Dear Madam

I see I did send your other poems to the printer, by confusion in the twilight. But I like them so much as to be glad of it

yours truly C M Yonge

No. III. is in clover. I have had something of some sort almost every day lately, and am not at all afraid of the 60 pages.

. . . Sir Guy Morville considers himself much honoured by your invitation, and as much as there is or will be by that time of him shall attend you. It will be a real kindness to take him out of my reach, for he is such ... continue reading

My dear Charlotte, I hope I have not put you out by keeping this so long. I have been rather more busy than usual. This is an interesting matter, and I wish I had more time and knowledge for it. It will do very well as you have put it. But against a reprint, or with a view to a supplementary dialogue, it may be well to consider (what is implied in the ... continue reading

My dear Anne A great many thanks for the news yesterday, and the Barnacles today, if Alethea gives her son the 2nd name of Bargus it would be applicable considering the story of the Gentleman who took up the spoon with the stork crest and said ‘This confirms it, I always thought your name was derived from Barnacle Goose, and now I see it.’ What a capital picture too, and the old gentleman seems so ... continue reading

Madam, I am much obliged by your contribution to the Monthly Packet, and should be glad to see the other numbers. I must observe however that there are some expressions that had a childish tone that I would gladly see altered such as that the loss of Lucien’s parents was very sad for him, that Hilary wrote clever books, that his Psalms are the same as ours, that a priest is a clergyman &c. Alban Butler ... continue reading

My dear Anne Many thanks for the further particulars of Tern, I am glad they are allowed to be Arctic. Alethea’s children seem chequered in and out, brown and fair instead of being divided into boy and girl, how very amusing the others must be, I think Edmund must be remarkably clever to be doing lessons, and joining so much in the play of the others. Alethea Mackarness’s daughter came as unexpectedly as Frank ... continue reading

Madam,

I return my best thanks for your pretty papers on Flowers. I should prefer giving them the title of “A Garland for the Year” instead of that of “Holy Flowers” as it is just possible that someone might take offence at the latter.

I should wish also to omit the last sentence of the 25th March, in which you say that the festival is observed with great solemnity in all Catholic countries, but in ours chiefly ... continue reading

My dear Alice, Herewith is the 'Bridge of Cramond' finished. I hope George will not think too much sentiment falls to his share; and that we shall soon fall in with that important actor, the hawk. You and your two gipsies (Emily and Annie) will make courtiers, and Zedekias will help; indeed six, besides the other actors, is nearly as much as the stage will hold. Pray be grateful to me ... continue reading

Dear Madam, I am obliged by the kind manner in which you have received my suggestions, and I must pursue the Lotus controversy a little further with the assistance of Liddell and Scott’s dictionary.

Λωτος, it says, is the name of several plants often wrongly confounded. The Egyptian Lotus or Lily of the Nile, white or blue blossoms at the time of the overflowing of the Nile, and of the Ganges, and thus both in Egyptian and ... continue reading

Dear Madam My cousin answers me ‘the Lotus is not a flower, but a large tree, I do not remember the blossom, but the fruit is in large pods which the Zantiotes almost live on, we used to have them as vegetables at dinner but I always thought them very nasty. It was always called the locust tree, and it was disputed whether it was these Locusts or the insects that St John the Baptist used ... continue reading

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 ... continue reading