Dear Mr Duncan

I am glad you have come to another edition. I am looking at the corrections, beginning at the end and hoping to finish by post time.

Sir Walter Scott spells Stewart thus—and I was told that Stuart was only adopted when the family forgot the proper spelling of their name in France.

I made the genealogy through the Scottish kings instead of through the wife of Henry I better to introduce their names and as ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

I hope to begin upon your story in April but could you be so kind as just so to touch the beginning as to take out the allusions to Manners makyth man, or people will trace that it was meant for the Christmas number. Could you let me have it again about the 1st of March.

And one thing, could not the name be reversed, for I think the young people really ... continue reading

My dear Madam

I well remember the apprentice system in Devonshire (where to this day they call farm boys apprentices though I don’t believe they are so) I believe it was a good thing that the system was done away with for the farmers were apt to be very harsh with them. My grandfather, as a magistrate had continually to hear complaints about their being flogged. The people who might have done them good seldom had ... continue reading

My dear Mr Wither

The news of the day is that Lady Chichester is to be doubly Lady Chichester She marries Sir Arthur Chichester, a widower over 60, whose estate joins on to Arlington

He joins her at Arlington and his two unmarried daughters remain in possession. One of his daughters is Mrs Chichester so they have a small choice of names. Mrs Johnstone’s two pretty little boys have begun to come to Church

I suppose the archbishop ... continue reading

My dear Percy

The houses I should prefer for a boy are

the Revd J H DuBoulay’s Southgate Hill or

the Revd J T Bramston’s Culvers’ Close

I have a weakness for a clergyman’s house, and besides, I think so highly of both the men and their wives - Mrs DuBoulay as I daresay you know was Alice Cornish sister to the Bishop of Madagascar. Both she and Mrs Bramston are very nice about the boys. Mrs Bramston’s father is [[person:2342]Archdeacon ... continue reading

My dear Mary

Here is the double birthday just over, which one never fails to recollect. To Katharine’s question I say, but I do not know if it will approve itself to her that my best girls would answer that the New Covenant was the Baptismal One, and they would reply to the question What are the terms? with the two first answers in the Catechism. I suppose – as St Paul was writing ... continue reading

My dear Miss Gatty,

The Signora Linda Villari wife to Professor Villari at Florence sent me this pretty little sketch of a real favourite bird. It is too youthful for the Packet, but I think you will like to open a connection with her, as she writes prettily and freshly. I enclose a card she sent with her address. She wrote a very pretty story once for the Packet called the Angel of Viareggio.

I hope you ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik

Thank you for your letter, and your kind promise of £200 for this edition of Unknown to History. I hope the cheap movement will be successful. I own I should like to see the Heir of Redclyffe and Heartsease in shilling and sixpenny editions I think they would have a great sale.

Please let a copy of ‘Unknown to History’ go to

Miss Coleridge Manor House Ottery St Mary

I thought it would have come while ... continue reading

Dear Madam

I am afraid your paper is too outspoken for the atmosphere of the Monthly Packet - which has to be guarded for young readers.

I should think there was every chance of the SPCK being glad to take your papers.

I do not know Cornwall at all, but is it not too strong to say that Adultery as such is not viewed as a sin - even by very neglected people

The other sin is - ... continue reading

My dear Christabel

The elder sister may be a good modification and pray do you – or FMP invent a love story to work in.

No Robber appears so do pray write him, also Geo III and the beggar. I have done a White Ship. There ought I fancy to be about 30, and I have 28 in my eye or written out ie if I take two Whittingtons.

What do you think of the baby Pretender ... continue reading

My dear Margaret

So many thanks for sending me Miss Smedley. I had a good deal of her in the Readers, but I shall borrow more now. I wish her verses had been more known but I think they will grow into part of the common stock of knowledge of poetry in our youth. I sincerely rejoice at your brother’s appointment not only is it good for him, but what a load it takes from your ... continue reading

Dear Madam

I am much obliged by your pretty book. It is an excellent thing to put forth what encreases interest in the mission field.

Yours truly C M Yonge

Dear Mr Duncan

I send you a first instalment of the first book of Historical poetry, I think there are about 30 of such pieces as these, containing nothing too difficult for a child of nine or eight years old. I suppose that will be enough for the first book, as it would be better to have it small and cheap enough for being learnt at home.

I have chosen only what are simple in language and ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik

I shall be happy to accept the terms you propose for the American Edition of my books. I hope they will spell their names better than in an advertisement I saw the other day of Ps and Os- and the Blest Woman of the Family- besides other pleasing inaccuracies

Yours truly C M Yonge

Dear Miss Yonge,

I hope to send you in a day or two a small book I have written about travels in Iceland which were made by me chiefly on the track of various old Sagas, in which I was greatly interested. The book indeed treats of the country from the point of view of its literature. I need not say how pleased I should be if my old friend the ‘Monthly Packet’ liked it enough ... continue reading

My dear Elizabeth

I have often meant to write and say how much your Buxton book helped me in the descriptions of the place, though I had to construct it a good deal from my own consciousness- Queen Elizabeth’s looking down the assassin is perfectly true - I should have not have dared to write– if I could have imagined– anything so improbable as poor Babington having that picture taken, and Gifford’s shewing it ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Wynyard

I am sorry to say I cannot accept your kind invitation as I am going from home on Monday for four or five days. I did not come home last night till too late for the post, so that I could not answer sooner

yours sincerely C M Yonge

My dear Miss Smith

I with I could have made room for this very amusing account while it is fresh, but my October number is full, and I must give it up

yours sincerely C M Yonge

Dear Mrs Suckling

Thank you for your kind note, but I am going from home on Monday and shall not return till after the Donkey show is over.

You will be glad to hear that our School master thinks the advantage of the Band of Mercy great to our boys.

yours truly C M Yonge

Dear Sir

I am much obliged for your kind present – the article has certainly swelled to handsome proportions

Yours truly C M Yonge

Dear Sir

I am much obliged for this notice, but I have always wished to keep clear of the whole subject of scepticism for fear of opening the thought of it to younger readers. Would not the Literary Churchman be the best home for this notice

yours truly C M Yonge

My dear Mr Price

Mr Walter Smith took the Mozleys’ business when John Mozley died and Charles retired. He was trained at Macmillans and I think he knows his profession (or what ever it is to be called) thoroughly. He is a gentleman and pleasant to deal with in all ways. I do not know the present Parker, as my dealings were with his father, but I prefer Mr Smith greatly to J ... continue reading

Dear Madam

I see I made a mistake in addressing your letter, as you have left Windsor. I therefore write again to give my full permission for the translation of the Questions on the Gospels

yours truly C M Yonge

Dear Mr Craik

There is a new volume of Cameos just ready to come out, ending at Queen Elizabeth’s death. I suppose it must be called ‘Wars of the Reformation’ I do not like the term Wars of Religion.

I am also finishing off Stray Pearls, which will be completed in the Monthly Packet in June, in 32 or 33 chapters - so I suppose it may come out about that time.

It is a sort of continuation ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik

I think the printing may be begun at once of Stray Pearls, and the proofs had better come to me as inconsistencies arise when tales run on long. And besides I always find that the printers make their worst blunders when their copy is in print. I suppose they set on their worst hands. Clay is sure to have the copy. It may very well come out in April - it will only ... continue reading

My dear John

Thank you for your curious extract about names. I have one this morning from an Italian newspaper sent by Mrs Church, which beats everything. I translate it for your behalf- ‘The celebrated English Authoress of the Era di Ratcliffe is dead. Her name was Jong but in recognition of her talents, the Queen Victoria made her a Viscountess. She married the English ambassador at Constantinople but has continued ... continue reading