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To Alexander Macmillan
Elderfield, Otterbourne, Winchester.
Novr 22nd 1877

MS British Library Add MSS 54921: 40-411

My dear Mr Macmillan

What I have by me in the way of authorities are the Universal History Lady Calcott’s in English and in Spanish a life of the Cid – Perez de Hyta (whence Washington Irving took his material, but which is only romance) and old Madiema – who is alarming – as he hardly ever has a paragraph, and when he does put a date, does not use figures!2

I have picked out a useful list of books mostly French from the London Library and if they will take the trouble to find them for me, I shall do well but I sometimes think they don’t choose to hunt up an insignificant book out of date for a person in the country. If I do not get the important ones, I will write to you about them

Yes, Longfellow does fall later than my period for I must end with Boabdil’s last look at Spain

I must try to work history and romance side by side – and I think I can keep within the bounds

Yours sincerely
C M Yonge


1Black-edged paper.
2The authorities relate to her research on The Story of the Christians and the Moors in Spain. She refers to Washington Irving's The Alhambra. The Spanish life of the Cid was possibly Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar, Chronica del famoso cauallero Cid Ruydiez Campeador (Burgos: 1593), but the word which looks like Madiema has not been identified.
Cite this letter


The Letters of Charlotte Mary Yonge(1823-1901) edited by Charlotte Mitchell, Ellen Jordan and Helen Schinske.

URL to this Letter is: https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/yonge/2611/to-alexander-macmillan-129

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