Dear Madam, I cannot deny myself the pleasure of writing to tell you how much your Thorns and Roses have already elicited of admiration. One of my best contributors (the School Sketches) has written this morning ‘you must let me say how much charmed I & all here are with the beautiful tale, Thorns &c Is it a secret absolutely whose authorship it is, or is it permissible to ask whether ... continue reading

My dear Madam I enclose a draft for 8.12. 6. with many thanks both to you and your sister. I was not aware of her marriage, so that congratulations would now lag sadly behind. My School Sketches friend Miss Emily Taylor, the author of that pretty little book ‘the Boy and the Birds’ is the person so anxious to know your name; she is - as perhaps you know - actively engaged in ... continue reading

My dear Madam When I wrote my first letter, I must have been under some hallucination that 52 shillings was £2 2. instead of £2.12. but I am glad the mistake was there instead of in the cheque. Your pretty Household Record came safely this morning, and I have read nearly to the end with much pleasure. I think I like it better than Wishop though not quite so well as the [[otherbook:253]Thorns and ... 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 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 I so seldom see the paper that I did not know that this greatest sorrow that can befall one’s unmarried life had come upon you. It takes me back at once to ten years ago when I was tasting the same cup, and strangely enough there was the same connection between the sorrow and my first real success. How you must feel the change & the sorrow for others as well as ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan, I send both title page and the proof of the statuette, which is indeed most beautiful and suggestive. I wrote yesterday about the title page. I could not do so before as I only came home late on Saturday and the Sunday post goes early. I enclose the list of presentation copies

Yours sincerely C M Yonge

Will you be kind enough to send the sheets of the Golden Deeds to Messrs Williams & Norgate for ... continue reading