Stuk 1 - Letter from Margot Asquith to Edwin Montagu

10 Downing Street, Whitehall, S.W.—Thanks him for visiting and cheering her up. Criticises the attitude of the young people around her, including Venetia. Suggests going for a drive on Friday.

TRANSCRIPT:

March 14th 1914
10 Downing Street, Whitehall, S.W.

It was dear of you to come round & cheer me up. I like to look into & see you dont misunderstand or think me little-hearted. I hold more than any one that one sd write oneself large thro’ life & I cd not bear you to be put back over me (I’m not really at all good: I’m hot as fire—have no sort of sympathy with the sexless young men & girls I see all round me who are so vain the[y] spend their whole time in clothes & varied methods of doing their hair—I’m tactless on purpose—& suicidally impatient) if Venetia ever does talk to you about me the thing I wd really love best wd be if you said to her “I wd much rather you never spoke of Margot to me for hers is a character you dont & never wd understand[”]. Candour & truth simplicity, & Courage of the kind I want to have she doesnt try to have. She despises & mocks it. Her head is slightly turned. Poor Venetia I ought not to be unkind about her it is out of proportion but I’m so disappointed in the young ones that I’ve watched now for so many years! They are so incurably flimsy & idle & quite without any power to love or to stay the course. I hate to be misjudged & deceived I wd rather be hit across the face. Do ask me to go for a motor drive with you next Friday. I wd lunch with you & we’d only be driving 1½ back for tea & yr work

Yrs truly— {1}

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{1} ‘driving … truly’ indistinct.