2110-2-1-14

3, Temple Gardens, Temple.

Nov : 5 : 06

My dear old Nan

Many thanks for your delightful letter. I meant to write you yesterday from Edinburgh - I had to come up on business for the week-end and stayed with the Nelsons at St Leonards! - but I never found time. If the day had been better I should have motored out to see you, but the roads were horrible, I only spent one night in Edinburgh. Mrs

Tom is really quite nice & they have two jolly small children. Tom is the same stolid old jewel. I had no time to see any of my other friends in Edinburgh.

I hope the re-furnishing is going on well. I differ from you about the Emulsion, which I think delicious. I have it in my coffee. I have given Katie's book to a good reviewer, but I must say I don't think it is by any means good. Most of the pictures seem to me out of drawing, and some of the women

are monstrosities.

I can't imagine what my old mother can have meant by mis-quoting my table-talk. I said you cared nothing about politics - which is not a complaint but a statement of fact. Neither do most of the nicest people alive: and I am sure you do not need to be told the exaggerated esteem in which you are held by your brother Jock. As for saying that my brother William was limited in his interests, who do you think I was comparing him with? THE BIRD! So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

I am just recovering from a beastly influenza cold - in fact I think I must have had pukka influenza. Having your head stuffed with phlegm depresses the spirits. My dinner party to Capt O'Connor (of Tibet) came off on Friday. I had among others the Mahrajah of Sikkim, Mrs Alfred Lyttleton & Raymond. Everyone in London just now has a cold & is in a bad temper, except Strachey & Miss S.G [Susan Grosvenor]. The latter has taken to learning Greek, has become a strong supporter of woman-suffrage, has invented a familiar spirit called 'Sir Joseph' whose conversation is ridiculous, & is opening a church-bazaar next month.

Much love to all

Ever your

J.B