Golda, I too found much to like in Old Jolyon. I thought it was touching to watch him in all of these paternal relationships. His interactions with Jo, June, Jolly and Holly are all warm and loving, which seems to be flying in the face of Forsytheism.

I did find it ironic, however, that he chose to bring Jo back into his life just as his situation could be most hurtful to June. I know someone down the board was talking last week about how Young Jolyon was just the wrong person to be talking to Bossiney, but I'm thinking more about the timing of bringing the father back into the daughter's life. After all, it was for June's sake that Old Jolyon threw his son off in the first place. While I wouldn't begrudge any of the family this reconcilliation, it does seem that it comes at the time when it could be most hurtful to June.

One more thing about Old Jolyon and the young ones is his pattern of focusing on the youngest of his loved ones. He chose his granddaughter over his son when she was very small. Now he seems to be focusing very greatly on his grandchildren. If I were forced to talk about symbolism and such stuff, I would have to say that Old Jolyon is trying to find something in the little ones that has escaped their older relatives. Hope maybe? Or Perfection? This last could be Forsytheism in action, couldn't it?

About Robin Hill, I agree that going to James instead of Soames is just the right way to go about making an offer. Soames has become rather pig-headed about the place, IMO, and has completely lost sight of reality, while James would be much more ready to get rid of the white elephant.