Copy outletter book British Library Add MSS.55387 (1): P. 389
Dear Miss Yonge
The parcel for Miss Lewis reached Tooting safely, and will not in the least inconvenience me.1 I will endeavour to deliver it early after my arrival.
I have read the Story of the Scotch girl. It is very interesting – rather sensational in fact. Robespierre, Danton, Napoleon, the Guillotine ‘La Lanterne,’ a sprinkling of smugglers with a slight dash of wreckers, highly toned Irish, Scotch, French nationalities, a mad woman, suicide, a murder or two &c &c. make up a dish that certainly cannot be considered savourless. There is no great reach of thought, as Mrs Lewes, or Mrs Gaskell have, nor anything like grace & delicacy of touch of Miss Thackeray but it looks to me vigorous firm drawing. I am getting a friend, a critic by profession to look at it. My reading was too much in novel reading vein to enable me to judge. Besides it was done between 11p.m. and 2 a.m. after a [illegible] of day
We shall communicate direct with her.
Yours very sincerely
A. Macmillan