Mon. 20. [20 August 1894] Last night I read the correspondence
between Vanessa and Swift - I wonder if any man, beginning with the
man to whom those letters were first addressed has ever understood
how much they meant, and if any woman has failed to understand.
Swift did not care for her - that's how a man writes who does not care.
And how it maims and hurts the woman! One ought to pray every night
not to write letters like that - or at least not to send them. Swam this
morning with Nina and the little girls. Came home and dried our hair
on the balcony and read some Persian. At 2.30 came Dr Rosen and
we all walked with him over the spurs of the hills down to Hall in the
valley. Delightful walk - I talked first with Mother about Swift and
Vanessa, then with Dr Rosen about my book, and then we concocted
a wonderful scheme of translation - I wonder if it will come to anything!
Met Nina and Charlotte in Hall which is a charming little old place with
a church which has the nicest porch of 5 arches (I think.) We had tea
and came back by tram. As we walked up the hill home we were
stopped by cries behind us coming from - Amy and Sophie Batsch!
Very glad to see them. They dined here and spent the evening.