Item 21 - Letter from Roger Fry to R. C. Trevelyan

22 Willow Road, Hampstead. - Is writing to Bob's mother to say he will do the pastel, but not until the autumn; he and Helen hope to get to Oxford on Thursday to stay with Mrs [Christiana] Herringham and Mrs Flower if Helen is well; she has been 'very seedy' following a miscarriage but is 'wonderfully well in mind'. Has had 'another beastly summer' and cannot leave if she is not allowed to, as Edith [Helen's sister] will leave for her holiday soon. Is starting his article for the "Independent [Review?]" but wishes he had not promised it. Bob's story about Millais is lovely. Etching originally enclosed; 'a first attempt without any lesson so it was all guesswork', but means to return to it later, and to do the picture for Bob this year. Yes, the [book on] Titian is by 'the same [Georg] Gronau'; it is very good but dull to read, and not as good as his later book on Leonardo; is reviewing it [for the "Athenaeum", Sept 10 1904].

Has been to stay with [Neville] Lytton. States ironically that the [Royal] Academy has discovered that the Inquiry [by a Select Committee of the House of Lords into the Academy's administration of the Chantrey Trust] is really intended 'to advertise Lytton's drawings'. His own evidence was not printed in the papers, and lasted only half an hour; Lord Carlisle tried to catch him out 'by quoting the Athenaeum' but did not succeed. The Royal Academicians 'are physically mentally & morally on the level of small tradesmen'. [Dugald] MacColl was 'wonderful': gave evidence 'for 4 hrs without a slip' and would have 'made his fortune at the bar'.

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, pp 222-223. The letter is dated there to 'June 1904', but Fry did not give evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Chantrey Trust until 15 July (see Report published by Wyman & Sons).