My dear Miss Smith,

I should be very sorry to let the tardiness of the Monthly Packet stand in the way of your Two Beauties so I hope you will offer them elsewhere, and find them successful. There is such a quiet prettiness about them that I am sure they ought to do. And I always have a sense of guiltiness is keeping a thing so long by me, so that I shall be quite relieved ... 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 Florence,

Many thanks to you and your friend for your kindness about the pantomime. I am sorry however to say that I do not think it will quite do. I suppose it is the sort of thing to be done not so much by a regular narrative of the scenes as by some clever sketch such as perhaps takes an older hand. I hope it will not be a disappointment, but I think from ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

I am sorry to say your story, even with a little abridging, comes to 63 pp, and as that is nearly a quarter of the Christmas no. I had to give it up with another which I liked almost as well, but was 53 pp, so I am afraid I must keep it waiting for the end of Paul and Virginia and put it into the regular M P. I like your ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

Thank you much I will keep the story for the final selection. I think the mistake is excellently done, but I am not sure that the girls’ taking the journey on purpose to defy Mr Ritchie is not too dreadful.

I am so glad you have brought out Dulcibella again

yours sincerely C M Yonge

Sir I am obliged to you for forwarding the cheque for £25 for the first edition of the Two Guardians.

I am at present too much engaged to think of publishing anything in the Churchman’s Companion, though I am obliged to you for the proposal.

Yours sincerely C M Yonge

My dear Miss Smith, I meant to have written to you on Saturday, but was hindered. On the whole I think I should say that your case was more disappointing and vexatious than anything else, and that Mr Mozley though his conduct is decidedly provoking did not exactly deserve such strong censure.

You see his view of the case is that if a book do not answer it is no particular pleasure to anyone, ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan

One of my very first ventures in publishing was ‘Kenneth: or the Rear Guard of the Grand Army’. J.H. Parker of Oxford published it, on the half profits system, I retaining the copyright. There were two or three editions but it has gone out of print, though I am sometimes asked how to get it.

Also, about 1850 and 52, Masters published Henrietta’s Wish, and the Two Guardians, republished from the Churchman’s Companion. Both ... continue reading