Item 46 - Letter from Elizabeth des Amorie van der Hoeven to R. C. Trevelyan

2 items: letter with envelope; sample of silk fabric from Elizabeth Trevelyan's wedding dress.

10 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at 3 Hare Court, Inner Temple, London E. C. and forwarded to him at Penmenner House, The Lizard, Cornwall. - Her uncle has gone to his meeting, so she has not been able yet to ask him about Bob's letter to [Henry] Turing; should be able to do so before dinner and send off this letter then; would like it to reach Bob tomorrow in London if possible. Now feels they ought to invite Turing to the wedding breakfast; they need not ask him to be a witness, since Louise [Hubrecht?]'s brother or [Abraham?] Bredius could do that, but Ambro [Hubrecht] and Marie, whom she visited at Utrecht last Sunday, both thought he should be invited to the meal; recommends that Bob not mention it in his letter, and when they ask him at a later date 'if he is a tactful & discreet person he will refuse'. Agrees with her uncle that Bob should write to the consul, and not just to Sir H. H. [Henry Howard, the British ambassador] since there are many legal arrangements to make with which Sir Henry would not be able to help; does not want to come under obligation to invite Sir Henry and his wife to the wedding, especially as he is a 'kind of relation'; will however explain Bob's objections to her uncle. Has had quite a lot of worry about these questions - had to go to bed 'in a flood of tears' one night when she was finishing "Cyrano de Bergerac' - but is feeling calmer about them now.

Takes up the letter again having talked to her uncle; as expected he thinks that Bob should send a letter to Turing through Sir Henry Howard and adds that it shows respect to Turing to communicate with him directly. Hopes Bob will write from Cornwall. Thanks him for enclosing the poem, which she likes very much; also found the Heine song and saw that Bob 'really can write German now' though he still makes some mistakes. Draws a sketch of what she would like to look like on her wedding day to show what a Watteau pleat looks like [see 9/45]; she will not look exactly like a Watteau lady, as they often wore very short petticoats and were much décolleté. Tells Bob the groom usually gives the bride an orange flower bouquet. Encloses a piece of the silk from which the dress is to be made. Is going to dine with her aunt now; signs off with Dutch endearments.