Item 52 - Letter from George Macaulay Trevelyan to R.C. Trevelyan

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Was as pleased with the 'kindness' with which Bob talked about his troubles this year as with the way he talked to George last summer about 'the way in which I might help to make the family life more cheerful'; these suggest that George will be understood when he writes now to explain 'several things' which Bob does not know but will be glad to. There is not a 'tacit conspiracy of disapproval' of Bob: George thought this was untrue when Bob said so, but writes on the subject now as he has talked to their mother and Charles.

Charles began by saying that he thought Bob and Elizabeth were 'getting happy and at home here'; George mentioned something of what Bob had told him of the way their father talked to him, and Charles was 'disturbed' and 'distinctly more vexed [than George had been]'. Thinks Bessie had seen, even if Bob had not, that Charles had done his best to 'make [them] both happy and to get on good terms', with 'all idea of the other sort of thing... completely shoved behind him, in the past when we were all 3 very disagreeable youths'. Wants to assure Bob that both of his brothers are his friends, and hopes that he will not be angry with him. Charles is in truth 'quite as kind' as George is, and perhaps even more tolerant; though he is not literary and does not have as many common interests with Bob as George. True that all three brothers have 'chosen different lines of life, and have very [emphasised] constituted minds', but George does not see why they should 'ever quarrel again'.

Caroline began by telling George about her conversation with Bob about Sir George, saying that she had 'urged Papa in vain not to broach on the general subject of [Bob's] life and work' and was 'really distressed that he did not take her advice'. When George said what he thought, she urged him to speak to Sir George, which he would 'never have ventured to do' himself. So the only conspiracy is one 'to get Papa to forebear', as well as 'a kindness and an eagerness to do things for Elizabeth and [Bob]' which should not have been as 'obscure' to Bob as it seemed when he was 'annoyed about the music'.

Thinks his words in Bob's favour with Sir George this morning were a 'success'; will now 'take the liberty of talking in his favour' to Bob: he was 'never proposing' that Bob should 'give up poetry', and mentioned article-writing because Bob himself had told him last year that he was planning to take it up; he also did not intend to 'continually' return to the subject, and only meant, in the conversation about Sidney Webb, that Bob could interest himself 'in some bye employment at education or politics, which many literary persons have found consistent with literary schemes', and has 'no intention... of saying anything to annoy [Bob] on the subject'.

All three brothers have 'adopted unremunerative professions' and are 'dependent on Papa as three sons very seldom are'; he has never hindered 'any wish or whim' of any one of them 'whatever he has said [emphasised]' and they should therefore put themselves 'under his direction and meet his wishes as regards living within [their] incomes', all the more so as they are 'as a family burdened with landed estates'; Sir George treats Bob exactly as he treats George and Charles, and George thinks he is 'mainly in the right and ultimately wise', though he 'may use language that is exaggerated about the moral aspect'.