21 Hyde Park Place, London, W.2. - Sends a subscription to the bibliography; is sorry to hear about Frazer's eyesight, suggests he may find dictation a good substitute, typists need not understand all that is dictated; French scholars deserve great credit for appreciating Frazer's work.
"Hochried", Murnau/Staffelsee - Thanks her for the portrait of Sir James; he and Dr Page are happy everything relating to the 'Fasti' has been settled to their satisfaction.
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.
Harnham, Monument Green, Weybridge. - Will post [pith] helmet to Trevelyan on the boat. Leaves on Monday. Asks Trevelyan to find out whether [Gordon Hannington] Luce is a first class passenger, and if so to organise his seat as well: he comes on at Naples.
The Gallows. Saturday. - Thanks for the Abercrombies' stay with the Trevelyans.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Was pleased to hear from Robert about the [Apostles'] dinner, which seems to be 'almost better an institution than ever'; thinks Robert is right to read aloud 'a long and solid book' like [Macaulay's?] "Frederic the Great". He and Caroline are considering trying Ferrero; agrees with Ferrero's account of Octavius [Augustus], whom he discusses, as given by Robert. The summer has been 'detestable'. They have got some things out of Madame Cacciola [Florence Trevelyan]'s present which 'look well about the house'.
110 Banbury Road, Oxford.—Sympathises with his comments on the 'inhumanity' of the [English Faculty] Board [at Cambridge]. He (Whitfield) is not yet a person of much weight at Oxford, and even Foligno was unable to persuade the Press to reprint Fanshawe’s translation of the Pastor Fido. Asks for help with a translation of Colonna’s Hypnerotomachia Poliphili he is making for a timber-merchant of Tipton [Mr Round; see 1/115]. Will post the material for him to look at. Offers him and his aunt the use of their flat at Easter.
He and Bessie have read Julian's diary and 'thought it extraordinarily good'; very sorry it 'can hardly be published, at least not now'. Bessie and Miss Simpkins have just gone off to Aunt Annie [Philips]'s. Bessie thinks he should ask Julian to send back "Tono-Bungay" [by H.G. Wells], the "East Wind" and [?] "Soha", but he does not actually want them at the moment so Julian should only send them when he is quite finished with them; however, asks him to send the bicycle clips if he can. Very good to see him and Ursula; afraid it will be a long time before they see them again. Just off to London to spend an evening with Desmond [MacCarthy] at Hampton.
Paris. - Very flattered that Trevelyan has sent him his "Translations from Lucretius"; his eyes are no longer capable of reading it, but Madame de Rohan-Chabot and Madame de Maillé will read him the most difficult passages; wishes him the success which 'old Major von Knebel, friend of Goethe, had with his translation. [ Aimé Sanson] de Pongerville, who translated Lucretius into French was named keeper at the Bibliothèque Royale and member of the Académie Française; his daughter married [Auguste] Silvy, who 'played a sad role after the catastrophe of 1870' [the siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War] as a minister when Tours was temporary seat of government. Trevelyan's address recalls the memory of [George Tomkyns Chesney's] "Battle of Dorking", which gave rise to so much talk in the last years of Napoleon III. Has seen their friend [Bernard] Berenson several times since Trevelyan's departure, who is one of the 'great trumpets of Trevelyan's glory'. The countess of Rohan-Chabot also came before her trip to Evian.
Death of H M Butler.
Reserve Trenches. Now in the reserve trenches, close to J R M Butler, took a 13 mile walk to see Georgy Hughes.
Hotel Christina, Seville.
Commonwealth Offices, Treasury Place, Melbourne, C.2.—Has already agreed to submit a draft of his book to Norman Brook for governmental approval (see 1/115). Intends to submit copies of the text to publishers in London in April.
Press cuttings on RAB's visit to Police Training Centre (see above), crime and punishment issues, various Central African talks on future of Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and tour of Feb 1963, RAB'' appointment as First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister, continuing speculation on RAB succeeding Macmillan, Common Market debate at Annual Conference and entry negotiations, the Profumo affair, 1963 leadership crisis (see also L114), RAB as Foreign Secretary including visits to Bonn, Copenhagen, Paris, Japan and Manila, the Cyprus crisis, speculation on rift between RAB and Duncan Sandys, Geneva disarmament talks including printed extracts from RAB's speech, CENTO talks April 1964, NATO talks in The Hague May 1964, foreign affairs speech in the House of Commons 16 June 1964 and proposed Russian visit
Has disposed of much of Sarah Monk's posessions, wishes to keep his old College dining table
Thanks him for the film 'Amadeus'.
Collingwood - JH sends WW his translation of book six of the 'Iliad', and thanks him for his 'just and welcome' notes on his translation of book five. JH has compared his translation to others, and prefers his own since it does not 'gallop so oppressively...which always makes me seasick and puts me in mind of making game'. Maria, Amelia and William Herschel have returned from their stay at the Whewells. Margaret Herschel is now off the sick list but JH has had terrible bronchitis.
Announces that he intends to come to visit her 'from the 4th to the 11th'. Reports that he is up in Trinity College, working, and that he feels very well after a pleasant visit to Oxford. Reports that William seemed in very good spirits, and that he was sleeping 'very fairly' and hunts every other day. Desires to hear the Rugby news, and asks who are the five old Rugbeians. Reports that he wrote a letter to the Times, but that it was not published. Reports that he received a letter from his nephew Martin, which was 'very nicely written and with that curious mixture of childish and prematurely adult phraseology that one sees in a precocious child'. Asks her to tell him when Mary is going to visit her, and supposes that Edward will be very busy all the vacation.
Asks his mother's opinion on 'the new Tennyson'. States that they [in Trinity College] regard it 'as rather an imposition on the part of the publisher - republishing the Morte d'Arthur...and having so few lines in a page.' Complains that it is as bad as one of Victor Hugo's novels. Refers to a reading of the poem called The Higher Pantheism by Tennyson himself at a meeting of the Metaphysical Society, and to Tyndall's reaction to it. Remarks on 'how busy Death has been' during the previous six months among those whom he knows. Reports that he has just heard of the death of one of the Clifton Masters called Cay.
Tells him to send him more letters [from the project providing education by correspondence to women?], as they are charming. Discusses Myers' poem, in terms of its grammar and tone. In relation to another, un-named matter, states that he echoes Myer's last words, and asks 'who is worthy?' Adds that 'Fawcett bemoans loudly [Myers'] taking the pay of the Govt.', and says that he 'might have been M.P. for BIRMINGHAM!!!!!'
Offers a theorem for the four colour problem, which has become an axiom in his mind, an example of Whewell's latent axiom, things which are not at first credible but which settle down into first principles, asks for Ellis' thoughts.