MS location unknown. Printed in Coleridge, Life 314-5
Dear Mr.Maddison1
How shall I thank you enough for writing to me much that I might never have known, though Miss Barnett promises to send me some of the letters she has had.2 Poor thing, the tower of strength is gone, and she has lived in and for those two so long that I cannot think that her frail body will stand such a shock. I am glad you told me that she does not know of the anxiety for her sister, for I had a short note from her this morning speaking of her as bearing up so calmly and ‘more than resignedly.’ Indeed Mrs. Arthur Butler told me in the autumn that she did not know the full extent of the illness.
To me it is another of my lamps gone to be a star, and at seventy-one has hardly any left on earth.
The friendship personally dates about forty years ago, and seems to me to be even older through the having heard of the family party constantly through the Dysons of Dogmersfield, who had a wonderful faculty of bringing friends together. The Dean was almost one with the ‘Mighty Three.’ Indeed, as Mr. Dyson’s pupil, he was almost of their generation in thought and independence of sentiment, such as made him especially wise and original. I am afraid you did not know Wantage in those bright days of progress, when it was such a wonderful home of high spiritual atmosphere and training, mixed with all that was intellectually bright. I enjoyed it so deeply, and shall never forget our joyous expeditions and deeper, more memorable talks – one day in especial, when there was a drive to see the Fairford windows. I always hoped to come and see them at Worcester, and again at Lincoln, but there are ties at home and I never could manage it, and now it is too late.
I had read half through the review of Dr. Pusey when your letter came and made me read it as last words, and recognise the hand, especially in the little touches about Hursley. Did you know that he gave anonymously the beautiful carved font cover there?
The Dysons used to tell that when he was presented to Wantage he wished he could keep one old wise curate, not to work but to be consulted, a wish so unlike most young vicars one cannot help remembering it. Wantage was almost a theological college. Then many men were trained there, and how widely has the influence reached! How many he has formed.
Yours truly gratefully
C. M. Yonge