a long and chatty letter describing his recent activities, including an unwelcome social engagement in London with Katie Rodgers, a distant cousin ("...an almost incredibly exiguous little scrap of existence ... little more than a hideous silver-coated & retroussé hat (that of the monkey-jockey strapped to the pony in the circus!) with a little dim thread of a voice that says nothing dangling out of it..."), a dinner party at Crewe House ("...Tiaras and diadems are utterly unbecoming to all women..."), his delightful visit to Oxford to receive an honorary D.Lit., which was "so constituted to make one declare that it's the most beautiful place in the world", and where he met the descendants of the original owners of Lamb House, and his relief at returning to Rye during the current heat-wave, text on rectos only, 10 pages, large post quarto, headed stationery of Lamb House, Rye, Sussex, 16 July 1912

Christie's, New York, May 20 1988, lot 254

A WARM LETTER BY THE AGEING HENRY JAMES TO HIS FAVOURITE NEPHEW. William James, Jr., son of Henry's philosopher brother, William, had married Alice Runnells in 1911. Henry James offered them Lamb House, his home in Rye, as a honeymoon house whilst he wintered in London. This letter was written shortly after Bill and Alice had returned to America and their uncle had returned to Rye.