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The Spectator Office 1, Wellington Street, Strand, London W.C. Aug: 9: 1901?
My dearest Mother,
Many thanks for your kind and thoughtful letter. I am as distressed as you can be, but I think you have rather misunderstood the terms of the offer. I am asked to go for two years; I am free to leave whenever I want; I shall probably have to come back to England for Milner once or twice during my term. I am to get £1200 a year, out of which I
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suppose I could save £600. I have asked the Attorney- General if I come back to the Bar in two years, whether the absence would hurt me. He says it would be all the other way, that it would be a tremendous advancement, and that having been Milner's Private Secretary would secure me a lot of S. Africa appeals. Strachey is to give me the refusal of old Townsend's place at the Spectator if it falls vacant while I am away,
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and my old place will always be ready for me when I return. Finally you must remember that I would be going to live in comfort in one of the healthiest places in the world. As the AttorneyGeneral said, it is simply as if I was sent out on a legal mission, like the Venezuela Arbitration. Also it would be an advertisement for me for the rest of my life.
These are the arguments for it. Everyone - Strachey, the A-G. etc - advise me to take it, & call me names for hesitating. On the other hand there are your feelings. I am not going, if it is to hurt you deeply. It would only be a temporary absence, I should probably be back once a year, & of course the post annihilates
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distance.
These are the facts, on which we will have to decide on Monday. Quite seriously, I think it is a great chance, an interposition of Providence, but you must be considered.
I am so glad my Grandmother is better
Love to all
Your affectionate son John
