The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - He and his family are all going to London tomorrow for two nights; they will go to the circus at Olympia on Tuesday. Julian is very well, 'seems to have been happy at school, and to have got on well with his… read more
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - He and his family are all going to London tomorrow for two nights; they will go to the circus at Olympia on Tuesday. Julian is very well, 'seems to have been happy at school, and to have got on well with his lessons'; he has 'of course... had his difficulties', but they seem to have been less than they feared. [Henry] Festing Jones is staying with them for three days, and is 'very pleasant company'.
Bessie is just now finishing reading [The Casting Away of] Mrs Lecks and Mrs Aleshine [by Frank Stockton] to Julian, who 'laughs at it a great deal; they have already read Rudder Grange [also by Stockton], as well as 'The Pickwick Papers. Next they are going to read David Copperfield. There is a thaw here presently, and all the snow has gone.
Robert is currently 'deep in Aeschylus, filling in the gaps in [his] translation', but he always has, and 'always shall delight in Euripides' [whom his father has been re-reading, see 12/326], especially Medea, Bacchae and Hippolytus and some others. Also has a 'weakness for the Alcestis', which was the first Greek play he ever read, and 'always seemed... perfect of its kind', with 'especially beautiful' choruses'.
He and Bessie are much looking forward to their visit to his parents; sends his love to his mother, and to Aunt Annie, from whom they had a 'delightful visit' last week.
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