Volume 1

The letters of William James / edited by his son, Henry James.

  • William James
Date:
1920
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The letters of William James / edited by his son, Henry James. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    be really delicious. We are keeping as shy of “Society” as we can, but still we see a good many people, and the inter¬ ruptions to study (from that, and the domestic causes which abound in our narrow quarters — narrow in winter-time, broad enough when fires go out) are very great. Duveneck1 spent a most delightful evening here a while ago, and left a big portfolio of photos of Bocklin’s pictures and a big bunch of cigars for me two days later. I wish I did n’t always feel like a phrase-monger with honest artists like him. However there are some fellows who seem phrase-mongers to me, X-, e.g., so it’s “square.” . . . We have a cook, Raffaello, the most modest and faithful of his sex. Our manner of communication with him is awful; but he finishes all our sentences for us, and, strange to say, just as we would have finished them if we could. Alice swears we must bring him home to America. Should you think it safe? He seems to have no friends or diversions here, and no love except for his saucepans. But I dread the responsibility of being foster-father to him in our cold and uncongenial land. It would be different if I spoke his lingo.— What do you think? And what a pretty lingo it is! Italian and German seem to me the languages. The mongrels French and English might drop out! Apropos to English, I return your slip [about the teaching of English?] “as per request,” having been amused at the manifestation of the ruling passion in you. I don’t care how incorrect language may be if it only has fitness of epithet, energy and clearness. But I do pity the poor English Department. I see they are talking in England of more study of their own tongue in the schools being required. . . . Mark Twain dined with us last night, in 1 Mr. Duveneck was Mr. Boott’s son-in-law. Vide page 153 supra.
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