201
Trinity College, Cambridge, CB2 1TQ
9 November, 1970
P. Gaskell, Esq.,
Trinity College,
Cambridge.
Dear Pip,
1912 Gift of a letter of Lord Byron
In the course of {1} reorganization of various old records we came across two letter relating to the above. They are enclosed herewith. Please keep them if you wish, but otherwise destroy.
Yours sincerely,
JB {2}
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Typed, except the initials and a correction.
{1} ‘In the course of’ above ‘Continuing’, struck through.
{2} The initials are indistinct.
Regarding the gift of letters from Bertrand Russell to Lucy Silcox to the library of Trinity College.
Advising that the letters from Bertrand Russell to Lucy Silcox in Miss Blackburn's possession would be best given to the library of Trinity College rather than that of Newnham.