My dear Miss Warren,

Many thanks for your three letters and their enclosures. I am very glad the Society has taken it up, for not only will it now be cheaper and better got up, but it is a relief from responsibility - Miss Goodrich is personally known to Mr Evans, and has written a good many little books and tracts for the SPCK -'The cross bearer' - Faith Ashwin, the Chamois Hunters &c- Fanny Wilbraham ... continue reading

My dear Louisa, I am so much obliged to you for that letter, I think the giving a set of necessary tables to be learnt by heart is an excellent idea which I had not thought of. I had come to your conclusion about questions. I had been always used to them with school children, but Helen and Arthur have minds and memories awake enough not to want to be badgered with questions. The plan I ... continue reading

Miss Yonge is glad to be able to inform Mr Hoskins that the 1st volume of the Beginnings of Church history is nearly printed and will soon be out. A large number of orders for it is the only way of cheapening it. Miss Yonge fears the Societies would not accept the book without omissions to which she could not consent.

My dear Mr Palgrave

You will think there is no end to the books I am doing, but the National Society has set me on making a historical Reader for schools interspersed - after Reader fashion with poems. May I have an extract from your verses about Charles’s flight. They are so much easier than Wordsworth’s sonnet- and may I borrow one or two more from that same book? The Montfort one, I think but I ... continue reading

My dear Mr Warburton

I am afraid that when I think of myself as teaching Standards V and VI I feel your first sections somewhat alarming - though perhaps they are not harder than some of the extracts in the advanced Readers and my country children may be no fair criterion

I do not think that the narrative part is so difficult, but in the generalising. What makes it delightful reading to us - the allusions, ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

I do not like to lay more revising on your eyes, but since you propose it, I think it would be safer. Armigel’s surname is a very undetermined matter, though I think you mean it to be Griffiths, by which I think Gladys is rather victimized. I think it will be certainly better to omit the engagement which does spoil the generosity of the act, and has not been prepared ... continue reading

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

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 have just heard to my consternation that there is a book called A Quest of Ulysses, a novel published a year or two ago.

Is it too late to change the name to A Modern Telemachus?

I have I hope got upon the scent of the original French narrative, so I must keep the preface waiting till I find whether I can get it.

The National Society think the [[cmybook:189]book about the ... continue reading

Dear Sir

I think it would be well to send me a set of sheets of What to Read, that I might add to them or cancel them on occasion. I know there are some good books of this winter not added, and Goldhanger Woods, and I have not seen a sheet since before Christmas. I am afraid the books may be forgotten and omitted if I do not set them down soon

Yours &c C M Yonge

My dear Dr Freeman,

How very kind in you, and as you say what a pity I did not know of it in time The history of the thing is this one of the sons of my very old friend, Sir William Heathcote is in Allens firm - He asked me to write one of their eminent women series and as I know Roberts’s history as one knows the Sunday books of one’s youth, I took ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Drew

No book ever was quite equal to the Conversations with Cousin Rachel, which I believe Masters still publishes. It may here and there seem rather antiquated, but the solid part is of all times. Then there is a little book called ‘Girls’ - published by Skeffington, and one by Lady Barker, published by Hatchard in connection with G F Sfr. I cannot recollect its name, but Hatchard’s list gives it.

As to fiction, ... continue reading

My dear Miss Bourne

Indeed I would gladly if I could, but months ago Professor Freeman asked me to come and see Hannah Mores villages, and hear his recollections of her, and the time has fixed itself for next week, and after that comes harvest - and dedication feasts - and Mission Guild meeting, and I am afraid I cannot do it though I am very sorry not to see you again this year before ... continue reading

My dear Mr Freeman,

Your letter followed me, on an expedition to Salisbury, where I have been seeing ‘the moot’. They had a moot there with the speakers at the summer house, and the people on the terraces, before one of the Elections, and the voices were perfectly heard. The art of hearing has been lost or rather that of making places to be heard in.

I have changed all the peas into pease. I ... continue reading

My dear Anne Thank you for your letter. I am very sorry you feel so deplorable and still more sorry that our last conversation should have been such as to leave an uncomfortable impression on your mind I am afraid it was all my fault and I am particularly sorry to have talked in such a manner as to make you think I meant to set myself up for an example which was far ... continue reading

Dear Sir I should think Miss Knapp’s story would have every chance of attention if you recommended it to Mr Duncan in person, I have always found that literary work stands on its own merits and on the actual opening for it.

I feel quite sure no recommendation from me would be of half the use of your requesting Canon Duncan to let his reader judge of the M S. That is where the real decision lies, ... continue reading

Dearest Lizzie- Here am I writing to you out upon the lawn under the pleasant shade of the berberis. There ought to be a nightingale singing, for one lives at the corner, but he is a lazy bird, and year after year always is nearly silent after the first fortnight, though yesterday I not only heard but saw his fellow singing with all his might in a young oak, making his tail and wings quiver.

I had ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik In a day or two you will receive from the National Society a story of mine called Grisly Grisell. It was written for them, but has turned out too historical for their purpose, and as a tale was wanted to be coupled with ‘The Rubies of St Lo’ I think it will serve the purpose. Mr George Macmillan knows all about the Rubies, which are in the Christmas number of the Monthly Packet.

Grisly ... continue reading

My dear C C Do you want Campbell’s Highland tales? I dont think there is anything bearing on Arthur in them he was quite Cymric not Gaelic. I sent the two Mags for young yesterday. Shall I write notices of SPCK’s books? They are not a good lot thus far as I have read, and there are two by Miss E Finnimore, the Postwoman and Uncle Isaac’s will that I am ... continue reading

My dear C C I confess that though I mourn over the Manes of the M P I am personally a little relieved, for I was considering what I could honestly personally undertake or allow my name to be used for, in relation first to Truth, secondly in public spirit to the Church and girlhood, and thirdly in justice to kind helpers and endeavours for a fresh start. Helen has been reading the early volumes ... continue reading

My dear C C Thank you for Crispin I was glad of him for we are feeding Alethea with light literature, she having broken down, with nothing the matter but a course of overwork after the influenza- first the children’s measles, then going to Holmwood to lodgings with the children, no nursery maid, and the lady nurse not looking after her, or doing nursery maid’s work and then a good deal to do at ... continue reading

Dear Mrs Drew, I am almost certain that the Little Duke and the Lances of Lynwood are published in chapter form for school children’s reading and our schoolmistress told us she had seen Kenneth advertised as abridged for School reading - I know Arnold wrote to me for permission and I told him he might use it, if he could arrange with Parker of Oxford, who published it when I knew nothing of arrangements. Macmillan has ... continue reading