Item 285 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Sir George Trevelyan

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The Shiffolds, Holmbury, St. Mary, Dorking. - They were 'very sad to hear of Lord Bryce's death'; is sure his father 'must be feeling the loss deeply'. It is good that he died 'with his energies unimpaired to the very end'. Robert's only memory of him is of 'his visit to Wallington, perhaps twelve years ago' when he and [Donald] Tovey 'sat up with him an hour or two in the billiard room'; a 'memorable evening' for them both, as they 'led him on to talk on many things, which he did most delightfully'. In turn, although he 'professed to be quite unmusical', got Tovey to talk about 'musical theory and history', and took 'a keen intellectual interest in it all'.

Julian returns to school tomorrow; he is 'quite well again [after influenza]' and cheerful. On 25th Feb, the 'Cambridge people' who acted the Aeschylus plays [J. T. Sheppard's production of the Oresteia in 1921] are performing them again in a London theatre [The Chiswick Empire; see 21/23], but this time in Robert's English translation instead of in Greek. This 'might be quite interesting', and he will put off his trip to Italy till after the performance. They need to leave out 'most of the long choruses, and a good deal else' to fit it into three hours. Has now finished his complete translation of the plays. Bessie is well; Robert sends love to his mother.