Item 85 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Elizabeth des Amorie van der Hoeven

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Hotel de la Poste, Bruxelles. - Bessie's letter is much the 'best and nicest and loveliest' - though not 'lovingest' - of their 'first real love-letters'. Glad that she is making progress with Plato; the introduction may help, though 'in some most important directions Jowitt [sic: Benjamin Jowett'] does not know much about it'. Went to a bad French play which was even worse than the opera [Massenet's "Cendrillon"]. Tonight is going to hear [Frederic] Lamond whom his mother took him to see when he was about twelve, his first classical concert, and he was 'entranced', particularly by the Liszt; he kept 'leaning forward with his face in his hands, like [his] brother George' and his mother was worried people would be shocked by his 'bad behaviour'. Lamond's programme is all Beethoven this evening. Spent the morning reading [Thomas Sturge] Moore's "Danaë" at the gallery, opposite 'the magnificent Metsys of the life of Anna'; detects a 'sort of affinity between Moore and the Flemmish [sic] people'; certainly neither of them are classical. Wants Bessie to read "Danaë", which is 'wonderful, though wayward and awkward in places'. Nearly went to a music-hall last night as they are meant to be excellent here; would have been better than the 'awful play'. Has not been 'enslaved' by a 'Belgian or Gallic sorceress'; will take Bessie to a music-hall one day to see the 'only living art', in England at least. Teases her about her ability to fold sheets. Will reach the Hague at about eleven, and change and wash before lunch. If her letter was 'foolish', it was only in the 'good sense' Plato talks of; quotes [William] Blake.