Part 29 (1/2)

The bequest froie] in America was a pleasant refresher, and it touched , character, tastes, temperament

I was first introduced to him with coht, and was proud of it, that he, A C, introduced M A and me to the United States

I watch events and ood and hopeful spirits you can iine When you return do pay me a visit There's nobody ould be such a tonic to an octogenarian

Always, always, your affectionate friend,

J M

When I had been wrestling with this autobiography for two months I wrote and told John Morley of my venture, and this is his reply:

FLOWERMEAD, PRINCES ROAD, WIMBLEDON PARK, SW (JAN, 1920)

DEAR MRS ASQUITH,

A bird in the air had already whispered the matter of your literary venture, and I neither had nor have any doubt at all that the publisher knew very hat he was about The book will be bright in real knowledge of the world; rich in points of life; syth and weakness is never petty or small

Be sure to TRUST YOURSELF; and don't worry about critics You need no words to tell you hoarn PERSEVERE

How kind to bid me to your royal [Footnote: I invited him to meet the Prince of Wales] meal But I am too old for company that would be so new, so don't take it amiss, my best of friends, if I ask to be bidden when I should see more of YOU You don't kno dull a

Your always affectionate and grateful

J MORLEY

To return to my triumphant youth: I will end this chapter with a note which my friend, Lady Frances Balfour--one of the feo intellect that I have known--sent yll, the wonderful orator of who fired off by a canary

Frances asked me to meet him at a small dinner and placed me next to him In the course of our conversation, he quoted these words that he had heard in a sermon preached by Dr Caird:

”Oh! for the tier be the ord of opposing hosts, when every , as priest clothed with righteousness, as king with power!”

I ion, preachers and politics at so he wrote to his daughter:

ARGYLL LODGE, KENSINGTON

DEAR FRANCES,

How dare you ask me to meet a syren

Your affectionate,

A

CHAPTER II

CHARACTER SKETCH OF MARGOT--PLANS TO START A MAGAZINE--MEETS MASTER OF BALLIOL; JOWETT'S ORTHODOXY; HIS INTEREST IN AND INFLUENCE OVER MARGOT--ROSE IN ”ROBERT ELSMERE” IDENTIFIED AS MARGOT--JOWETT'S OPINION OF NEWMAN--JOWETT ADVISES MARGOT TO MARRY--HUXLEY'S BLASPHEMY

I shall open this chapter of raphy with a character- sketch of auessed that I was the subject, but opinions differed as to the authorshi+p Soht that our dear and clever friend, Godfrey Webb, had written it as a sort of joke

”In appearance she was setic, never wholly ungraceful, but inclined to be restless

Her face did not betray the intelligence she possessed, as her eyes, though clear and well-shaped, were too close together Her hawky nose was bent over a short upper lip and less mouth