Item 112 - Copy letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Lily [Gresford Jones]

1 letter

The Shiffolds. - Very good of her to write again about his book ["A Dream"?]; agrees that it is worth while to 'diminish the difference' between their ways of thinking, or rather to find whether it is as great as it may appear at first. He does not think they differ in any important way in 'moral feelings, charity, and the love of goodness', but that is of course 'not the whole of religion', though it may mean most to him. Has not had the 'experiences which have been so real' to Lily, and given her 'such comfort and assurance', but he too has faith 'if not in God, yet in goodness and loving kindness'. The line in his book 'If you seek comfort, seek it not from me' is not meant to refer to Lily's God who is good, and whom he therefore 'cannot think of as the omnipotent God who seems responsible for the evil as well as the good in the world'; she however may have found a way he has not of 'reconciling that difficulty (whether intellectually or mystically)', and in any case these matters are not easy to discuss, as they 'lie deeper than argument'. Discusses his own religious feelings and spiritually, with reference to his poem: does not think of the human spirit as God, though it may be the 'best thing that there is and in a sense the only divine thing'. Wants to explain rather than argue, since with friends as close as she and [her husband] Herbert are, he is sure it is not right to 'hide one's deepest feelings about such things'; she has 'such understanding and kindness' he thinks she will not be 'offended' by their differences. Hopes they will hear from each other if it is not possible to meet.

23/121/10 is R. C. Trevelyan's draft of this letter.

Perhaps in Elizabeth Trevelyan's hand. 'Lily' in the salutation covered over in another colour ink but still legible.