Item 269 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Edward Marsh

5 Barton St (on headed notepaper for National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, S.W.). - Called on Edward's mother this afternoon since he has been ordered to go abroad by his doctor; when he said that he was probably going to a village 'in the hills near Paestum to spend a month or two by himself', Mrs Marsh 'immediately decided' that Edward should go with him; says he said it was a long journey to take for a stay of three weeks, and that if Edward had wanted to go he would have proposed it himself; did not mention that a long stay alone 'with an individual who has theories on the state of the English language which... are tedious when repeated overmuch' would be tedious for him. Does say, though that he could 'conceive [of] nothing more delightful' than for Edward to come; he would be working much of the time, and hopes his temper would be better; would not go to see places except for Pompeii and Paestum which are near, but that would not stop Edward 'playing the giddy dog at Naples or Rome or M[onte] Carlo' as much as he liked. Is going to a village called Corpo di Cava recommended by Roger Fry, who has spent time painting there. Leaving on Tuesday; Mrs Marsh says that Edward could not leave until Wednesday, and he could wait till then or meet him in Paris, but cannot wait longer as he wants 'to get out of this damned fog'; tells Marsh to telegraph if he wants to come. Will 'accept any reasonable modification of place' but it must be 'hot and quiet'. Found Marsh's sister playing children's games with the Sunday school children; she was 'quite exhausted, and the canary was carried into the drawing room in a fit'. Tells Edward that if he saw Bob's last letter to his brother, he should read ' [John Frederick?] Dobson' for 'Drummond'.