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To Christabel Rose Coleridge
Elderfield, Otterbourne, Winchester.
Feb 13th 1881

MS Mrs Clare Roels

My dear Christabel

I heard of both your troubles from Mary Lund, Miss Finlaison’s scholar whose brother is with Ernest, but I much doubted where you were.1 I dare say your coming home made a change that was good and refreshing to all. It was sad indeed to lose this second boy, after all the sorrow for the first I hope the little girl is strong.2

The Squire has spread happily into three volumes. Miss Ingelow is doubtless provoking in making the mother open her heart to both the children.3 I have meditated long on yours, and have come to the conclusion that both being born in consequence of the same overturn was awkward, and I think it would have been better to have made the visitor arrive first as the other lady was ‘took bad’.

Happily mixtures cant often happen it is so hard to bring them about! Money Spinner has done a delightful fancy work conversation with Julia &c in it4

your affectionate
C M Yonge

Monday. Can you think of any clergyman who could come at once and help Mr Elgie for a few weeks lodging at the school masters. Confirmation classes and Lent and all his music and he is vexing himself much. I thought it just possible a St Johns curate might be disengaged. What a misfortune that was in Torquay.

1Mary Lund, aged 16 in the 1881 census, was the oldest boarder at Miss Finlaison’s school. Her brother, aged 17, is recorded as one of the 6 boarders at the home of Christabel's brother Ernest Coleridge.
2The Ernest Coleridges had just lost their second son John Derwent Coleridge (26 May 1880-23 January 1881), following the death of his elder brother Thomas Drake Coleridge (18 February-2 July 1877), but still had a daughter, Margaret Eulalia Coleridge (1878-1960). The other trouble was probably the death of Christabel and Ernest's n'er do well brother Derwent in Sydney, N.S.W. on 5 December 1880.
3This seems to be an allusion to Jean Ingelow's novel Don John (1881).
4One of the Spider subjects for December 1880 (published in MP January 1881) was ‘The pros and cons of fancy work’. The answer given by Money Spinner (Miss Marriott) was printed in MP 3s 1 (March 1881) 305-8.

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/2717/to-christabel-rose-coleridge-101

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