My dear Marianne, It seems a long time since I have written - in fact Miss Wordsworth hardly let me do anything for talking. I have not taken to a person so much for a great while past; she is so good and so sensible, and, what I was far from expecting, so funny, and her fervent love and devotion to her father are so very charming, and her last evening she made such ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan

It is rather difficult to arrange the order of these books. Heartsease was out before the Daisy Chain indeed those four that I numbered first were meant to answer to the four Seasons, and ought to go together

In point of date, the Daisy Chain and the Young Stepmother are the next, but the Daisy Chain Trial and Pillars ought to come together

What is to be done about the lesser historical ones, ... continue reading

My dear Driver I never expected Henrietta to produce such pretty fruits. I am delighted with it. I wish you would give Linny Sintram to read, and see what she would make of it. Ours are hearing it with great satisfaction. The Tree was very successful; the gentlemen would come to look on, which made the children very silent, but they were exceedingly happy. Mr. Wither cut down the fruit, and there was much fun, ... continue reading

I was thinking of the Southey and Scott controversy, and wondering if the self-consciousness of the men had anything to do with the personality of their heroes, whether Sir Walter went any deeper into himself than into the rest of mankind, and whether Southey from looking at the outside of himself con amore did not get inside of other humans too. I always do think it a strange thing how one can care so ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith, I like it very much, and am exceedingly ready for some more, much wishing to know Johnny’s fate. Mr and Mrs Arnold are both admirable of their kind, and so is Mary. I am sure her like is often found, as I am afraid Frank’s is too - everybody can remember some dreadful boy before the age of chivalry. We delight too in Sir Hector and his daughter. I ... continue reading

Dear Madam As far as I can remember the first four tales were Redclyffe Heartsease Hopes and Fears Dynevor Terrace

because I meant them to have some sort of analogy to the four seasons

The Daisy Chain Trial are really connected, and the Pillars of the House came later but picked up on Countess Kate and the Daisy Chain in the course of the story -

Scenes and Characters had been written long before, but was taken up again in [[cmybook:184]Two Sides of ... continue reading

My dear C C No, you did not send me a notice of Red Pottage I am thankful you did not for that and Canon Lias would have been enough to tear M in C to pieces. However he thinks too much fuss is made about the MS in the brother’s house. Do you remember Edna Lyall subscribing to Bradlaugh from Canon Crowfoot’s house at Lincoln

But I think people with Consciences ought to ... continue reading