MS Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas.
My dear Christabel,
The Humberts1 are very nice people, Florence Wilford is very fond of them and he was an immense comfort to the two old ladies. He was the making of St Cross, as first Master after the reformation there, and did an immense deal both for the Church and parish, but when his wife got softening on the brain, he lost his delight and love in the place and became anxious to get away – and poor man, his wife fell into the fire and got burnt to death the very day after their arrival at Chiddingfold. I do not know much of the girls myself – they were very young; but Florence always took great interest in them. Mr. Humbert is much given to architecture and is rather a cultivated man, of a good deal of taste, though not a clever one, and is a much better Churchman than most of Bp Sumner’s appointments2
I wish Katie Johns would tell Mr Strahan that respectable people will have to give up Good Words if the Sylvestresgoes on much longer, I believe I should at once but for the High Mills and the hope of your story.3
Yours affectionately
C.M. Yonge