The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his father for his letter [12/265], for arranging to pay £50 pounds into Robert's account, and for sending back the [Samuel] Butler] books. He and Bessie were reading Charles Darwin's autobiography in… read more
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his father for his letter [12/265], for arranging to pay £50 pounds into Robert's account, and for sending back the [Samuel] Butler] books. He and Bessie were reading Charles Darwin's autobiography in his Life and Letters [edited by Francis Darwin] and thought the account there of Shrewsbury and Dr Butler, 'though quite short, might be of interest'.
The Annual [of New Poetry] already seems to be selling well; if they 'get some good reviews, it may prove quite a success'. Expects the 'relative dearth of new books' helps. Robert's name was mentioned in the Supplement to the Nation as the editor [see 20/64], a 'bad mistake on somebody's part', and he had to ensure that it was corrected in last week's Nation. Has 'had to do all the business with Constables' and 'get the contributions out of the contributors, which was sometimes not an easy task', but has 'no right to reject' anything submitted by anyone asked to contribute, so does not have 'in that sense an editor's responsibility'.
Bessie and Julian are both well. The Russian Revolution 'seems to have been proceeding very satisfactorily so far'; it is 'the most hopeful event' that has occurred in his lifetime, and 'completely good in itself', quite apart from the fact that it 'ought to make the right kind of peace easier', even if it delays peace a little, which is not certain.
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