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4 Brick Court Temple E.C.
Feb: 20: 1900
My dear old Mother
I ought never to have mentioned my small infirmities, and never should if I had thought you were going to take them seriously. My neuralgia is gone now, and I am very well indeed. I was glad to get Anna's and Willie's letters this morning. I have sent off Good Words and the N.A. Review today. Aunt Kate has sent me another huge tinful of toffee, which is very good of her. Old William Blackwood sent me [G.W.] Steevens' unfinished book, and
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I have just been reading it. I doubt if it was worth publishing. It gives one a most doleful impression of the ineffectiveness of the early part of the war. However things are moving now. When the news of Cronje's surrender came yesterday morning about 10, you should have seen the Pandemonium in the streets. To day it is nearly as bad as the news of Buller's victory has just arrived. I think the honours of the thing lie with Cronje, who is a magnificent old lion, although Bobs [Lord Roberts] has been splendid. I dined last night with Sholto Douglas and the Carnegies, and then we went to see the Patriotic Display at the Alhambra. I was glad to see that Cronje's portrait got nearly as much cheering as Bobs.
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What abysmal cads they breed in Glasgow University! I am glad I had never much connection with the place.
Things have been going very quietly with me, and I have got through a lot of work. I have just been correcting proofs of my Lord Buchan article in the Atlantic. They have clotted it in American spelling, which is absurd.
Meldrum & young George Blackwood came to tea on Monday, and I enjoyed their visit immensely. There is an extraordinary fine whinstone gravity & common sense about Meldrum - the best side of the East-country nature. He is enthusiastic about my idea of a series of lives of great Lawyers.
They sent me Blackwood's magazine for
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March, a very good number. If you want it I will send it on.
I have discovered a way of using my Whiteley exerciser, which makes me as tired as if I had been riding all day. It is a capital exerciser.
Lord Denman left with his Company this morning, so my unfortunate fellow lodger is overwhelmed with business, seeing land agents, jockeys, trainers & I do no know what else
With love to all
Your affectionate son
John
