Showing 23 results

Trin[ity College] Cam[bridge - on college notepaper]:- Should have written before to thank his father for the wine, which 'will last... some time' and is 'better than most of the wine which people have here'. Georgie 'enjoyed his visit very much'; they 'went down to see the boats [race?] in the afternoon', and to 'hear the end of the competition for the [Winchester] reading prize', just won by O'Rorke.

Thinks the 'new Cambridge paper' is 'not good enough, and... pretty sure to fail'; is very glad that he is 'only nominally connected with it'. Saw [Dorothy crossed through] Mrs Stanley at the Myers' and is 'going to call on them [the Stanleys?] next Sunday. Lendrum is coaching him again this term, and wants him to go to Germany in the summer to learn the language, which he says is 'indispensable for being a scholar'; this will 'want thinking about, to say the least'. Hears things are 'not as they should be in some of the Northumberland states': would be a 'great pity' if they [the Liberals] lose any of them. As far as he can tell from the newspapers, politics 'seem very stupid now'.

Trinity [on headed notepaper for the Harrow Philathletic Club]:- Thanks his mother for her letter and the half sovereign. Is afraid the paper 'was not as good as it ought to have been, in fact it was very bad indeed'. It is 'bound to be a failure', as 'every sensible person' thought long before it came out. Sees Kipling has a new book of ballads out [Barrack-Room Ballads], which are 'said to be very good' and seem to be from what he has seen of them.

Will have to arrange a day soon to come and see Woodhouse [his dentist], who says after this visit Robert's teeth should be 'right for a very long time'. Does not think he will get Hurst's rooms, so will probably have to wait for Charlie's. Hopes his father is well, and 'will soon have the satisfaction of hearing that [the Liberals] have won North Hackney [in a by-election]'. Hopes G[eorgie] is well at Harrow.

Finds he knows so much about Waterloo that he thinks he will 'have to go to America to lecture on it'. Thinks that Aunt Alice is coming to the Myers' house next Sunday.

Explains that he has been occupied with various affairs since her letter arrived, including 'presenting D.Litt. candidate for Degree, and organising lunch party in Corpus for [his] indefatigable brother in law Archdeacon [Edward] Wilson....' Announces that he goes the following day to Haslemere to work with 'HGD' [Henry Graham Dakyns] 'at the remaining letters of his series which [they] had not time to finish' when he was in Oxford. Asks Nora for any other letters that she is able to send him, since he now has time to spend more time working on them. Informs her, confidentially, that his retirement [as Tutor at Corpus Christi, Oxford) is now fixed for Easter 1902. States that he shall keep his Readership, and also his 'A.E.W. work' [Association for the Education of Women in Oxford]. In relation to Frank [Sidgwick], declares that he is 'no scholar', and that he [Arthur] has 'never had any illusions about his Tripos.' Announces that he is writing to Mrs [Eveleen?] Myers. States that he kept the books because since he returned his proofs to the editor of the Dictionary of National Biography he has heard nothing, and thought it possible that 'he might require a revise, which might mean reference to the books again.'

Thinks the stanzas 'very impressive and decidedly such as should be published.' Remarks, however, that he finds them 'a little too deliberate', and that in the last stanza 'the ingenuity seems...somewhat to refrigerate the pathos. Also refers to 'the accent of Promethean'. Reports that Myers' letter has come; states that he 'joy[s] in [Myers'] joy and in the wonderful fashioning of destiny to this harmonious result.' Expresses a desire to see Myers' 'betrothed'. Announces that he shall be in London on 13 January, 'and shall talk things over...with E[dmund] G[urney]' Asks when he shall be back. States that they shall pass through on 20 and 24 January.

Announces that he has written to Barrett 'in the sense that [Myers'] letter indicates', but stresses that he did so reluctantly as he deems it very improper to dictate from a distance what ought to be done in the matter.

Reports that he is still having some health problems. States that they expect his brother Arthur and the latter's wife to arrive there [in Florence] that evening. Anticipates that they [Henry and Nora] will go away, either with Arthur and his wife, or by themselves 'about the end of the week and get to Livorno a day or two after'. Asks Myers to send him a statement of the position of Corresponding Members, and states that he will ask Ferri to become a member himself. Refers to Myers' brother [Ernest]'s marriage.

Asks him to propose Gerald Balfour on his behalf as a member of the Society for Psychical Research, and to second him. Claims that he is the 'only "Hegelian" ' whom Sidgwick has found in sympathy with the Society. Discusses Balfour in relation to his 'system' and his philosophy, and adds that he sends Myers his 'kind remembrances' from Florence, where he lives. States that his book [Principles of Political Economy] is due out at Easter, and claims that he and Nora are very interested to hear of Myers' book, 'and wonder what the series is'. Sends on Nora's love to Myers' wife.

Reports that he has found, and encloses, Myers' former letter to R[ ] [not included]. Remarks that his concern for the health of Myers' family is 'touching - and absurd', and that what he says about the difficulty of painting or papering is not surprising to him. Relates his and Nora's experience with their own house, in relation to papering. Declares what R[ ] says in relation to health to be 'ludicrous', as was his opinion with regard to the habitableness of a building like Myers' on 'the driest of dry March days'.

States that he likes the lines to Stanley much, but claims still to have doubts about 'the "[Sceptic] [ ]" '. Expresses their desire to see Myers and his wife, and asks when they will come to visit. Asks him if he would like their furniture 'sent to Q[ueen] A[nne's] Mansions', and asks him about his preference as regards the colour of seats of chairs.

Trinity:- Has 'had a new bill made out, and paid it': would have been better if they had sent it to him 'at the beginning', as he believes 'they were instructed to do'. His tripos is on the 31st, so he has almost a fortnight more, "each day being invaluable... would willingly give £10 a day for more time'. Only has six papers. Walked with Charlie and G[eorge] to Barrington yesterday and had tea there; the 'country is very delightful now', and the flowers better than he 'ever remember[s] seeing them'. Charlie has been well and 'enjoyed his visit immensely'. George and his friends have 'committed themselves to Skye [for a holiday ?]' and Robert does not think they could back out now, though they are having 'some difficulty in getting some volunteers for so distant an enterprise'.

Is glad to have good news of Welcombe; hopes Fairweather has recovered from his fall - he 'must be used to that sort of thing by now'. Went to dinner at the Myers' house last Sunday and met Dolly [Stanley?] who was 'very pleasant and delightful'. Also there was Sir Alfred Lyall, who 'was subjected to a severe catechism on Mango-trees and chupattis'. Saw Welldon at the Provost of King's', as he was 'preaching the annual university sermon'. The subject was 'the Colonial bishops and missionaries, and he very wisely' made the sermon into a 'historical lecture, quoting also large passages from Seeley's Expansion of England' and making 'a dull subject as interesting as it could be made'.

Lamb House, Rye, Sussex - Was in Cambridge to keep a promise to Mrs Myers, but did not have time to visit them; saw James Ward, was pained to find him so ill; the Edinburgh [Gifford] lectures went off well; is going to Nauheim, thence to Liverpool and home; was sorry to hear he cut his Italy trip short.

Accompanied by the envelope with the note, 'W. James on Gifford lectures &c.' in Frazer's hand.

Thanks Nora for the copy of Henry Sidgwick: A Memoir, which will always be very precious to her; it is 'a most beautiful record of Times which seem even more wonderful each year'. Has not yet finished reading the book, but congratulates Nora on it, and remarks that it 'seems so complete'.

The archive consists in the greater part of correspondence of Frederic and Eveleen Myers (1840s-1930s) but also contains Frederic Myers' diaries (1843-97) and notebooks (1861-81), notes and discussions on psychical research, family memorabilia and photographs and papers relating to L. H. Myers including papers relating to the publication of The Pool of Vishnu, poems and autobiographical notes (20th cent).