My dear Anne, Have you seen any more of Charles’s owl? The shells got home quite safe. I send you a carrier Trochus and Charles a waved whelk, Duke a fresh-water mussel and Jane a cyprea. I went to the theatre whilst I was at Oxford; it is a great large place shaped like a horse shoe; at the flat end sat all the musicians and singers on a stand raised on ... continue reading

My dear Anne How heavily and drearily I wished you a happy year, and how little we thought of the joy that was coming in this morning. It was so strange a contrast to have the London letters full of comfort and delight at the same time as Alethea’s sad one, I cannot say I for one moment thought that Jane would be other than an example to us all what ever might betide her, ... continue reading

I send you the Lichfield children What the Christian Remembrancer says of the Birthday is that it is too transparently instructive, and I must write out a little bit which exactly expresses what I was always trying to say to you. ‘The Conversation of the well informed man, whose words flow on because his mind impels them is more valuable in hours of relaxation than the set lecture composed to ... continue reading

My dear Mary, My letters must seem to be very few & far between but sudden revolutions happen now & then, wh disorder my private arrangements, such as yesterday, when I was just seated to write to Alethea & Uncl Wm proposed driving Char: & me to Southampton, & before we came back the visitors were arrived. You will see how much I enjoyed your very long letter presently when I tell you how pleasant ... continue reading

My dear Anne Many thanks for the further particulars of Tern, I am glad they are allowed to be Arctic. Alethea’s children seem chequered in and out, brown and fair instead of being divided into boy and girl, how very amusing the others must be, I think Edmund must be remarkably clever to be doing lessons, and joining so much in the play of the others. Alethea Mackarness’s daughter came as unexpectedly as Frank ... continue reading

My dear Anne It is a relief every time your letters are opened to see the [sic] at least not worse, and it is cheering that they go at the best time of the day, but one feels half sick to know that the afternoon did not bring a return of that terrible suffering. Julian is intending to go and get the letters today, but if the terrible weather lasts he cannot attempt it, as ... continue reading

My dear Anne I must write a word or two before Church. I do not think I dared to expect better than this, and I do hope that at least the suffering is not what it was the day before. It is the Cross at least, and she has been bearing it so in patience and meekness all her days that one thinks of her as one made meet. I am glad that ... continue reading

My dear Anne I do not like that you should not find a note at least to greet you on your return home on Tuesday to tell you that we are thinking of you and feeling with you and yet I hardly dare to say the last. Julian will write to Uncle Yonge on Monday, he had fully meant to set out on that day to be with you, but he got a chill at ... continue reading

My dear Miss Jacob, First to answer the question I forgot in my last note. That Sphinx is a faithless monster, he (or she) never came to us this month, nor have I heard of one any where. There is a very good new set of acrostics by A. A. G. published by Lothian.

You are very good to take so kindly all my criticisms of the Gates of Paradise. I feel it rather like the atmosphere ... continue reading