My dear Anne, You must not expect a very continuous letter from me as Mary Davys is here but I believe the best chance is to begin a long time beforehand to thank you for your charming long letter which we were delighted to see on coming back from school on Sunday. You said when you were here that we should sit in the drawing room gasping for a drop of water but last Sunday ... continue reading

My dear Mary I could hardly help writing a note last night before I went to bed, it seemed so long to have known about Harvey without saying a word. I do not know whether I mentioned that we were to spend Saturday in a shopping expedition to Southampton & so no chance of writing then, but so it was. You will quite understand how little I mean the words to apply to herself ... continue reading

My dear Miss Bourne,

In the first place you will be glad to hear that it was a very nice quiet Sunday & Monday at the Nest. Mrs Dyson cheered by the return of “her son,” and both glad of finding that his family really consider it a boon that they should stay and take care of him while their house is building at Crookham. I hope that Mr Keble’s suggestion will take effect, and the ... continue reading

My dear Marianne Here we are, after having, I think, done very well on our journey. We met Miss Martin on board the steamer. I forget whether I told you that she had begged to come at the same time for the benefit of our escort, and though we had rather have been alone, she was very helpful and pleasant. She is the editor of the Sunday Library, which is the way we fell in with ... continue reading

My dear Miss Bowles Miss Bourne tells me to write and ask you about a cook who is leaving your mother’s and whom she says you think well of. Perhaps you would tell her about this place. If she is a thoroughly nice person, honest, trustworthy and a Communicant also if she is kindly and good tempered and has a head.

My household consists of only myself, and my invalid friend Miss Walter, who is ... 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 dear Helen Mr. Brock brought me in both the telegrams and was very kind. Of course what all knew must be sooner or later could not be a great shock, but all my letters were going with accounts of his having borne the journey so well. It is better for mamma and all of you to have had no lingering, and no associations for the new house. I hope she is keeping ... continue reading

My dear Alice Jill is without a doubt Gillian, which is Juliana, and can be traced in genealogies all around the country. Of course that has the same derivation as Julius, whatever that may correctly be.

In France there were two Saints, popularly called Josse. One was Jodocus apparently Welsh, who came to Brittany, then was a hermit at Ponthieue, and Jodocus Venator appears in Doomsday, so probably Josse with diminutive Josceline was our name. There was ... continue reading

My dear Mary, How well George Harris seems to be going on. It is a great relief even if it be only a present rally, and rest and summer may do much for him. I hear he is eating oysters and much enjoying them. I hear that the Mr Merton Smith who is coming to Plympton St Mary is an excellent person not a Wantage Curate, but a neighbour. I do not ... continue reading

Dear Miss Medhurst,

Thank you for your kindness to Emmeline. I believe she is coming down here for a month to recruit if her brother can spare her. I hope it is only want of love, but her aunt is anxious because loss of voice was the beginning of illness with another aunt - a school mistress - who went into a decline and the thought of whom prevented us from pressing Emmeline to be ... continue reading