Pièce 169 - Letter from unknown to R. C. Trevelyan

1 item

Uppingham, Rutland. - Was just about to write inviting Trevy to come to St Petersburg with him, but Edward [Carus Selwyn?] tells him 'Holland is the only country' for him now; sends congratulations [on his engagement]; Trevy said nothing about it on Founder's day. Claims that the '[Dutch or Afrikaans] cavalry order for mount [is] "Skrabel oop die Beestie"'; has this from 'Carr B. [Robert Carr Bosanquet?] of course'. His sister recently went to stay with a school-friend, Miss Onderwater, in the Netherlands; supposes that this is not Bob's fiancée; asks whether she has 'any Maes or Halls heirlooms'. Tells Bob to come to St Petersburg anyway and break his journey on the way back; he should come here and talk it over. His own father is probably going there to 'stop with some Russian swell and be taken round by our attaché' but they can 'pull him down from his pedestal and make him conduct [them] about' since he knows the 'place and its language'. Asks to be remembered to C[harles] P[hilips] T[revelyan]. Postscript notes that Duckworth was at Tolson Hall in September and comments on 'how nice he is'.

Signature difficult to read, but once thought to read Logan [ie Pearsall Smith]; however, this cannot be the case since Pearsall Smith's father died in 1898. The reference to 'Tolson Hall' in the postscript suggests a connection with Trevelyan's relatives the Croppers; Edward Carus Selwyn, headmaster of Uppingham, married the adopted daughter of a Cropper and may be the 'Edward' referred to here.