MS Huntington Library: Yonge Letters

Dear Madam
I send you the proof of the Garland, which you had better return direct to

Messrs Mozley
Friar Gate
Derby

His printers are apt to make great havoc with botanical names, and then put puzzled queries in the margin which amuse me very much. I could not find St Gundula in Alban Butler, and so must leave that correction to you. You will see that I have made one or two little alterations. I did not like to call the 3d century a time of superstitious observance, and there are some stories of Clothilde in Thierry which make me doubtful if the epithet gentle quite applies to her. I have also put your description of St Genevieve’s shrine into the past, as I am afraid her Church has been turned into the Pantheon, and indeed as I found myself the other day it is not at all safe to speak decidedly of the present state of any church in unfortunate France. Perhaps you yourself would change one of two expressions which occur too near each other, where St Genevieve is called a true woman, & Veronica a true womanly image — I think the first might be altered with advantage.

Will you allow me to submit to you one other alteration, namely in the verses where you say

‘On your holy anthem voicing’

I am not sure that voicing is a real word, and if it could be altered to some such word as ‘pealing’ or perhaps to ‘voices,’ I think it might be better, but this I say with great diffidence, only as a suggestion. I am so far like Alexander in the Story of a Family¹ that I like to be able to parse the sentences I meet with.

I think the printers would be glad to have the proofs as quickly as you can forward them, as Sunday & two day posts have delayed them.

Believe me
Yours sincerely
C M Yonge