Dear Mr Macmillan, I have now had time to think over the Book of Heroes, and have been making out a list of those whom I think worthy of the name.

But two or three difficulties occur to me.

In the first place is not the name too much like Mr Kingsley’s mythological book? People could never be expected to keep 'the Heroes' and the Book of the Heroes distinct in their minds. I think if I had ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan, I like the name of the Book of Worthies. I think I might begin with mentioning the old Nine Worthies, and then say that here we set forth whatever multiple of nine it may be possible to produce.

I believe that 'nine-worthiness' is a word, which perhaps may sanction it! though I am afraid it is only one of the Carlyle’s words.

Worthy is a vague word, which is convenient. How would 'Good men and ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan, I see Old Sir Douglas is living and thriving once more, so I write to ask whether you wish for the first instalment of the Chaplet of Pearls for October, or whether you wish to wait till the end of one of the present stories. I have written almost to the end, but it wants plenty of re-touching. I have had so much interruption that I /often could not go into work that ... continue reading

Dear Miss Yonge The first instalment of the Book of Worthies has just come to hand. I will at once send it to the printer, as I shall be glad to get it out if possible for the summer. I quite feel that you are right about the length of the Biographies. Too great brevity would lessen the interest of the stories, and a few well told & pretty fully told is better than many made ... continue reading

Dear Miss Yonge

I think I have got a most charming gem of Alexander, whom I was contemplating as one vignette. I am afraid he was rather an unworthy in some ways. But who is always worthy. This face is so beautiful. It is engraved by Worship[?] from the Besborough [sic] Collection. You shall see it.

Very faithfully yours A. Macmillan

Dear Miss Yonge . The presentation copies will be attended to. The book however is hardly yet in the binders hands. Books like 'long-tailed birds of Paradise' will not light at the end.

I am glad that the Danvers name seems connected with Mr Peabody. We should send him a copy.

The 62 pages of your law[?] makes 92 of the Book of Worthies (I am afraid I [illegible] I like our first title best) so we would ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan, Thanks for the books which the carrier will probably bring today. I will betake myself to St John’s pupils at once, though it is rather a sudden change from the banks of the Granicus, where I left Alexander.

And there is another thing that I should like to know ie - the sum that will come to me both for the Pupils of St John and the Danvers Papers. The reason I ask is ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan, Thank you much for your kind answer. The second set of cameos is nearly all written, but the Monthly Packet must have the first turn of them and that will take a good while - about a year at shortest.

I am afraid you think me very idle about the Worthies. The truth is that my Mother has grown so infirm of late that I have less time than usual, and that time I ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan I enclose a receipt with many thanks, and rejoicings that the books still continue to prosper. I should be finishing another Worthy today if I had not five young cousins spending the day with me, but at any rate old Curius Dentatus will come before the end of the week, I chose him as the representative of the old hardy uneducated peasant king that the first Romans were. Then comes Scipio for the ... continue reading

My dear Arthur I am greatly satisfied about ci, reasoning from the tendency to use there in old English as in the case of thereof for which its is a barbarous substitute. The complication of Italian pronouns of all sorts is very curious, and makes me wish Italian had a Brachiet. I suppose someone will soon do a good comparative grammar for these unfortunate moderns. I wish you would.

I am sure I have a defence for ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik I cannot at all tell whether this is the right length, as the only ‘Golden Treasuries’ I have seen are my own and I do not think they have introductions.

I can easily add biographical details if you wish it to be longer - but I like to write to my own sense of the needs of the subject and to add or diminish afterwards as required.

Do you know whether Mrs Ritchie is abroad. ... continue reading