Pièce 228 - Letter from Bertrand Russell to Elizabeth Trevelyan

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Little Datchet Farm, Malvern, R.D.1, Pa., U.S.A. - Was very glad to have Elizabeth's letter: it is hard to avoid "[p]hysical and mental depression', mainly due to the impossibility of doing much to help. Asks her to tell Bob how much he enjoyed his translations: amused to learn that Plato was a comic poet; read Horace's "Odes" when young but nothing else, so it is interesting to 'get at him in English'. Thinks Bob 'shows admirable strength of mind' getting on with work; he himself has 'external compulsion' - the need to lecture' to keep his mind on 'equally remote' Greek philosophy. Has just heard the German assault on Yugoslavia has begun: seems no hope that the war will end quickly. Conrad 'flourishes and is very intelligent'. John is 'intensely scholarly', with classical interests; 'would make an admirable don in quiet times'. The 'friendliness of Americans' is curing Kate of shyness. They are still in California, but will come East in June and probably stay. Asks if all the trees on Leith Hill have been cut down: is 'haunted by the thought of disappearing beauty'.