My dear Henrietta

You have indeed had much sorrow during these two years, and you must be feeling it deeply, a kind aunt is such a treasure in ones life. It has been a strange year of death – the same post brought me tidings of the death of a little godson of mine who had long been hovering between life and death from the remains of scarlet fever, - his little sister two years ... continue reading

My dear Christabel I hope you have the Barnacle by this time. It was to set off on the 2nd having been detained to have sufficient time for pressing. Thanks for your answers which are the first to come for that set of questions, and so serve as the next egg. I think you must be very sorry to leave St Marks and its beautiful services. I am afraid you cannot hope to equal them any ... continue reading

My dear Cobweb, I should not have bothered you about your questions this month but that Chelsea China told me that your Mother was so much better that she thought you would be able to do them or rather ask them- and as it is so we shall get the order of things right again.

I think the two questions that will make the most variety would be the history of the Knights’ [sic] Templars and the ... continue reading

My dear Cobweb, I am staying here with the Secretary and we both give our parting greetings to one of our oldest original members. I wonder if you will ever have time to continue the Composer series in the Barnacle- I remember when Christabel told me how many lives you proposed, I was rather alarmed for the chance of the Barnacle living long enough to contain them all.

If you wish still to see the said ... continue reading

My dear Christabel Photography must certainly turn you into a most pensive mood. You are a great contrast to the solid jolly damsel in the old Gosling book. Your Ridge is very good. I will send it round with the answers, but as yet I have had no answers but Cricket and Lady bird, and the Turks cap has been so ill used that she has had neither questions answers nor Barnacle, this time – so ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Johns, I suppose you are enjoying a Christmas rest, indeed I almost expect to hear that Mr Johns is spending his holiday on a visit to Katie. The business of my note is however to tell Katie or ask you to be so kind as to tell her, that we are having a great revolution in the state of goosedom. Some goslings having grown lazy and some outgrown it, there is to be ... continue reading

My dear Frances, Is this a very outrageous thing I am going to propose. You must know Goosedom has had a shock and a revolution, chiefly induced by Mildred Coleridge having no time for it and her aunt therefore losing her interest in it. So after having very nearly broken up, we are beginning again in a more brilliant manner, and the thing is would you condescend to be a Gosling. All you would have to ... continue reading

My dear Cobweb, You have been very ill used, but first Fanny Patteson was here, and I was idle, and since that I have not been well and have been more idle. The Acrostic is capital – I always like those that are all quotation- and I am very glad to see the composers going on, this last is a very entertaining piece

Pray excuse my great stupidity your affectionate Mother Goose

My dear Christabel, I should not have been so ungrateful if I had not been laid up, first by being deluded into eating some Scallop fish that everybody else flourished upon, and then by a wicked chair, which cast its hind leg as I was sitting down on it, and strained my back - Not till lately have I had the energy to pack up the Answers and write to you. I shall be very thankful ... continue reading

My dear Christabel I send you the Barnacle. I had thought of keeping it for May, but as she does not come till the 6th, it would be too long. After all the sheets of the Caged Lion have got bound up wrong by my fault, for I forgot to number the pages. I have now numbered them and put a notice that the reader must manage accordingly The difficulty in keeping always the same order ... continue reading

My dear Christabel I think they were rather dull questions this time and they have not produced brilliant answers but your tradition is by far the best. Poor Florence strained her back, and cannot do anything for either answers or Barnacle though she is getting better- and some of the Goslings are abroad and some visiting.

I hope your Changeling is coming, as the Barnacle will be very thin. I am keeping it to be bound ... continue reading

My dear Christabel I hope you did get my letter of thanks to Goosedom after all, though I was so stupid as not to direct it to you at your friend’s, it was a stupid letter in itself, but I was very much hurried at the time, and could not even write to you with it and since that I have been quite laid up, though I am promised that the result is to be getting ... continue reading

My dear Christabel Here is the September Barnacle – the binder has really made it so, though it ought to be the Midsummer one. I suppose that great MS ought to go round with it as I suppose no one would have patience to copy it out in the right size It was very stupid and this thin Barnacle would be much the better for it. Will you put in a note to that effect when ... continue reading

My dear Florence The constituent parts of the New Barnacle don’t come in fast, but I know there are a few more to come for vol. xvii. If enough do come in to be worth binding, I think I must leave it in your charge. I send you what I have already come in for it, and please keep it to see whether there comes enough in addition to use. If there does, I will write ... continue reading

My dear Christabel I am sorry not to have written to you before, but I could not get time before. It does seem to me good time for a story again, but do you not think the Proverb foundation has been rather much worked and could not the subject be proposed in some other way. For instance suppose they were set to Write a story shewing the difference between Romance and Sentiment Only that cuts up ... continue reading

My dear Christabel Thank you much for Giftie. She looks very pretty and I like her picture. Yes, we will, if we can, have a Christmas Barnacle. I have one capitally illustrated paper for it already from Sparrow Hawk.

Shall we send out the Questions for December, or January, I mean shall they go New Years day, or the month before?

I think we are to have a new Gosling -

Emma Butler Wantage Vicarage Berks.

Would you send her the rules, ... continue reading

My dear Christabel Here is another Gosling for us, and I should think a good one. She is a granddaughter of Dr Arnold her father being Mr T Arnold, and Frances Peard knows her well, which is almost equivalent to an introduction to a [sic turn of page] I send you her letter that you may see the nature of the bird and also consider of the Guernsey goose. I think we had better have her ... continue reading

My dear Christabel I see no reason against a Barnacle if you have time to edit it. I am afraid I have not, but I think it would be a very pleasant renewal and very good for Goosedom. I shall be very glad of your last century story, with the proviso

Patience cousin and shuffle the cards. which would not be a bad proverb to write on.

Mrs Johns is well again I was at Winton ... continue reading

The first instalment of Barnacle is come

Yours affectionately C M Yonge

. . . Barnacle article rather in the style of the Spring of the poets, and we wanted you to laugh with us. I think you know the Gattys, so I conclude you do not want an autograph from that quarter.

I am glad Dr Harris was able to go to George’s wedding, but I shall be glad to hear that he is safe back again Poor Hursley has been very forlorn all the ... continue reading