Stuk 301 - Letter from Edward Marsh to R. C. Trevelyan

Dun Bull Hotel, Mardale, Via Penrith. (printed notepaper with photograph of the inn). - Meant to write to Trevy last Sunday, but since Barran and Childers 'forestalled' him he waited. They were all glad to hear 'how happy everyone is at Cambridge' . Childers and Malim are at church. They are 'mourning the departure of Cony [William Conybeare?]' whom Trevy will see before he gets this letter, but Barran will return tomorrow; he has 'been revelling at Winchester, and turned aside to go to a garden party at home'. Childers has 'turned us all into fisherman'; Marsh himself 'became perfectly brutal when I'd seen 3 trout knocked on the head'; he got a fish out of the water, but was unable to land it. Has not yet finished [Meredith's] "Vittoria"; has been reading "Harry Richmond" [also by Meredith], 'one of the liveliest & most delightful books' he knows. Is now reading [Zola's] 'Débâcle', as Trevy should; wishes he had a map of Sedan. Childers has 'gone perfectly wild over Balzac. They went to Seatoller and Mrs Pepper was 'very affable'; the Miss Peppers have 'become goddesses... divinely tall etc'; Trevy 'should have been there for the treacle pudding, which surpassed all its previous manifestations'. Their landlady and cook here, Mrs Hudson, also 'has real genius, besides being like a picture by Romney'.