Charlotte Yonge is one of the most influential and important of Victorian women writers; but study of her work has been handicapped by a tendency to patronise both her and her writing, by the vast number of her publications and by a shortage of information about her professional career. Scholars have had to depend mainly on the work of her first biographer, a loyal disciple, a situation which has long been felt to be unsatisfactory. We hope that this edition of her correspondence will provide for the first time a substantial foundation of facts for the study of her fiction, her historical and educational writing and her journalism, and help to illuminate her biography and also her significance in the cultural and religious history of the Victorian age.


Featured Letters...

August 12. [1869]

My dear Marianne- This last day will be a very quiet one, for M. de Witt is gone to a horse-fair at Falaise, and Julian, Frances and Miss Martin are gone with him, starting at eight this morning, and coming home at eleven at night; unluckily I could not go, and Mme. de Witt caught a bad cold yesterday and I fear will not be good for much to-day. Caen had to be given up because ... continue reading

Elderfield, Otterbourne, Winchester.
St Stephen's day [26 December] 1884
My dear Lord Bishop A great many thanks for the poem. I will mark the MS so that the printers should send the proof to you I hope early in January. The story is very touching as you have made it. I wonder how many such tragedies there are going on, unknown. I shall always be grateful to it for having brought me your Christmas blessing With kind regards to Mrs and Miss How. yours respectfully C ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

Thank you, I think this is very satisfactory, and that all the part about old Mr Webster is quite in your best style - and the contrast between the brothers excellent. Mr Webster certainly has his deserts, and one is comforted by his tardy appreciation of George. I am glad Harry’s Confirmation did go off, though by the by, you have not made the corresponding alteration in the account of his death[.] ... continue reading

Elderfield
Aug 18th [1889?]

My dear Lucy

If I can get a lift I shall be very glad to come to you, but it must rather depend on the ‘other house.’ Does George know that we have the Bishop Selwyn, his mother, children and new wife at the Vicarage for a month?

Your affectionate cousin C M Yonge

... continue reading