BR TO ALYS RUSSELL, [1909?]
BRACERS 21046. ALS. McMaster
Proofread by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
BAGLEY WOOD,
OXFORD.
Thursday

Dearest Alys

Thanks for thy letter. Yes, I went to the House of Lords on Tuesday night and heard Cawdor and Crewe. It was a disgraceful spectacle — the Lords appeared oblivious that they were doing anything important. I saw Frank and Ethel there, and should have seen Ethel yesterday but she was too ill. I also saw the Courtneys, whom I called on yesterday. There I met Mrs Hobhouse who is trying to get her poor old husband to stump the country for Liberals on the constitutional issue.

I have had no answer from Philip Morrell, which much surprises me.

The Royal Society and the House of Lords both, in speeches I heard on Tuesday, assured us, almost in the same words as the N.U., that they do a great deal more work than the public is aware of, and that their most useful functions are those that are ignored by the Press.

Thine aff
Bertie.