MS Westcountry Studies Library, Exeter/ Yonge 1869/11
My dear Miss Smith,
Your story is capital and I am very glad that the power of writing no longer seems to be crushed out of you. The only things I have to say are that I think a little guarding is wanted (which I would do in a note) to shew that part of it is playful since Church restoration is not altogether matter of taste, and some of the deformation was really luxury, family pride and irreverence.
Of course some was only bad taste – like the porch of St Mary’s at Oxford, but I do not think people had any right to block windows with monuments especially with heathen monsters in them. Don’t you think 15 years rather a short space for time to out run Mr Short so! I think 20 or 25 /ago\ was as near as I can remember the era of cottage bonnet and blue ribbons I remember very big shady hats first coming in in 1854 and 5, but young ladies were pretty fast by that time, and if Mr Short was a High Church Oxonian, he would hardly have fallen in love with the gallery and monument, but have been crazy for rubbing brasses – and zealous for getting down ‘pues’ as he would have spelt them. But I suppose to put it five years back would disturb Edith’s age too much. By the by Kate and Kitty are fashionable now would not Sally match better?2
I am glad you have been writing a longer story I hope I may soon see it
yours sincerely
C M Yonge
I think we can vote for your idiot.3