My dear Driver I rather doubted about sending you Cyrus, because, as you will see, he does not stand alone, but is a chapter of general history and therefore is not very minute, nor has he been written more than once, so that you must excuse numerous deficiencies and please to let me have him again. To my shame be it spoken I have not read Clarendon; we ought to have read him aloud ... continue reading

You really must beg, borrow or steal something to help me. After this winter I shall get on better, but there are The Two Guardians and the Landmarks of History to finish before I can feel really at ease in giving my mind to this affair. I am rather afraid of spoiling the Landmarks by getting into a hurry. If you can send me something, I think we could meet the ... continue reading

No. III. is in clover. I have had something of some sort almost every day lately, and am not at all afraid of the 60 pages.

. . . Sir Guy Morville considers himself much honoured by your invitation, and as much as there is or will be by that time of him shall attend you. It will be a real kindness to take him out of my reach, for he is such ... continue reading

Thank you, I have seen the Times. Sir William Heathcote told me there was such an article, but he had not had time to read it, so I had to wait till morning in doubt whether it would be knock-down one, and it was rather a relief that it was not all abuse. It is very amusing to see how Miss Wellwood comes in for exactly the same abuse as if she was ... continue reading

My dear Miss Butler Thank you for your message. I do not think Rudolf requires to return to you for he stands so much alone that he only needs to be taken out.

Thanks too for the derivations, I shall trouble you with plenty more, I have no doubt, when I am at home with my list, and see my way out of the Latin derived names. I am to go home this afternoon after ... continue reading

Dear Miss Roberts, I enclose a paper sent by my archaeological acquaintance with all the information he could gather respecting the Ragged Staff, I hope it is what you wanted.

I am sorry for your want of success with the Garland. My father is going to London for a day or two early next week, and will see Parker, He says if you would trust us with a specimen of the illustrations and explain your plans as ... continue reading

Dear, good old slave, How nice and kind and understanding your letter was, and how thankful one should be for such friends! ...

The worst will be over when we hear from Julian, poor boy! Till then it seems like bearing the first stroke. But I am sure it fell mercifully as far as we were concerned, and the flow of feelings that meet us from all is very gratifying.

I believe my uncle, always living in his ... continue reading

Mamma told you of the wonderful début of Violet. I only wonder whether she will thrive as well when the critics have set their claws on her; the home critics are very amusing in their variety and ‘characteristicalness’ (there's a word!).

My Colonel correspondent complains of the babies . . . .Sir W. Heathcote says the will would not stand; Judge Coleridge falls foul of the geography of the Lakes; and so ... continue reading

My dear Miss Butler ‘Likes and Dislikes’ are beginning at last you see, and here is the first chapter of them, looking very inviting.

We have had great enjoyment in a visit from your cousin Elizabeth, I only wish her back was stronger. Are you meditating any travels this summer, the Packet wonders in rather an interested mood. By the by, if you have any idea, I should be glad to know what sort ... continue reading

My dear Miss Butler Many thanks for the chapter of Likes and Dislikes, which brings out Emilys moral very satisfactorily. I should not like it to be the absolute last, and should quite wish to continue her history after an interval. How would it be - if we were to continue the story next July year - if we may venture to look so far forward, and if it do not suit you better ... continue reading

My dear Miss Butler I enclose with the Packet’s warm thanks the pay for Likes & Dislikes. I am so glad to think of the continuation for I think the notion of setting Emily to tame young ladies running to seed an excellent one.

Miss Sturges Bourne has just been conducting a sick cousin to Wiesbaden, and thinking with much diversion of Helen. She was near going to Marienbad itself which would have been amusing. ... continue reading

The place we are in is a sight in itself - an old house of the Knight Hospitallers, which the great Ormond converted into an Irish Chelsea, making the Commander of the Forces the Master. It is built round a quadrangle, with a cloister, a chapel, and great hall, all in Louis XIV. style . . . this house occupying one side, with the hall and chapel, the house of the Chaplain, ... continue reading

It is nine years since I had been here. . . . All is much the same, and the ways of the house, sounds and sights, walks and church-going, are all unaltered. And there is all the exceeding pleasure of the old terms, the playful half teasing and scolding, and being set down for nonsense, and oh, above all, Uncle Yonge - having more of the father to me than ... continue reading

That visit was on the whole so delicious, and leaves such a sunny impression on my mind, that it is strange to remember the spots of yearning recollection and the great pang of going away. Not that I was not glad to get back . . .but when one looked back to the last time of parting in the full hope of being together the next year, and remembered that nine ... continue reading

The folk here, are quite on my side about ‘Debonnaire.’ In the first place, the King was so called as synonymous with Pious, according to Sismondi, and the proper original meaning of this word seems to have been ‘gracious,’ in which sense it is constantly applied to the best of the knights. Modern French has debased it, and given it of late the sense of weakness.... In English it decidedly means ... continue reading

My dear Miss Butler

I am ashamed not to have answered you sooner, but alas it is too late for May or June either so long beforehand does the Packet make itself up. If you had put me in mind of it in February, I could have provided, now I fear we must wait till cuckoo time next year, and pray let me have the papers so early in the spring as to be able to ... continue reading

My dear Miss Bourne,

I believe I sent you a queer incoherent note yesterday, but we were so glad to find the hospital taken up in that quarter that there was an immediate impulse of writing, not very rationally carried out I suspect. Now after seeing your note to M A D I will begin with Ploughing and Sowing about which I thought I had told you long ago. 'My Life' does not write from it, ... continue reading

I hope you have Eugénie de Guérin. You are one of the people to like her especially and extremely, with her sweet religious, pastoral spirit and . . . devotion to her brother. I am exceedingly in love with her myself.

My dear Arthur Here is the chapter of polyglote, - Whether the Grimmsnomoscope could be added thereto, or you would like it, is another question, the primary one being whether the presumptuous Polly has made any flagrant mistakes. She is very much obliged to you and hopes she is not very troublesome.

I hope you found Tim convalescent under the care of his devoted nurse.

I had an amusing dinner party that evening, my neighbours being [[person:2033]Lord ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Butler At last I can send you the small amount for your Snow Queen She was a long time waiting before I could get her in, but she looks very pretty in the number.

I had the pleasure of seeing Grace Guinness last month, and hearing of my dear Lizzie, who is really a wonder, I wish Emma was as well!

yours sincerely C M Yonge

Your husband will be sorry to hear that the beautiful Common ... continue reading

Dearest Lizzie- Here am I writing to you out upon the lawn under the pleasant shade of the berberis. There ought to be a nightingale singing, for one lives at the corner, but he is a lazy bird, and year after year always is nearly silent after the first fortnight, though yesterday I not only heard but saw his fellow singing with all his might in a young oak, making his tail and wings quiver.

I had ... continue reading

My dearest Lizzie- We had found all your names among the 5200 in the wonderful book all bound with daisies down the back, which came as a great surprise, two Moberlys leaving it and Queen Margherita at the door, and then whisking off so that they were not recognised or followed up. However, I have had a few days with them in their home at Salisbury and heard all the ins and outs and how it ... continue reading

Dear Mr.Maddison How shall I thank you enough for writing to me much that I might never have known, though Miss Barnett promises to send me some of the letters she has had. Poor thing, the tower of strength is gone, and she has lived in and for those two so long that I cannot think that her frail body will stand such a shock. I am glad you told me that she does ... continue reading

My dear Emma I may write a Sunday letter to say how much it has been to me to read such a record of the good old days of Nest, and all the wonderful ‘go’ there was at Wantage. It was like the sparkling stream, and the clear, still, reflecting pool, both equally pure, but one full of ripples, broken but bright, and the other silent and meditative. And what a development! Certainly ... continue reading

J.F.O. slept here last night to assist at the opening of Mr. Randall's church at Clifton, to which we have been this morning. The Bishop of Salisbury, Dr. Moberly, preached most beautifully about the Shadow and the Image. Mr. Skinner is also here for it. . . Those who stayed for the luncheon are full of enthusiasm, and say it was most successful, and that the two Bishops spoke ... continue reading

My dear Mrs White

Miss Barnett’s niece, Emma Butler, who is here tells me that her Aunt is intending to write an account of your Convalescent home, so that I suppose she is only waiting for time. If she should fail, I should be very happy to have the account from yourself – or perhaps you have settled it with her – I am afraid my vote for Earlswood is disposed of

Yours sincerely C M Yonge

My dear Lizzie

Beatrice Morshead wrote to me on Saturday, so that I had her letter at the same time as yours. I had heard from Miss Bourne the day before this change. Beatrice's letter seemed as if there was a little more revival, and it seems now to be possible that there may be more vitality even now than we thought. But one cannot wish for aught but rest. There was something ... continue reading

My dear Lizzie

. . . I see in the paper the death of a third Sumner within a few months; I hope our Archdeacon won't be the next. His wife was a Heywood, and is very valuable. They have given up Alresford and come for good to the Close, and are very useful. Christabel Coleridge has been here. The Princesses give great satisfaction at Torquay, where they walk about ... continue reading

My dear Lizzie-

. . . Yes, I saw the Spectator on Chantry House, but indeed I did not put in the ghost for the sake of variety or sensation, but to work out my own belief and theory. I could tell you things I quite believe that chime with it. One I must tell, not that it is a ghost probably, it is so curious. The poor people in the Torquay outskirts think a ... continue reading

My dear Lizzie

Thank you for your kind letter. This is the dear Mrs. Gibbs's burial day, and I have been prevented from keeping it properly by Mr. Brock suddenly knocking up this morning with neuralgia and sick headache. If it had only begun yesterday he would have got help on such a great Saint's day; but that is not to the purpose. We knew what was coming for nearly a month; ... continue reading

My dear Lizzie

Things are coming all right; Mary Coleridge will be ready for me on the 29th, so I shall have the week before for sights of the dear people.

Here am I writing letters instead of decorating, for I have got laid up with an attack of shingles; however, as it began on Sunday, though I did not know what it was, I hope it will soon finish off.

I wish someone (not a ... continue reading

consciously – in extremity breaks his heart over it and is converted by his failure. I have had my head very full of it. I want to know what you think of the Apples of Sodom, for we have various controversies about it, Christabel thinks the one religious man becoming morbid and accustomed a mistake and likely to promote the popular fancy about good men and clergy, and Miss Bramston says ... continue reading

My dear Lizzie-

. . . It is of no use to debate about W. E. G. You know even dear M. A. and I had to avoid the subject, so I am not likely to be more convinced now of anything but that he deceives himself most of all, and takes love of power and popularity and hatred of Conservatives for love of right.

I have the outline of a story for the Xmas ... continue reading

I have been reading an article in the National Review, showing how utterly Carlyle misquoted Cromwell’s speeches, and absolutely neglected shoals of contemporary papers which would have spoilt his conceptions of his idol. It is curious, but really, poor old Carlyle must have been a good deal of a humbug for all his bluster.

I do not think the mass of the world is as morally bad as it was then [in the Middle Ages]. The great saints and the great sinners are much alike in all times, I suppose, and I am afraid there are fewer ignorant, simple saints. But I think the goodness of mediaeval times is altogether a delusion; and though I do not like ‘progress cant,’ I think the good should be owned, ... continue reading