Item 28 - Letter from Elizabeth des Amorie van der Hoeven to R. C. Trevelyan

19 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at Pension Palumbo, Ravello, presso Amalfi, Italia. - Bob's letters arrived just as Bessie 'was preparing a little moral lecture' to him for forgetting her aunt's birthday; this was 'rather a festive day' as the doctor let her aunt get up out of bed . Difficulties of preparing food for the invalid; the cook has been a real help; she is a Roman Catholic and told Bessie she has been praying for her aunt; the other servants have also been very good. Amused her to see how Bob wrote more neatly in his letter to her aunt, at least until near the end. Envies him for succeeding in tickling a lizard; has always wanted to do so herself but they would never listen long enough to her 'whistles & singing'. Next day, writes that her uncle has gone to Ambro [Hubrecht]'s lecture; this is the first of the series she will miss, which she is sorry for as it promised to be especially interesting, with 'a human skeleton... posed in a graceful attitude next to the lecturer's table'. Ambro came to lunch and was sorry to hear of their changed plans; suggested that his wife Marie should come and stay while Bessie is away, enabling them to keep to the old plans. Does not think this would work, as Marie would probably tire her aunt out and Bessie would not like to leave until her aunt is about the house again. Received a kind letter this morning from Bob's mother saying she quite understood and suggesting Bessie came on 14 Feb to spend a week at Welcombe; she could then go to the Frys, and then spend a few days with them in London before returning home. Must wait and see how her aunt is. Lady Trevelyan was also glad Bessie had told Bob to stay at Ravello; teases him about spending more time with his 'nine young ladies' [the Muses]. Was hard to read in Bob's letter of his plans to return by the end of next week; at least he may have better weather travelling later. Her cousin at Leiden [Louise Hubrecht] was 'charmed' by Bob's poems ["Mallow and Asphodel"] and has sent them on to the Röntgens who 'admired them very much & studied them together'; jokes how 'advantageous' it is to marry a foreign wife who will help 'spread one's fame abroad'. Looking forward very much to seeing Bob again; feels she can say anything to him; has only ever had Bramine [Hubrecht] at home to talk to in the same way, and saw very little of her. Likes the 'beautiful exquisite Blake-like imaginative drawing of the Bessie-tree' in Bob's 'intermezzo letter'.