Item 22 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Alfred Benn

Apologises for not thanking Benn sooner for his 'very kind letter about "Cecilia [Gonzaga]"'; glad he likes 'the love scenes best', as he himself does. Feels the 'imperfections and limitations' of the rest of the play strongly. Thinks Benn is right that in drama the sympathetic characters should be brought on stage first and that the lovers should have 'had their say' first in his play; thinks he 'mismanaged Antonio altogether'. Possible counters to Benn's rule are [Sophocles'] "Ajax" and "Philoctetes", but even there 'Odysseus is only half bad'. Bertie Russell is staying over Whitsun; he has just been delighted by a thunderstorm during the night, as he has 'a strongly romantic and Byronic strain in his temperament'. Hears [Bernard] Berenson is quite well, and has gone to Arezzo. He and Bessie send regards to the Benns.