Item 111 - Letter from Sophie Weisse to Elizabeth Trevelyan

1 item

3 Hobart Place, London S.W.1. - Is sorry to have to write instead of speaking; first of all says she was talking [in 8/110] of Robert Trevelyan's poem ["The Bride of Dionysus"] as a libretto: has often 'enjoyed many beautiful scenes and jewelled lines in it' as Bessie knows. Offers examples which she say prove the Trevelyans have been 'a menace and a danger' [to Donald Tovey], such as Robert Trevelyan's announcement, in a train carriage of guests returning from Ridgehurst, that Donald could not get on with his work as he had 'such a wretched home', which caused a fellow guest [Percy Such] to warn straight to Northlands and 'warn' Sophie Weisse; says she ignored the warning, saying 'they know nothing about the past, and they are stupid', and forgetting 'how dangerous stupidity is'. Trusted them to look after Donald while she 'toiled for him at home', but questions whether he was 'safe' with them: says that no one doubts it was their 'meddling and that of another so called friend [Hugh Godley]' which led to the quarrel with Casals; asks whether [Bessie's brother-in-law Jules Engelbert] Röntgen is really Donald's friend. Accuses them of 'constant undermining' of her relationship with Donald, and asks whether he has profited by treating her as he has; they should not have let him criticise her to them, nor 'dare' criticise her to him. As proof of this, claims that a friend of hers when putting Donald's library and papers in order for her last year, brought her 'two scraps of letters', she thinks unsigned but from Bessie, criticising Miss Weisse and expressing sympathy for Donald on his 'position at Northlands'; claims that even now Bessie knows nothing of Donald; says that Mrs [Blanche Warre] Cornish thought the letters were 'low'. The Trevelyans both 'stupid and selfish'; claims that a friend who lives nearby recently said 'they always sow disunion in families and between friends'. There is much more to said when they speak face to face, including some excuses for the Trevelyans 'though they do not understand them'. Expects and wishes the Trevelyans to show this letter to anyone they like, and has kept a copy; the sooner she sees them the better.

Has 'real hopes' for the production of Donald's opera; is lunching at Covent Garden on Thursday to discuss detains with [Sir Thomas] Beecham. Donald is in some ways much healthier; Bessie must feed him 'well and suitably' when he visits, as she expects he will soon.