Pièce 16 - Letter from Roger Fry to R. C. Trevelyan

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Ivyholt. - Has had influenza for a week, and apologises for not writing sooner; [Defoe's] "Moll Flanders", which he and Helen got on Bob's recommendation, has also perhaps had something to do with the delay; praises it highly; says he and Helen feel that Bob is the one person who could have a similar success and wishes he would try. Has been 'preaching before my Lord of Rochester' and other clergy belonging to the Church Crafts' League; does not think the Bishop appreciated his argument that the Church had given Italian artists 'a Polytheism & above all a goddess' which were needed to paint religious pictures; wishes George [Trevelyan?] had been there. Is going on with his altarpieces and wonders when he will have time to paint; has a pile of books to review. The 'assistant Chalism [?] become more & more wonderful an acquaintance', and Bob 'will have to take in him hand' for his knowledge of old books and history; he has read Macaulay four times, and might do better in that line than in painting. He and Helen miss Bob very much; Helen says she will leave Dorking if he does not return to give them 'the talk of the town', which Fry does not have 'the art to pick up'.

Extract appears in Fry, R., & Sutton, D. (1972), Letters of Roger Fry / edited with an introduction by Denys Sutton. London: Chatto and Windus, Vol 1 p 189.

Pencil annotation numbering the letter '61'.