Pièce 80 - Letter from Sir George Trevelyan to R. C. Trevelyan

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Very cold, and the 'warmest thing to do' is to write to Robert at Ravello. Must have been delightful living 'in sight of Florence' [staying with Bernard Berenson at Settignano]. Sends love to Elizabeth; hopes she will be well on the journey to Ravello and have good weather. George is here for Christmas, and will then join Janet at Stocks; Charles and Mary return this evening from Mary's grandfather [Lowthian Bell]'s funeral. He was eighty nine, and 'very active in business' almost up to his death; awful weather for a funeral; considers the number of people who 'have caught their deaths at funerals'. [John] Morley has made a 'fine address enough' at the opening of a free library [in Plumstead], though this is now 'a most hackneyed occasion' thanks to [Andrew] Carnegie. Sir George himself is to open 'the [underlined, due to controversy] library' at Stratford on Avon; they have done well to choose someone 'accustomed to steer amidst quicksands'. They are going to Welcombe on Tuesday next 'in patriarchal fashion, with a through carriage for [their] whole establishment'. They like their Burne-Jones ["Idleness and the Pilgrim of Love"?] more and more, and will bring it to London; Sir George likes it best of their pictures apart from the Francia. He and Caroline are 'rather proud' of having got such 'sweet pictures' for a third of what a 'Road Magnate pays for a doubtful Romney'.