ENPages
page_0001
[F.S. Oliver]
Edgerston, Jedburgh, Scotland.
Telephone Camptown 6.
23/10 32
Dear Susie,
Many thanks for the nice book you sent Katie & me. I am reading it in my slow fashion at breakfast & have not yet finished Cap I.
That Cap. is all new to me & v. interesting. Some 3 or 4 years ago I read a vol. called I think "Lady L.S." wh. Stephen Gwynn gave me. I fancy it had been sent to him for Review. I remember a good deal
page_0002
of it viz - the Argylls, Lady Mary Coke & Sir Walter. She must have been a pleasant body this ancient kinswoman of yours. The book I speak of is at Kenry, so I can't compare.
Oh! my! Since 9.30 am today we have been entering full of guests, for the first time since April 23d. And there is still a laggard baby wh. goes on Thursday. All v. nice kind friendly guests; & very good of them to come; but now I have a passionate desire to be left alone for a time. I'm
rather tired in body: but much more tired in spirit.
I hope you are both well. John always shames me. He has dire diseases & at times much suffering; but he always looks as well fed, as spruce, & smiling as a robust ploughman on a Sunday morning.
The cares of the world weigh but lightly on me; but the troubles of my friends & family afflict me at times sorely. The first sort of evils I leave - but without the least confidence - in the busy hands of those overadvertised mangy menagerie creatures - Stamp Gilbert Murray, Norman Angell,
page_0003
Keynes, W.W. Paine Sir Arthur Salter etc etc etc etc etc. I am gratified to learn from the papers that Dr Clarence Skinner (alias Montagu Norman) has confessed that he really doesn't know in the least what is wrong with his patient! Your other friends may discover some day that they don't either.
Yours ever
F.S.O.
I'll write again when I've finished your book. My other books for present reading are George Trevelyan (Vol II) & Robinson Crusoe. G.M.T. dedicated, I thought, very nicely to John.
