Stuk 5 - Letter from Roger Fry to R. C. Trevelyan

Hotel de la Place, Veules, Seine Inférieure. - Asks about Trevelyan's new home: Roundhurst sounds 'almost baronial', and Fry does not think it is time for 'another Abbotsbury & mediaeval revival', though a mail coat 'like Mr Chainmail' [in Thomas Love Peacock's "Crotchet Castle"] would suit him. He and Helen are both very happy; they are reading [Flaubert's] "Bouvard & Pécuchet" together and he is reading Wilhelm Meister in French translation. They drank a bottle of wine last night in honour of Trevelyan's letter (cider is their usual drink) and Helen vowed to dive headfirst into the sea if the weather was calm: she did this today to much admiration. It was very hot in Italy, and hard to travel; they have come to France to 'get fat'. Describes their time in Venice, where they both did much work; they then stopped at Padua, Vicenza, Verona, Brescia, Bergamo, and Saronno; Fry got to know the Verona and Vicenza artists. Has done a lot of studies, and has started to think about Trevelyan's fan [?]. Is delighted Trevelyan wants to buy his picture ["The Valley of the Seine"] which he thinks the best thing he has done so far. Does not agree about [Thomas Sturge] Moore's "Woodstock Maze". Asks about Pan in Trevelyan's 'fan poem', with a sketch of the god. Is sorry Cyclops has 'escaped' Trevelyan [a reference to Trevelyan's "Polyphemus"?]. Is not sure whether he can take up the invitation to Wallington: may go to Newton [Newton Hall, home of the Widdrington family] to alter some of his portraits there and give some lectures in Newcastle but his plans are vague: depends on how quickly they find a house. Trevelyan must visit them after his trip to Bayreuth.

A paragraph written and signed by Helen Fry in the middle of the letter thanks Trevelyan for his letter and assures him that she and Roger are happy and 'just the same'; she is glad he likes Roger's picture.