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...

To Edward Augustus Freeman
Flaxley Abbey
Aug 31st [1872]
My dear Mr Freeman, Thank you much for sending me the book, which I feel an undeserved kindness, though but for a wet day and a sore throat I should be the more sorry, I must get home on the 9th for many reasons but there is much that I should have been very glad to talk over with you - especially the matter of a German history. Are your ‘little books’ to include that? A friend ... continue reading
To Sir William Heathcote, Bt.
Elderfield
Feb 15th 1869
My dear Sir William, Julian and I have been looking over the plans in the Church, and find every proof (except Repton’s plan) that the history of the matter was as you believed. The original design was made out between Repton and my father, and Carter was employed to make the drawings but finding him not up the requirements of a taste so fastidious and minute as my father’s was, he (my father) collected examples, made designs, ... continue reading
To Alexander Macmillan
Elderfield, Otterbourne, Winchester.
Decr 23d [1864]

My dear Mr Macmillan, You once said you would be kind enough to put me in the way of getting any out of the way books. Would you be so kind as to get these sent for for [sic] me - except the second in the list. It is the list from Freytag, and I must confess to finding the German M S too difficult to attempt to write out an order for an English bookseller. ... continue reading

To Mary Yonge
Elderfield Otterbourne
Jan 26th [1899]

My dear Mary St Paul has brought us nice brisk weather, I hope it is not too cold for you, but it is pleasant to have it clean. We have had the excitement of hearing that Capt Cromie has been transferred to Algeciras in Spain, close to Gibraltar, so Frances comes home with the whole family in March and will not miss the wedding - I do not know much more for the letters were ... continue reading