Item 62 - Letter from Sophie Weisse to Elizabeth Trevelyan

Hôtel Bellevue, Bad Nauheim, Germany. - Thinks there has been a problem with the dispatch of Julian's picture book: asks Bessie to let her know if it has not arrived. Is sending another copy to 'Durchläuchting's' [sic: Durchlauting, or Serene Highness: Eydua Scott Elliott, née Odescalchi] little daughter, Aydua Scott Elliott. Tells Bessie off for paying for the Trevelyans' stay at the Wheatsheaf at her invitation; Margaret Parratt has a bag with the money which must be returned, so Bessie must not talk of washing bills for 'that wretched Donald [Tovey]' who has not yet written to her. Nonsense that Donald's compositions and operas ["The Bride of Dionysus"] prevent him writing: she is 'smothered' under many tomes by letters of Wagner and Brahms, 'quite prolific if undistinguished composers', and if she does not receive regular news from Donald she will come home as it is 'no use spending a fortune here just to be cross and desolate'. A postscript asks what has happened about 'Mr Hilary [sic] Belloc': hopes the matter has not been neglected; also asks Bessie to tell Donald she never got the Northlands programmes he promised, which they must have.