To Rafael Sastre González
Hotel Bristol
Roma. 11 de Diciembre, 1935¹

Querido Rafael,
La boda de la hija menor de Pepe, que me participaron hace poco, demuestra que vuestros niños ya dejan de serlo, y este regalito² que yo les mando por Navidad ya no corresponde a sus años. Pero los mios me impiden de cambiar mis costumbres, y me permiten tratarles como si fueren aún unas criaturas.
Nunca he estado mas contento de vivir en Italia y en Roma que en esta época de “sanciones.” ¡Que valientes los italianos! Veremos en lo que para este conflicto artificial, pero de todos modos, sea comedia o tragedia, el papel mas lucido y simpatico, toca a los italianos. En estos últimos años he dejado por completo de ser anglófilo, o como se dice en ingles, anglomani ático. Se me figura que aquel país ha cambiado mucho, la aristocracia, que era admirable, ha abdicado, y en general Inglaterra parece renunciar a la grandeza, busca el apoyo de 53 otras naciones, y tiene mucho miede de encontrarse sola.
Cariñosos recuerdos a Adela y los niños, de tu tio que te quiere
Jorge

1. Translation:

Dear Rafael,
The wedding of Pepe’s youngest daughter, of which I was informed a short time ago, shows that your children are ceasing to be children, and this little present that I send them for Christmas is no longer appropriate at their age. But mine prevents me from changing my habits, and allows me to treat them as though they were still small children.
I have never been happier to live in Italy and in Rome than in this period of “sanctions.” How courageous the Italians are! We shall see how this artificial conflict ends, but in any case, whether it’s a comedy or a tragedy, the Italians have the most splendid and charming role. In the last few years I have ceased altogether to be an anglophile, or as they say in English, an anglomaniac. I think that country has changed very much, the aristocracy, which was admirable, has abdicated, and in general England seems to give up greatness, seeks the support of 53 other nations, and is very afraid of finding herself alone.
Fond regards to Adela and the children, from your uncle who loves you

2. The present was one British pound for each child. (In 1935 a pound was worth about $5 or 52 Spanish pesetas.) Later Santayana increased these gifts to two pounds (per Pedro García Martín, Azafea 1 [University of Salamanca, 1985]: 362).

From The Letters of George Santayana:  Book Five, 1933-1936.  Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2003.
Location of manuscript: Collection of Paloma Sanchez Sastre, Madrid, Spain