MS British Library Add MSS 54920: 148-149
Dear Mr Macmillan,
I have been slow in answering you, but the fact is that I have been rather knocked down by a bad cold, and reduced to little more energy than is necessary to look over the sheets of the Dove. Indeed I am told to do as little as possible just now, and therefore I think I must lay aside that which I have hardly taken up the Sunday Library superintendence. I am sure that with my tone of principles, that the sort of responsibility would lead to questions & difficulty of conscience that would hurt my health. I have said something of the kind before, but you were so kind that I hardly knew how to refuse, and I hope still the scheme will go on, and that I may take all interest as an outsider, and a contributor. As a fact I am afraid you must accept it that I am too High Church and too narrow for work not of that exclusive character, except at the expense of some harrass – and that I find I am not equal to. The sort of doubt I have of Mr Plumptre’s1 tone is just a case in point, but I am not up to writing more at length today
Yours sincerely
C M Yonge