| Description | /1 TWD responding to ELW's offer of a visit to Tabley House stating he will try to find a gap in his schedule and get back to her. (28 July 1897)
/2 He dictates the letter as he has not recovered from eye-trouble caused by influenza, he has a backlog of work to get through and his medical man has advised him to visit the seaside but he is keen to visit ELW at a later date. He is interested in the projects she has told him about in conjunction with her brothers writings and states the peaches she sent will be devoured within 24 hours of their arrival. (23 July 1898)
/3 Thanks her for the gift she has sent and sends Swinburne's regards. (14 April 1899)
/4 Promises to visit when he has time, states he has not forgotten about M.S and that he does not understand about Le Gallienne and he will talk to him about it when he next sees him. (1 July 1900)
/5 States he is sad that he is unable to have her visit him this summer and that due to his busy schedule finding an appropriate date to visit her is difficult. He asks her to write to let him know how she is as she left London under pressure of indisposition. (5 August 1901)
/6 Thank you letter for peaches sent by ELW. (20 August 1901)
/7 Explaining a 'little contre temps in relations' concerning a missing fruit basket sent by ELW. (14 September 1901)
/8 Letter accompanying early Christmas card, the idea of bringing out his 'Christmas at the Mermaid' as a Christmas card was John Lanes and has produced substantial sales. (11 December 1901)
/9 Thank you for a gift, she must let him know when she is in London again. He would love to visit Tabley again and has just been reading a book on the Tabley estate. He plans to send her the latest illustrated 'Aylwin' with a portrait of him on the front which is unusually good. He writes of the lovely pictures which William Jerdan, former editor of the Literary Gazette, describes in his autobiography, published in 1853 by Virtue and Co. (19 November 1902)
/10 Thanks for the two parcels sent by ELW. In return he is sending to her a reproduction of the famous water colour drawing of Rossetti's green drawing room. (23 December 1902)
/11Thanks for the little monograph on her brother. He points out that it was him that persuaded her brother to publish his poems, him that found a publisher and sorted everything out with Lane and managed everything although he did not select the poems. He is though used to being overlooked with such matters and is not ruffled by it in the slightest. (30 September 1903)
/12 He would be delighted to lunch with her on Tuesday and meet Mr Benson. He states that he met Count de Salis and found him particularly interesting. (2 July 1905)
/13 Thanks her for the gift. States he had enjoyed lunch with Lady Lindsay a few weeks ago and that her new book of poems is just out and he believes it will be a big success. (15 November 1905)
/14 Thanks her for the Christmas presents, confirms his address as 'The Pines, 11 Putney Hill. Comments on the coldness of the weather in London. (22 November 1905)
/15 Thanks her again for the Christmas presents and encloses a card.
/16 He and his wife will be delighted to lunch with ELW. He encloses a copy of his 'sonnet - sequence upon Civil Rhodes' just published. He urges her to read them only if she sympathizes with Rhodes. (28 June 1907)
/17 Where should the basket in which the melons were brought be returned. (8 September 1907)
/18 Looking forward to receiving the portrait of her brother and replacement photographs of herself which she promised him. (19 December 1907)
/19 Confirming and thanking ELW for sending the portrait of her brother which he is to hang amongst his most precious things. (31 March 1908)
/20 Thanks for the eggs and pictures of her brother. He comments on the art of colour printing is in its infancy and wonders if he sent her a copy of the illustrated edition of Aylwin where his image appears with the complexion of a red indian. (4 April 1908)
/21Explains his recent disappearance from public life, a burst blood vessel in his eye caused by straining to see through some opera goggles that requires several weeks to repair itself. He is sure though that his wife would be delighted to meet up with her at some stage. Mr Swinburne has been reading him Jane Austen and Thackery to pass the time. (11 June 1908)
/22 Confirming that the two reproductions had arrived and that he longs to see the original as a result. He believes Mrs Holman Hunt to be very plucky to travel to India. He intends to write to Professor Walker to congratulate him on his splendid book. (28 December 1910)
23/ Expresses his excitement at being permitted access to the portrait, tells ELW to get the artist to insure it and to let him know a time of arrival. (1 January 1911)
24/ Agrees arrangement for the delivery and storage of Mr Harcourts portrait of ELW. He reminisces about his time spent with her brother and Rossetti. He rues the fact that Swinbourne through the meanness and treachery of Lewis became estranged from her brother. He still wishes to write to Professor Walker and arrange a meeting. (6 January 1911)
25/ Telling her that the picture has just arrived but with the corner of the glass broken.(17 January 1911)
26/ Thank you for the rook pie which was delicious. He comments on an autobiography published in one of the cheap papers by the woman who was divorced by her husband and afterwards married Parnell. He describes it as an amazing and ghastly revelation and criticizes Gladstone, who he states has an elastic conscience and the other members of the Irish movement years ago. He also comments on the slump in the price for Burne-Jones pictures although he states it does not effect Rossetti as it does the other pre-Raphaelites. (14 May 1914)
27/ Arranging a time for a meeting. (n.d)
28/ Plans unless he hears it is inconvenient to visit her (n.d)
29/ Part of a letter mentioning Lady Lindsay's recently published poems and requesting a good photograph of ELW. (c.1905) |