MS Plymouth and West Devon Record Office 308/2541
My dear Mr Yonge,
Such an outpouring as your letter which I had last evening was, gives me great pleasure, and I hope you will continue to write to me when you feel inclined. What I most dread is the want of companionship for Charlotte She had been used all her life to discuss with, and refer to her Father everything that pleased and interested her, and these happy evening when he came hope after his busy days, and she had a store of matters to amuse him with, will live in her memory as invaluable times. It is a wonderful happiness to us both that he lived long enough to see her character established, and had helped her through the dangers of successful authorship and arrived at an age when I can take her as a safe friend and counsellor. As to poor Julian, I cannot speak of him till we have had his first letters. We soon began to think how sorry Barnes would be; and I beg you to say from me that I hope he will going on managing work with your advice as heretofore, and I suppose the old Adams should have something of a message from me, and the subscriptions at Modbury will go on as usual if Mr Oxenham will be kind enough to tell me what they are, and where and how they are paid.2
I think I may spare myself the pain of parting with men or animals at present and keep the farm till I get into difficulties, the first is that Harry Mason does not know whether the Nursery Wheat should be drilled up, he says it depends upon whether the summer is hot or wet, whether it would be better to do it or let it alone, and that I think the wisest of us cannot tell, do you advise it being done or not? It is a beautiful crop and we have watched it together with so much pleasure that I should not like to neglect it. I will ask Duke to go and look at it, and take a report to you. By Duke I shall also send you a message about the Granite Duke has been a great pleasure and comfort to us, and we are very thankful to you for Anne.3 I hope we shall not exceed the limit of her patience or yours but we cannot make up our minds to think of the losing her yet. These two not to say three great pieces of preferment vacant make us expect to lose Dr Moberly and I can think of it with less regret now.4 William would have found him a very great loss, for many a busy harassing day at Winchester concluded by a refreshing half hours’ talk with him or the Warden. We are indeed most fortunate in our friends, none can guess what Mr & Mrs Keble have been to us. And here I was interrupted by the coming of those dear kind people. I must apologise for my letter being hardly sense, and hope to do better another time. Duke is gone to call upon Mr. Monroe at Colden Common and we are amusing ourselves with thinking how much Mrs Monroe will talk to him about her Poultry.5 Tomorrow I hope they will go and see Hursley
I have had a very kind message from Delia so I hope she did not take amiss what I thought I ought to say about John Francis.6 Nothing has pleased me more than the very unexpected appearance of Graham Colborne indeed it is very gratifying
Pray for me that I may act rightly in the very new circumstances in which I am placed and believe me your very affectionate
F M Yonge