Pièce 38 - Letter from Sir George Trevelyan to R. C. Trevelyan

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Thanks Robert for his account of the [Cambridge] Greek Play; the Agamemnon must have been a 'great contrast to poor J[ames] K[enneth] Stephen', whose performance was the 'greatest real success of his life' [in fact he played Sophocles' Ajax]. The actor he remembers best from the performance he attended was O'Rourke [? Edward Dennis O'Rorke] who was in the chorus but 'contrived to signal himself by his energy'. There was a general election going on, and he left before the end to see the polls; the play may have been the "Eumenides" [performed in 1885]. George writes that he has heard the last time Sir George was at a Greek play in Cambridge 'the vegetable marrow on the altar fell and was squelched'; he does not remember the incident, but is sure that if it happened he 'did not lose [his] self-possession', 'as Uncle Tom [Macauley] said about the decanter'. Has heard from Caroline about Robert and Elizabeth's visit to London; wants to hear what they thought of [Gilbert and Sullivan's?] "Patience" and whether there are any very good plays on; it is never possible to tell from reviews in the newspapers. Has bought a two volume translation from Polybius and now has some idea of him. Miss Martin sends love to Robert and Elizabeth.