My dear Miss Warren,

The Lecture has not yet found its way to me, but I hope it soon will. I know there is no reason for mistrusting the post in such cases as a family party generally takes a good while in all sucking the marrow of anything of the sort, especially if it be in M S, and as I do not think we are likely to be interrupted for a long time there ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan, I sent the drawing by the train yesterday. It was very dull of me not to have seen that it was a drawing. Our only other criticism is that a touch or two might make the little Duke’s limbs more child like.

As a matter of fact I believe the Normans did not wear beards, but I only found this out long after the book was out, so book and beard must both stand ... continue reading

Dear Miss Yonge I am very sorry to have missed you when you called today.

I will take my chance of finding you at Mr Gibbs tomorrow between 12 & 1 & will bring the MS which is at the printer with me.

After much searching my clerk, whom I sent to Piles Coffee House could not recover the story about the little girl I wonder if you will be able to find it

Karamsin has been translated ... continue reading

My dear Mr Macmillan I can quite enter into what you say of that first chapter’s meagreness. There were things I wanted to keep in reserve, and I do not think one’s mind gets so worked up to the point /at first as after having gone through all the preliminaries and preparation. I wanted to keep Bethlehem by daylight /on the Gleaning of Right for the Anointing of David, and therefore made less of the scenery ... continue reading

My dear Miss Yonge, It is most kind of you to take my crude criticism in so good part. I did think of the parts, and your possible motive in dwelling on the opening chapter in the slight way you have done. Still with an eye to what is coming I cannot but think that the opening should be fuller, more sonorous and in a higher key. But I have asked Mr Clay to let ... continue reading

My dear Mr Macmillan,

Thank you for Mr Trevelyan’s Cawnpore, which will I am sure be terribly engrossing reading.

I waited to write both because I was trying to satisfy myself with the beginning of Moses, and because I wanted to see what the London Library would send me. And the latter is just at present - Nothing, so I should be very much obliged if you would lend me Stanley’s Sermons in Palestine and Thomson’s and ... continue reading

My dear Miss Sewell, I have meant to write to you for a long time past, but you know how one’s good intentions fail one when one is holiday making. However my holiday comes to an end tomorrow, and I hope to be heartily at work again next week. Meantime, I ought to have long ago confessed that it was all a delusion of mine about that Lanfranc article. John Coleridge had meant to write one, ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan, Would you be so kind as to send an order for me for Sir F. Palgraves History of Normandy and England. I cannot get my Cameo’s [sic] correct without it, and Dr Moberly’s copy on which I reckoned proves to be packed up for leaving Winchester so as to be unobtainable. I can do nothing till I get it, and though I could order it from the London Library, one is kept often ... continue reading

My dear Mr Macmillan, Miss Sewell is in want of a volume of Milmans Latin Christianity which the London Library does not send. She will write to you which it is and perhaps you could kindly cause it to be sent to her. I cant think what Clay meant by our delaying the proofs for we had never done so.

I have never had any of Heartsease to put the headings to the pages.

Yours sincerely C M ... continue reading

My dear Miss Sewell, Here is a demand from the London library for you. I hope you have done with the book.

The weather shews that you were wise. I hope to see you as soon as it looks more mild

Yours sincerely C M Yonge

My dear Mr Macmillan

What I have by me in the way of authorities are the Universal History Lady Calcott’s in English and in Spanish a life of the Cid - Perez de Hyta (whence Washington Irving took his material, but which is only romance) and old Madiema - who is alarming - as he hardly ever has a paragraph, and when he does put a date, does not use figures!

I have picked out a ... continue reading

My dear Mr Macmillan

Very hearty thanks for your kind letter, I will thankfully correct my own careless blunders, of which I know three. I have sent to the London Library for one or two of the authorities but ‘Dahn’s great work’ is not there at all, unless it is more recent than my catalogue, and I don’t think I could properly understand it if I had it

I will keep to the old lines of the ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik

I am very happy to accept your offer of £25 for the Australian edition of Chantry House.

I wish I could disinter A Citizen’s account of the Bristol riots of 1832. It is referred to in the Life of Bishop Gray and said to be excellent; but I could not get it from the London Library, and I wish I could see it before the proofs of that Chapter of Chantry House are irrevocable.

Yours ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik

Mudie’s books have come at last, after spending ten days on the road. Greville is there. And the Queen’s Journals.

Shall I return you the latter from the London Library.

I ought to have the Proofs of the Quest of Ulysses. I know I put Lord Balmerino into the wrong rebellion which is as bad as putting Dunfermline on the wrong side of Scotland as I did in Unknown to History.

So much for not verifying!

There ... continue reading

Dear Mr Bullock, Here I send Archbishop Sancroft, hoping he is the right length. Miss Strickland’s Seven Bishops made it rapid work.

Have you thought of Frampton - a non juror, though not in time to be added to the 7. I have a life of him and could write it. I have just had your letter. I do not much incline to Sir R Fanshaw. I had his wife’s book long ago, and lost ... continue reading

Miss Yonge returns the books she has had of late, and would be glad to have the undermentioned sent to her

Richardson’s Clarissa Ottilie Wildemuth Heimath der Frau

Bucknill Psychology of Shakespeare

Aytoun Ballads of Scotland

Wilson Memoirs of Edinburgh

Mme D’Arblay Life

The Poor Artist

Wilmott’s Journal of Summer time in Country

My dear Miss Sewell (What a horrible pen) We shall be very glad to see you whenever you can come to us in the autumn. We have no engagement in the way. I will try to get the life of St Bernard – but the London Library but I cannot say it is better than other libraries for the ease of getting books. wonder if he is among Lamartine’s biographies some of which are telling, ... continue reading