Dearest Elizabette,

I do apologise for my protracted silence. I find that time will insist on passing as though it had nothing better to occupy itself with, and this rather unfortunate inclination is causing my days to turn with remarkable celerity. I shall try to do better in future, but can make no positive assurances that this will be successful. There is not a great deal of entertaining news to recount, but I shall do my best to relate what little there is, that it might enliven your morning.

Wednesday of Holy Week I attended High Table at St. Perpetua College at the invitation of Dr. Ribble, who - I am sure - issued his flattering missive at the instigation of Dr. Montrose; I accepted gracefully as though not fully cognizant of my unpreparedness. Dr. Ribble, late of St. Perpetua but recently advanced to fellowship at All Saints, reads mediaeval history and is thoroughly alarming on the subject of Catholic observance. However, having made his acquaintance I found him kind, though voluble - a trait I became thankful for. This being an Out Week on account of exams and Easter, there were no undergraduates to dine, which meant no tables to be, er, higher than - and so our meal was in the Fellows Dining Room instead of the Hall. I was glad of this situation - I am no accomplished historian and the circumstance of having to converse on difficult topics with lofty minds over the hubble-bubble of an undergraduate Mess did not strike me as a happy one. In the event, it was a rather elegant affair. Very Gentlemen’s Club, I fancy.

Dr. Ribble ushered me into the Fellows Lounge for sherry, and introduced me to the others in attendance. Eldest and longest of St. Perpetua was Dr. Elgin (professing mathematics I believe, and strongly resembling a dyspeptic bat), followed by Dr. Morton (the lesser in age though not in consequence), and Dr. and Mrs. Myrk. Both Drs. Morton and Myrk are fellow historians and rather well known. Dr. Morton is of Christ’s College and is really very important; he has written quantities of learned texts on a variety of ancient texts, and is beginning to look as though made of parchment himself. Dr. Myrk was on loan from Sidney University this term and enjoying his penultimate evening at here at his adopted College before returning there (Sidney). He and his wife are delightful people and just the sort that one wishes to invite to ones table for comfortable assurance that they shall entertain everyone equally without causing offence. They (Drs. Morton and Myrk) are old acquaintances and gabbled throughout the meal on a variety of interesting topics, not one of which I could have contributed to. But, I get ahead of myself.

I am afraid that I was not punctual, having managed to forget my gown and have to run back for it. This meant that I had only just been given my sherry, when Dr. Elgin rose and invited us to go into dinner. He sailed out of the room, and the rest followed after some confusion over what I was to do with my barely touched glass. (It was resolved that I ought to bring it with me so as not to waste good sherry.)

More confusion occurred in the Dining Room, as the staff had neglected to set the correct number of places. Dr. Myrk gallantly gave his place up to me, and eventually all was settled and the Latin Grace said. This, Dr. Elgin explained as we began the 1st remove ( prawns on bitter greens with fruit coulis accompanied by a nice White), would be a very informal meal, as it was a buffet and we would be required to serve ourselves. As I know you are a culinary minded person, I stored up the dinner in mind. The main was lamb and mint with a ragout, long beans, and herbed potatoes accompanied a rather delicious Red. The sweet/cheese was a lemon custard tart with strawberries or a selection of fine French cheeses. Naturally, I did my best to suppress my disappointment with the casual fare. The conversation, as mentioned above, was as vastly entertaining as it was beyond me. However, I endeavoured to look intelligent and talked with Dr. Ribble, was seated on my left, who never seemed short of things to relate no matter how trivial they might be.

After the sweet we removed again to the Lounge (in the wake of Dr. Elgin), where we settled down to port (or coffee) and fruit. The conversation degenerated, and ranged over such divers topics as a debate over which kirche were the most difficult to gain access to in Bavaria, the relative merits and artistic contrivances offered by the kirche in question, a disinclination on the part of the Russians to show codices to the Greeks and vice versa that frequently moved into the realm of outright obstruction, and(on a different subject entirely), the likelihood of getting the Patriarch to write one letters of introduction for the purposes of admittance to manuscripts housed in Eastern monasteries.

Once these learned gentlemen had worn themselves out on these topics the company broke up and I took my leave. Dr. Ribble was kind enough to accompany me part of the way back to Lennox regaling me all the while with such fascinating and amusing anecdotes as he had acquired in his study of liturgiology. I was utterly shattered by the time I found myself safely in my rooms again.

I cannot think of any other amusements that I have had the pleasure of in these past weeks. Today I came in for my year review, which was not at all amusing, though it is at least an event. It was a tedious though brief affair – I shan’t elucidate.

I hope that you are keeping well, Bitsy. You must tell me how your excursion into the secret places of Glasgow University went. It sounds most exciting.

Yours &c,
Philippa Charlotte