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Elderfield, Otterbourne, Winchester.
May 26th 1882

MS Princeton University, Parrish Collection

Dear Madam

I am afraid your paper is too outspoken for the atmosphere of the Monthly Packet – which has to be guarded for young readers.

I should think there was every chance of the SPCK being glad to take your papers.

I do not know Cornwall at all, but is it not too strong to say that Adultery as such is not viewed as a sin – even by very neglected people

The other sin is – I suppose, wherever there is much ignorance and neglect, viewed as part of a courtship and when a marriage does not ensue, is viewed as a misfortune to the girl and mean of the man. But after such preliminaries, I think the married are almost always faithful and that their own public opinion requires it.

And certainly the tone before marriage is greatly improving though of course not among such as would find their way to the workhouse

Yours sincerely
C M Yonge

1Perhaps the author of ‘Workhouse Orphans’ (and perhaps also of 'A Christmas Tree at a Workhouse') to whom CMY had written on 24 February 1882 a letter also in the Parrish Collection, who seems to have been a clergyman's wife living in Cornwall very close to a workhouse.

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/2749/to-an-unknown-woman-56

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