My dear Miss Smith, Many thanks for your kind answer, I think these ladies’ biographies will be very nice work to do together, and I believe that to look into real life minutely is the best school for one’s own mind or for fiction. If I write nothing but fiction for some time, I begin to get stupid, and to feel rather as if it had been a long meal of sweets - then history is ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith,

I think your answer is a very wise one, and quite what I can understand. I am sure with all the poor I have known unusual help unless on some very pressing occasion would be anything but really beneficial, but the three old couples might be most happily provided, and I hope Mrs Elphinstone may choose that way of spending the sum. I will put what you say before her, thank you ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

I have all but finished Mrs Grant and most interesting she is. Many many thanks for her. I am not sure whether she is not a little too long, to be in thorough proportion with the others, and if I find it so, perhaps I may have to take out a few of the letters that relate less directly to her personal history, but certainly not the American ones. What an old ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

I found your MS here yesterday on my return from a two months expedition into Yorkshire and Devonshire. I think it is a pretty bright description, and the history of the contending organs is very entertaining, the only pity is that it is too late for December. I hope you have had a chapter of the Thorne. I find it is much liked and I am glad to see you in the ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith,

You must have begun to wonder if the Indian £10 was coming I am sure I did, but here it is at last, in good time I hope. It seems that Mrs Elphinstone has been very ill, and that has prevented her from sending it sooner. I will write to her to acknowledge it as soon as I have heard from you. I am glad to see your three Ks in the ... continue reading

My dear Irene,

Many thanks for this order. You had better send the stamps to me, and they will go into the great Bell hoard.

Glow Worm’s Lorenzo is by far the most entertaining of the lot that came yesterday, but unluckily she made one sad mistake, for Catherine was the daughter of Alessandro, some generations further on, Lorenzo’s grandson, I think, and the monument was a grandson’s too commonly called Lorenzino. I am very sorry for ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith,

Thank you much for sending me this letter, I will certainly write to Mrs Elphinstone about it - the last time I heard from her she had been excited by the account of the Needlewomen to get up a subscription on their behalf- with a vision of opening a branch in London. I referred this to Miss Batty and Miss Barlee. I am so glad the application of her money turned out ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

I enclose a cheque for the amount of the Banks of the Thorne that has gone in this time, and I think has been very much liked.

I have had an offer of Mrs Sherwood’s Life from a person who can get at something about her privately so I thought you would not mind my accepting it, as a little beyond a published memoir is such a gain.

You see the Packet is flourishing ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith,

I have at length obtained the account for the Biographies and am glad to be able to send you the enclosed as your share of the proceeds. Your account of the Procession was in time, and is going in this month with an Illumination story of the last time London was in a blaze.

After this week please to add Elderfield before Otterbourn [sic] in our address. It is a cottage in the ... continue reading

Sir,

Some time ago you were kind enough to mention, in a letter to Mrs Austin, the life of Madam de Montagu as one that would be very desirable among the ‘biographies of good women’ that I have been attempting to collect for the improvement of young girls; I have ventured to desire my publisher to send you a copy of the first series that you may see at what I have aimed; I am now ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan Thank you for your kind full letter. I feel great confidence in Dr Vaughan, and should consider his as a very safe name to sanction the Library; and I think all the arrangements shew great consideration for my views. I think I could well work under them. I believe that the toleration that you ascribe to me is rather for persons than principles. I do very greatly admire many persons who I think ... continue reading