My dear Mrs. Norsworthy, I must write a few lines to thank you for your account of my dear old friend, who, I feel, is lying in the land of Beulah, though broken by these times of distress. It was something the same with good old Judge Patteson, father of the Bishop. He had a throat complaint that he knew must bring final choking. And when it had very nearly come, as he revived, he said, ... continue reading

My dear Anne It is a very long time since I have had such a nice long letter from you. I think the great Corfu news has given you a spur. It did take me very much by surprise though certainly if I had been asked to guess which of the Colbornes was going to be married, I should have said Jane, and you know she is at an age when two years of ... continue reading

My dear Mr Coleridge I am very much obliged to you for so kindly undertaking the enquiry at Goslings which must be the preliminary to any undertaking in the cause of the Bells. I would not however have given you the trouble of reading my thanks had I not been charged with a message to you from Mrs Keble She obtained a promise from Mrs Selwyn when in England that little John might ... continue reading

My dear Cousin, I have received at length from my father a distinct statement of what you have given to the Melanesian Mission. I had heard rumours before, and the Bishop of Wellington had spoken to me of your intentions, but the fact had not been regularly notified to us.

I think I know you too well to say more than this. May God bless you for what you have lent to Him, and ... continue reading

My dear Sir John,

I must thank you for the great pleasure you have given me by the tidings of this morning. It is the point to which we have so long worked forward that it seems as if a goal were attained though that goal be only the starting point for a severer race

It will be very remarkable if your Son’s Consecration and that of Archdeacon Mackenzie both the foremost truly Missionary Bishops should take ... continue reading

My dear Fanny,

I thought it might be more comfortable to you not to hear from me till the great stress of letters was over at first, and so that I would wait to write till I could send the precious letters. We took our turn the last, and so read them upon Friday, the very day one would have chosen above all others for it, the girding to the battle in that calm and self-devoted ... continue reading

How can I grieve and sorrow about my dear dear Father’s blessed end? . . . I shall like the photograph of Hursley Vicarage and Church, the lawn and group upon it. But most shall I like to think that Mr. Keble, and I dare say Dr. Moberly too, pray for me and this Mission. I need the prayers of all good people indeed.

My dear Cousin,

I do not like to leave New Zealand without sending a line to you. We sail probably in a week or two for Melanesia, and I hope to make a long voyage among many islands, leaving Revs. Pritt, Kerr, and Dudley, some in one place and some in another (including native teachers), visiting them frequently, so as to remove them, if rendered desirable by fever, ague, or other causes.

You know my feeling about ... continue reading

My dear Cousin,

This date, from this place, will surprise you. We returned yesterday, after a short voyage of only three months. I had arranged my plans for a long voyage, hoping to revisit all our known islands, and that more than once. We sailed to Norfolk Island, thence at once to Mota. I spent two days there, and left the Rev. L. Pritt in charge of the station; Mr. Palmer being with him and the ... continue reading

My dear Cousin, I returned on the 24th from Australia. I visited the dioceses of Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Everywhere I met with great encouragement; and indeed, I thank God that (as I had hoped) the special work of the Mission became the means of exciting unusual interest in the work of the Church generally. It was a great opportunity, a great privilege in the crowded meetings to tell people face to face their duties, ... continue reading

It was a great delight to me to receive a letter from Mr. Keble, by the February mail from England. How kind of him to write to me; and his words are such a help and encouragement.

I dare say I shall see Merivale’s Lectures soon. Nothing can well be so wonderful, as a proof of God’s hand controlling and arranging all the course of history to those who need it, as a subject for adoration ... continue reading

My dear Child, I am sorry to say that my dearest wife is unable to write you a little Christmas greeting as she had hoped, and as you simply have earned by your better than best behaviour in writing to her so regularly, for which we can never love and thank you enough. I wish I could say that she is at all better, but her breathing and palpitations become, I fear, more and more troublesome, ... continue reading

My very dear Child, This comes first to say that, to my very great relief, I found this morning the two letters in a drawer in which I myself had specially lodged them for safe keeping, and herewith they come, saving something to myself which he would not perhaps like to have shewn. How precious it all is, and what thoughts it brings over one (among others) of one’s own ways. . . . We ... continue reading

My dear Mr Macmillan, The books came last night all right - many thanks. There are some touches to be put to the Dove in the Eagle’s Nest for which I had better have the proof sheets. Indeed I think that printers are very apt to make quite gratuitous mistakes in working from what is in type.

I am told that the Latin word on Ebbo’s tomb is wrong, and ought to be Demum, indeed I ... continue reading

My dear Cousin, I write a line at once in reply to a letter of January 29, for I see that a great sorrow is hanging over you, is perhaps already fallen on you, and I would fain say my word of sympathy, possibly of comfort.

One, perhaps, of the great blessings that a person in my position enjoys is that he must perforce see through the present gloom occasioned by loss of present companionship on to ... continue reading

You know that I look upon the training up of native scholars as the real hope of something being done. But it is during the immediate stage that men of the right sort would be so valuable.

It is in my want of managing and organising an English staff far more than in my direct dealings with Melanesians that I am conscious of my great deficiencies, unfitness, in short, for the leader’s place. Think if [[person:929]Bishop ... continue reading

My dear Cousin, You know why I write to you on this day. The Communion of Saints becomes ever a more and more real thing to us as holy and saintly servants of God pass beyond the veil, as also we learn to know and love more and more our dear fellow-labourers and fellow-pilgrims still among us in the flesh.

Such a day as this brings, thanks be to God, many calm, peaceful memories with it. Of ... continue reading

My dear Cousin, I enclose a note to Miss Mackenzie, thanking her for her book about Mrs. Robertson. It does one good to read about such a couple. I almost feel as if I should like to write a line to the good man. There was the real genuine love for the people, the secret of course of all missionary success, the consideration for them, the power of sympathy, of seeing with the eyes of others, ... continue reading

My dear Cousin, Our last New Zealand season, for it may be our last, draws near its close. On Monday, only two days hence, the ‘Southern Cross’ sails (weather permitting) with our first instalment. Mr. Palmer has got his house up, and they must stow themselves away in it, three whites and forty-five blacks, the best way they can. The vessel takes besides 14,000 feet of timber, 6,000 shingles for roofing, and boxes of books, &c., ... continue reading

Dear Madam I am much obliged by your kindness in sending Mr Nobb’s letter - It is however the Melanesian mission, not the Pitcairners, for which I am collector and it is better not to mix the two arrangements. Bishop Patteson’s sisters sent out what is really worth sending to him, but in general money is more useful than goods, and people have been sending such useless things lately that I wished to check them.

I believe ... continue reading

My dear Cousin, One line to you to-day of Christmas feelings and blessings. Indeed, you are daily in my thoughts and prayers. You would have rejoiced could you have seen us last Sunday or this morning at 7 A.M. Our fourteen Melanesian Communicants so reverent, and (apparently) earnest. On Sunday I ordained Mr. Palmer Priest, Mr. Atkin and Mr. Brooke Deacons.

The service was a solemn one, in the Norfolk Island Church, the people joining heartily in ... continue reading

My dear Cousin, I write you a line: I have not time for more in addition to my other epistle, to tell you that I purpose to baptize, on Sunday next, eight Melanesian youths and one girl. You will, I know, thank God for this. Indeed I hope (though I say it with a kind of trembling and wonder) that a succession of scholars is now regularly established from the Banks Islands.

These nine are being closely ... continue reading

He has been with me for some years, always good and amiable; but too good-natured, too weak, so that he did not take a distinct line with his people. He is a person of some consequence in his neighbourhood. Now he gives all the proofs that can well be given of real sincerity. He wonders himself, as he contrasts his present with his former thoughts. I feel, humanly speaking, quite convinced that he is thoroughly ... continue reading

I add one line, my dear Cousin, to assure you of my prayers being offered for you, now more especially when a heavy trial is upon you and a deep sorrow awaiting you. May God comfort and bless you! Perhaps the full experience of such anxiety and the pressure of a constant weight may, in His good Providence, qualify you more than ever to help others by words put into your mouth out of your ... continue reading

Many many thanks for your most kind letter, and for telling me of the happy prospect before Dora . . . I have asked Mrs. Wilson to send on to you a letter of Bishop Patteson’s, which I think you will feel refreshed by reading; please send it on to Miss Anne Mackenzie. You are so very kind, and it would be very delightful to make one in the migration; but I have only seen ... continue reading

My dear Cousin, I must write you a few lines, not as yet in answer to your very interesting letter about Mr. Keble and about Ritualism, &c., but about our great event of yesterday.

George Sarawia was ordained Deacon in our little chapel, in the presence of fifty-five Melanesians and a few Norfolk Islanders. With him Charles Bice, a very excellent man from St. Augustine’s, was ordained Deacon also. He has uncommon gifts of making himself thoroughly ... continue reading

Miss Yonge begs to return her best thanks on behalf of Bishop Patteson to Mr Fielder and his congregation for their Epiphany contribution to the Melanesian Mission

My dear Mary Very likely the bill will come out tomorrow, I think Mr Hart may hold his hand now, as the school is in existence. I am not quite sure without asking Mr Layland, but I really think those photographs have raised £20. Yes, dear Anne did send 2/2 every half year for the penny club. It shews how long ago it began that the girl she first took is a ... continue reading

I have little hope of a contradiction; it is the same island where they martyred the two boys before, and no one ever set his face more as a flint to meet whatever might come than he did. Once before it nearly happened. How one must pray that this blood may be the seed of the Church! The last I had heard was of a grand, crowning success ... continue reading

My dearest Fanny, Somehow I did not feel as if I could write to you before I heard from May how you and Joan were, and till I had in a measure realised the crush to one's feelings on the one side, and the glorious crown upon the other.

There was something in the set-apart life, and the freedom from all our common heats and strifes and turmoils that seemed to remove him into the world ... continue reading

I tremble to say that I am going to write his life, and I am probably going to Lichfield to talk it over with the Selwyns and Abrahams. It is very awful, for it is embalming the Saint for the Church. I hope the Bishop will let me have copies of the letters to him.

There is a full detail of all that is known in a letter from Mr. Brooke in the new number of Mission Life . . . both bring out more of the pain and grief than the first, which rests on one like a vision of the crystal sea and the palm. But the sweet smile bears one on through it all. I go to Lichfield on Monday; ... continue reading

I am going to Lichfield from Monday to Saturday of next week - to talk and look over letters of our noble martyr with the Selwyns. I believe I am to manage the putting his life together but it will be more editing than writing. I seem to have thought of nothing but the wonderful symbolism of the work of those unconscious savages.

Your affectionate C M Yonge

My dear Christabel I did not mean to admit another Gosling but an old promise has come up to Beatrice Morshead, Bog Oak’s sister, who like her abides at Wiverton Plympton. She is a very nice girl but I don’t think will prove as brilliant as Bog Oak was. Will you tell Cherry to send her questions – if it be Cherry’s turn. I have had none from her yet, and I can ... continue reading

My dear Sir William- Your letter has come on to me here. I came on Monday to be instructed respecting Bishop Patteson's life, which I am to try to draw up from the very full materials that his family and Bishop Selwyn can provide. I hope to return on Saturday.

Thank you for letting me see Mr. Faithfull's decision; I think he is wise to give his name, and so obtain the subscriptions of all his friends. ... continue reading

My dear Charlotte I had written one letter to you today when your other came by the second post and I just stopped it. I am writing to Mrs Johns to desire her to put these Carters into communication with you. I believe the Bishop of Victoria is not much of a Churchman. On the whole I think governesses are much more inclined to height than depth in the present day. [[person:2279]Mrs ... continue reading

My dear Cousin Thank you for your note. The character you give dear Coley is I think almost exactly what Bishop Abraham, [in] the papers in St Luke’s Magazine, and his own letters, have been helping me to trace, but I am very glad of your confirmation of it. Can you remember anything about his giving a seal to Bishop Selwyn when he came to take leave at Eton before his first going out. ... continue reading

My dear Lord Bishop, I had been thinking of writing to you, if I could not meet you for some time past and the being asked to send you this card gives an impulse. I wanted to ask you whether you published - or have any record of a sermon which you preached at Eton on the 31st of October 1841, when Bishop Selwyn was taking leave for the first time. I am doing my ... continue reading

Dear Mr Richmond Could you and would you do me a great kindness? The charge of writing my cousin Bishop Patteson’s life has been given to me and I feel that a personal description of him as he was when he left England is much wanted. I do not recollect his appearance distinctly enough to judge between hearsays and it would be a great boon if you could set down for me what you ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan, This is all very satisfactory, thank you much. One thing more. Should not there be a facsimile of the autograph - I should like a page of that exquisitely neat distinct writing which never altered from the time it formed itself at Eton - and which spreads into sheets upon sheets of mine and yet I never stumble at a word.

I must put in a page with a list of the islands arranged ... continue reading

My dear Mr Graves

I am afraid I must not take Second Fiddles though I am much obliged to you for it. We are changing our printing house, and I want to have only matters of necessity on my hands just now.

Mr Craik is going to send me a photograph of Bp Patteson’s sculpture. I hope we shall have it in the next edition.

yours sincerely C M Yonge

My dear Miss Sewell,

There is only one chapter of Heartsease a conversation. It was privately printed twice, and now people are always asking for it, so I am going to put it into the June Monthly Packet though I do not think it is at all worth all the curiosity about it

The publisher sent me Miss Owen’s book just in time for me to answer a person who wrote to enquire whether the chapters were ... continue reading

How little I thought when I met dear Joanna Patteson in your drawing-room that it was the last time I should see her! Fanny Patteson had come back, and is sure Joan knew and was thinking for others to the last. . . . I hope you are profiting by the splendid summer weather. I never knew a year of sweeter smells: the sheets of wild honeysuckle ... continue reading