My dear Miss Smith, I have been a long time in answering you and thanking you for your story, but I wanted to finish reading it that I might tell you at once all I thought about it. And now I have 1st to enclose you a cheque for the amount due to you for ‘Who will come & do likewise,’ the praises of which I hear on every side; and next to congratulate you on ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith I am sure it is due that you should have the reading of this letter and the administration of the £10 as you must know much better how to reach the destitute families than I do, and the donor will I am sure be well pleased to hear it is in the hands of Frances Dysart’s author. If you will be so kind as to undertake it, I will write to her ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith,

I think your answer is a very wise one, and quite what I can understand. I am sure with all the poor I have known unusual help unless on some very pressing occasion would be anything but really beneficial, but the three old couples might be most happily provided, and I hope Mrs Elphinstone may choose that way of spending the sum. I will put what you say before her, thank you ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

Here is a note for Mr Bourne that I hope may do good service. I am not inclined to augur ill from the selling off of Aggesden, for of course tales do cease to sell after a time, and Parker certainly has published three or four one volume ones since his son’s death, such as Baby Bianca, Martha Brown, or the Queen’s Maries.

I am glad you will kill Mrs Forrest, only recollect ... continue reading

My dear Miss Bourne, Our difficulties are so far lessened that the married servant I mentioned once to you can come for a few months to teach both house and kitchen work, so I do not think we shall take a laundress unless some very splendid ready made article should turn up, as we do not want to have too many people about, & hope to keep Mrs Attwood till after June, for the sake of ... continue reading

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

My dear Miss Smith I hope and trust the tale is safe, I sent it off with the letter on Saturday, in a brown paper cover and a shilling stamp which our post office told me was the sufficient sum. If it be not come, we must write to the General Post Office but I hope to hear it is all right, as I know the book post will sometimes detain a heavy parcel for a ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith, I enclose the Greenwich division of Frances. You see necessity drove me into splitting her into smaller fractions than I like, but I could not help it, and I can give you a most notable account of her popularity, everyone is delighted with her, and most especially those who are used to work of her description, which is the very best testimony to her excellent portrait painting. I hope you ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith Here is £8..4 for your kind help in the course of the last half year. I think Frances has been entirely successful. The sole criticism I have heard is that she might have found plenty of misery at the West End - but then as her father was a landowner in the East, I think she had every call thither.

Thank you for your promise of a story for that far ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith, I am sorry this came just too late to send to you at home as you wished. It was too late to write and hurry the people at Derby to print it, so I could only wait for the chance of its coming in time. The last thing I heard about it was from the writer of the Cheshire Pilgrims Frances Dysart is delightful. I am glad you ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith I was on a visit in Devonshire when your note reached me, or I would sooner have written to thank you for telling me of the commencement of the printing of Aggesden Vicarage. I suppose Mr Parker intends to have it out in the ‘publishing season’ at Christmas, and I hope it will progress.

Frances Dysart has given unmitigated satisfaction except by coming to an end, everyone likes and admires her, ... continue reading