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 Mrs Johns, Thank you so much for letting me [see] Mr Ruskin’s very characteristic opinion of the beautiful Griselda work. I have thought and talked it over with my mother, and certainly it is a complication, but would not the most satisfactory course be to ask some opinion of a person such as Richmond a thorough artist, and also a religious man, a gentleman, and father of daughters whether it would be his judgment ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Johns, I am afraid I have nothing very satisfactory to say my friend confirms my belief that there was an uncomfortable story about Ruskin and his wife - who you know is now Mrs Millais - and further adds that she does not think that real artists vote his opinion very high.

Neither is her view very favourable to a regular course of study for a young girl, she has known of an instance, ... continue reading

Dear Mr Holgate This is really only an abridgement of the article in the Christian Remembrancer, except that I added the going to Winchester College chapel in 1854. I signed the paper because once or twice I found myself writing I to a personal reminiscence, but it can be altered if you wish it. I think Lord Seaton’s personal appearance is fully described in the paper. He was the most striking old man I ever saw. ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan I delayed my answer till I had communicated with the Heathcote family - at whose request chiefly this history of Hursley has been undertaken.

I rather expected them to demur at making the book so expensive to buyers, and was thinking over the possibility of starting with it much abridged, leaving out the Plan and the Customs of Merdon Castle, the Birds Flowers, descriptions of parishes and Words - and most of the ... 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