[Letter from Gerard Manley Hopkins to Alexander William Mowbray Baillie, thanking him for his congratulations. Refers to other classmates' papers; his reading of 'Romola'; an article on the Sandwich Islands by his father; etc.

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Letter from Gerard Manley Hopkins to Alexander William Mowbray Baillie, thanking him for his congratulations. Refers to other classmates' papers; his reading of 'Romola'; an article on the Sandwich Islands by his father; a performance by Mrs. Theodore Martin (Helena Faucit); realism in music; and several acquaintances. Written: Oak Hill, Hampstead, London, England ; 1865-01-05

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G.M Hopkins Jan. 7/65

Dear Baillie,

Thanks for your kind congratulation. I thought I would not rite back my thanks [thoughts crossed out] at once, but wait and make a letter of it when I had something to say, which in deed was a vain thought for I have no more to say now than then. I have had many letters of congratulation, and have fallen into that state which comes when you have thought or heard a great deal about some thing that has happened to you - that you have to make an effort to think what the original cause of all the consequences was. With a fal la la la la. Geldart's [sp?] case was ghastly, but the Moderators were ten hours deliberating on him, so

Last edit over 6 years ago by ginnymc
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there was no mistake. To make it more inexplicable, he did but two really first class papers. Brooke and Cresswell [sp?] wrote to congratulate me -- most kind, I thought. It was disastrous about them. I have heard from Urquhart, who has kept on writing, what I know of the class list, and it seems that Brooke wanted scholarship, style. But he will get his first in Greats. You saw that [first name?] Simcox and Dallin of Merton (whom I know) got the Queen's fellowships. Jowett has been preaching at St. Botolph's again I believe. I stayed up after you had all been sent to bed and [crossed out "was"] met Orenham [sp?] the Roman, formerly scholar of Balliol. He was staying with Robinson Ellis.

I an reading Romola [underlined]. I made an effort not to accept it at first, but

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now think it a great book, not at all as great as Shirley [underlined] though. It is a [word blotted out] book. The article in the last Cornhill [sp? [underlined] about the Sandwich Islands is by my father. The last good thing about Sleswig [letters crossed out] and Holstein is from the Berlin Publicist [underlined]. Have you seen it? This people is the least patriotic of all German nations. "It is a race that bears the unmistakeable signs of ec clesiastical stultification." I have been to see Mrs. Theodore Martin (Helen Faucit) in Imogen. Have you seen her? I thought it would require several seeings to form a judgment, but at all e vents she is an accomplished ar tist. Phelps was playing Leonatus Posthumus. He really seemed to me mere rant. I am now toiling through an essay for the Hercameron, [sp?]but can you tell me what in music

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answers to realism in painting? In other arts seem to depend on truth (no: Truth) as well as Beauty. What then answers to, I mean what is, Truth in music? Blow me an answer from thy wreathed horn. Is not Wagner something to do with it? I am doing no work besides this, in less it be, as it is, hard work to answer my flood of correspondence. Gurney was married on the 3rd, and I have been spending a Sunday at the house of Balter's [sp?] affianced. Both have beards; "he used to say that Croaker rhymed to joker, and so we used to laugh. Poor Jack!" Have you had any skating? No, you never skate, I think. Have you read Turner's sonnets? They are the things to read now; but again I had forgot that you have a stan ding interdict against new poetry.

Last edit over 6 years ago by ginnymc
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