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,

It is a pleasure to have such a letter so answered, after feeling quite uncomfortable to have sent it off. Now I think I must copy off what a very able friend of mine says of the reading of Aggesden, apropos to the Saturday ‘I think that they (the SR) admire Aggesden & in fact it seems to me as little to design a moral as a plot.I should say there was ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith,

Thanks for the continuation, some of which we like very much, but I have a good deal to say about it, which is all the easier to do, as you tell me you were thinking of making some alterations in the re writing. First - to begin with what struck us in its order. Grandpapa’s account of his own youth is a little dull and I do not think his history of ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

I am glad I know you are at home that I may send you not lost but found. I have, as you desired me, taken great liberties with the correction. I think that what I have chiefly to observe is that you have here and there made it obscure by elliptical writing, and that you must beware of now which comes very often over, and I used, by my home critic, to ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

I did not write about the last part of the Websters as you kindly said you would take silence for an acknowledgement, until I had finished them, as I did last night, having been hindered by many interruptions.

We have been much interested in them, and think great part very good [sic] - Grace and Harold, and the early part of George and Grace especially, but somehow the parts do not perfectly ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

I did not write yesterday because the parcel was not come, but it is here all safe this morning though I can only testify to the beautiful clear MS as yet. It was rather over weight, which perhaps was the reason of the delay. I think it is possible this may account for the lamented loss of the Wynnes, as the post will not convey things beyond a certain amount overweight. I ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith

Thanks many - not that I meant to be paid when I mentioned it only to avoid the loss of MSS - I shall be very glad to have them as they are ready, and if you write with them, I will not answer without occasion. I believe an odd number of stamps is always wrong - but 4 will carry almost anything one wants to send. You are right that one ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith,

I think this story is one of the most complete you have yet done. Mr Franklyn’s self debates are excellent, and dear little Mary beautiful, the wicked part very touching By the by you should do something with the /Michaels mother. She must be mentioned somehow- on his return, or else have died. I think if she had, she would be a great riddance out of Victoria’s way, and besides ... 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 Christabel

There is a nice little life of the Black Prince by Louise Creighton in Rivington’s series of Biographies. Also G P R James wrote a nice long romantic life of him which might be in old libraries, and Canon Warburton has a life of Edward III in Longman’s Epochs of history. I can’t understand about the grown man schools, but Mr Green is pretty sure to be right. I cannot ... 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 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

My dear Miss Smith The end of Aggesden does not at all disappoint me, I think Frank's gradual self conquest beautifully done, and John not at all less charming than at first. Mary is a very good lesson altogether, and very nicely done. And now for the subject of those two troublesome verbs to lie and to lay. I observe you say 'he lay down his head' and 'I must lay down all ... 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 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

My dear Miss Smith I should say if you made it, his squire, it would do. One says - Oh his squire is Sir Charles or Lord H - meaning that such a relation exists between landowner and parson - though on the other hand the gentleman may not be exactly an Esquire. It is rather a cockney printer’s objection, but there is some sense in it. Sir Hector belongs to the Squirearchy, ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith Parker has sent me the two pretty volumes of Aggesden, and very nice they look in print. I hope they will succeed for it is a very pretty story, and I think all it wants is more attention on your part to composition as a study. I do think, if you will allow me to say so, that to make your pretty narratives take thoroughly you should go carefully through ... continue reading

My dear Miss Smith, If I had not been very busy yesterday I should then have written to welcome your offer of sending me your story to read. We should like to have it very much, but as I shall be from home next week, would you be so kind as not to send it till Christmas Eve? Then I shall hope to begin it on the Monday. I daresay its destination ... continue reading