Item 2 - Letter from James Knowles to Frederick Pollock

The Hollies, Clapham Common, S.W.—Is distressed to hear how ill Clifford is. All at the Metaphysical Society like him, and Cardinal Manning, on hearing the news, wrote out the enclosed cheque immediately. Encloses a cheque of his own.

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Transcript

The Hollies
Clapham Common
S.W
April 26th 1876

My dear Mr Pollock

I am indeed distressed to hear how ill poor Clifford is. You are quite right in supposing that I know him well—& I like him ever better than I know him—thinking of him as one of the finest intellects & bravest natures I ever met.

We all like him at our Metaphysical Club I think—extremely—& I had a pleasant little proof of it last night when I was telling Cardinal Manning how ill he was & talking over the discussion between Clifford & himself at the last Metaphysical evening. The Cardinal was greatly touched & sorry—& begged to be allowed to do whatever I was myself going to do—by way of aiding the Fund which you are so kindly collecting. I was quite sure that if Clifford did come to know of this eagerness & forwardness of Manning’s it would be a great pleasure to him & undertook to send to you the enclosed cheque for £10 from the Cardinal—which he wrote in my name rather than in Clifford’s out of a feeling of delicacy.

He went away with me from the midst of a great reception he was holding to give me this at once—& if our Metaphysical Society does nothing else but encourage the sort of kind & friendly feelings thus shown I think & hope it will not have existed in vain.

I enclose my own cheque for £10–10 & shall be greatly obliged to you if you will let me know whether any more would be desirable or necessary.
With thanks to yourself for writing to me

I am
[…] {1}
James Knowles

To / F. Pollock Esq

I have crossed the Cardinal’s cheque for greater security—& I think it ought to have a 1d stamp put on it—ought it not?

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Black-edged paper.

{1} There are two indistinct words here.