MS Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas
My dear Christabel
Good luck to you in your new work! I had various things to write to you about Will you send a list of the Goslings to
Miss Margaret Macmillan
The Elms
Streatham
Tooting
I think I told you I have promised to make her a Gosling though she is rather too young. Who is the next to ask questions – will you send her a reminder to send them to me to choose from, and also tell her to send them to Maggie Macmillan
I think I will take your advice and set going a proverb for the Christmas of 1872, but I shall set on not the Goslings only but all my crack authors and I think it will be great fun Florence Wilford, Frances Peard, Arthur Heathcote, Miss Keary, Mrs Bromfield – not to say yourself. Only what shall it be. Something enigmatical I think – I rather fancy ‘Parmi les aveugles le borgue est roi’. I think a good deal of variety might be got out of that, people would see it such different ways. Or ‘The pitcher goes often to the well but is broken at last’. Or best of all perhaps ‘In the Dark all Cats are Grey.’ Yes, now I come to think of it that has great capabilities. I heard of a subject the other day ‘The biography of the youngest of the family’. Has Acorn sent you her new address? They have shut up Killerton for the present, I believe1 Mrs Mercier is coming here on Tuesday afternoon – she will lament greatly for you
Your affectionate
C M Yonge
I hope you have another copy of Patience