Creator
Charlotte [H. Kellogg]
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
[4]just that way?She was a good little traveler, despite the rough voyage and has given us no great anxiety. I have an English nurse come in from ten till six to take her for her airings and to leave me free to go to the museums as I often do with Mr. Kellogg, or to visit the too numerous galleries and fascinating theaters. She will stay, too, if we wish to go out in the evening.We are a half hour from the museums, in St. John's Wood, where the air is much better than in the city, a loss of time for us, but fine for Jean. She is starting out now for Regent's Park to feed the ducks, which she Remember everything you have seen and done. We must have it all!c/o American Express company [1]London12 March 1912[letterhead]Dearest friend,The most wonderful and beautiful surprise that ever happened to a wee Jean--this too generous Christmas gift! It came yesterday just after we had been wondering where you were, whether you were being tempted further and further on, or were turning your steps westward again.Helen said you had been in South Africa. but that your next address would be California so I am sending this to her.I am glad for some reason05158
[2]that you are going back to California (this blanket fog this morning is one of them) but wouldn't it have been fine if you could have come this way and we could all have taken a little trip to Scotland together? We should have gone to Dunbar and after that you should have been unquestioned guide.I mean unquestioned as to the places we were to go, but certainly not after we arrived there!Vernon plans to go to Aberdeen to see Professor Arthur Thompson, but I am afraid I can not go along. If I should, I should want so much to run over to Dunbar[3]to carry news of you. But as I say, it is not certain that I can go.Jean, the bonny darling, is getting on very well. She was slow in starting to walk, but now we believe it was her dramatic sense that partly held her back. She saved it till the day we should establish ourselvesin London lodgings, and then while we were sitting perhaps a little dejectedly (it was so cold those first days) in the midst of our luggage, she stood up and faltered toward a chair, her eyes big and excited, and after she achieved it she called out, "Why, Jean!" Wasn't it splendid of her to begin
[8]been short. From here we are to go to Paris for May and June. Then Vernon comes back to London for the "Universities Congress" and the "Eugenics Congress" in July - perhaps we come with him, but that is not settled - and he is supposed to stay on for the "Second International Entomological Congress" to be held in Oxford in August. That would mean his having an added leave, of a month perhaps. He has not planned so far ahead yet.You will be with Helen at first. Isn't Muir a darling chubby boy? We have a little snap shot of him. And Wanda is to have another child, perhaps has a little girl or boy by this[5][in margin: time. I hope everything goes well with her. Give her my love and take a great deal from us all for yourselfCharlotte]loves doing better than anything else. She sends you a hug and many kisses you best friend to her. She is to have several presents out of her Christmas gift, and perhaps have some of it put in the bank for her. The first thing will be a pretty little English hat with posies on it. Then a little green coat, and a little white dress to go underneath it! Can you see her in them? I want to go and get them this minute, but shall restrain myself for a full week, perhaps two, to be sure not to make a mistake. Her father is to help choose the hat. There, you should be along too!English people are most05158
[6]hospitabl, as you know. We should be dining out every night almost, if we were not here for something else.We took our first day away yesterday, when we went to Oxford to visit Professor Poulton, and enjoyed every hour of it. There were four other guests besides us, among them Professor and Mrs. Meldola, then there were people in besides. Vernon enjoyed most the men's dinner at Jesus College With all its old ceremonial and beautiful picture. I was allowed to go along with Professor Poulton and Prof. Meldola and Vernon[7]to the laboratory for an hour when they were looking at hundreds of beautiful African butterflies and seeing the changes mimicry wrought in them.We are to dine next with the Festing Joneses--he is the at present much revived Samuel Butler's Boswwell!--and his sister calls him "Hoppy"!We met Mrs. Pennell the other day and liked her better than almost anybody we had met, etc., etc., etc.But I shall leave other things for another letetr, or until we meet. May that be soon!With this week, half of our London stay will be over. Which doesn't seem believable, it has
Location
London
Date Original
1912 Mar 12
Source
Original letter dimensions: 18 x 22.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Kellogg, Charlotte H., "Letter from Charlotte [H. Kellogg] to John Muir, 1912 Mar 12." (1912). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 6227.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/6227
Resource Identifier
muir20_0831-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 20, Image 0831
Collection Identifier
Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc
Copyright Status
Copyright status unknown
Copyright Statement
Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Owning Institution
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Pages
4 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
