My dear C C Poor dear Sophy, she has been a heavy weight on many minds from the time of Pena’s death, in a remarkable way considering the clever, able woman she was. I heard of her release, for such it was from Mary Yonge who wanted much, as well as Charlotte to come to the funeral, but happily the two witheld each other, in the fogs and the rain and the wet grass, ... continue reading

My dear C C It is a cruel stroke to lose Lanty at the same time as M P You must feel desolate like Othello. Aimée Leroy has an idea, and may write to you about it, anent M P She says she has seen A D I’s business advertised to be sold. I have not, but I think my notice was sent in time. He has taken no notice, ... continue reading

My dear Christabel Mrs Sewell came to call on Saturday and brought Mrs Brook, who said she was one of your old friends, so we had a talk about you. Henry has been setting up flags and making the children do honour to St George’s day. We are in high spirits about our reports, they are better than ever they have been but there is influenza still about.

Adam Grigson is good but the cult of ... continue reading

My dear C C I have got a letter for M in C from Canon Lias about Red Pottage, highly contrary to yours, and which the Sumners approve He goes on the unfitness of such subjects for women’s writing or reading, and certainly I should have thought ‘incline mine heart to keep this law’ went against either inventing or making people read them and so do you- At least I recognize you as ... continue reading

My dear C C I hope the change will be a success. I did not know there had to be so long an interval, I do not remember it here, but as it was between old friends there might have been some arrangement. Wells Gardiner will not reprint ‘Forget me not’. I wonder whether I ought to try SPCK, they took Mary Bramston’s FL story last year - I don’t think Macmillan ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Mercier I tried to get your questions answered by sending them to Miss Bramston, the Dean’s daughter, but unluckily female education at Winchester received a blow when Mr & Mrs Awdry went to Hurstpierpoint - and Mrs Johns, the only other lady who really cared, fell ill. The getting lecturers down needs some energy and there is no one to do it now.

I send you Miss Bramston’s note and that from [[person:1902]Mrs ... continue reading

My dear Miss Bramston I shall have much pleasure in dining with you next Thursday It is lucky the lectures are over today, or it would not have been easy to manage it

yours sincerely C M Yonge

My dear Elizabeth

I ought long ago to have written to you though you told me not, I fully meant to have done so, I was so delighted with the book, but we have had a sad time of illness with poor Gertrude She got better for a fortnight, and then came all the old troubles, and now she has another abscess under her knee and I do not think will be up for a ... continue reading

My dear Christabel

The 1st of July is the right day, but it is convenient to be beforehand with it, as things get much better read than in the great mass of strangers. Miss Bramston has sent a splendid one called the Isle of Progress, - all about 500 years hence. Fanny Awdry has done rather a nice one of the boy type, and I have a few more but dying is so much ... continue reading

My dear Christabel

Writing about cheerfulness with a heavy cold in one’s head on a summer day, may be as hard as writing in the midst of a wet cricket match but I am trying to do it. I shall direct this to Hanwell, not knowing where you are at Chiddingfold I suppose with the Humberts. Have you heard that Mr Trant Bramston is going to be married, and so Miss Bramston’s occupation comes ... continue reading

My dear Miss Bramston,

I have an urgent appeal sent through the Freemans of Somerleaze for warm garments for the poor refugee Servians

Miss Johnstone, 10 Ovington Gardens SW is going out again to Herzegovina on that day, and begs for money, serge blankets or any thing warm for the poor creatures

Perhaps you saw the account in the Cornhill, 3 months ago They will not be able to go on coming to that sort of school unless ... continue reading

My dear Miss Cleveland

I knew your name directly and well remembered your visit at Otterbourne. I am greatly obliged to you for the elucidation of reef of Norman’s woe. I was highly dissatisfied with the idea that it was connected with the White ship, but having nothing more definite to put in its stead I let it stand. I strongly suspect that the word Woe - which I see in one version is Oh, ... continue reading

My dear Florence

I am glad you finished your journey prosperously, and I hope you have brought home a store of strength for the winter and for the trials.

How one sometimes wishes that one's people may never have another worry, and yet I suppose it is all right! I have just lost my most good and wise friend Marianne Dyson. For more than a year she had been in so utterly feeble and broken ... continue reading

My dear Miss Bramston

Mrs Elgie has asked me to answer your note as it is not quite easy to do so. Miss Finlaison is a very good and excellent person, and very anxious to make the girls good. She can give them a thorough good foundation in English, French and German, music and some drawing and makes them take interest in what they do. I think a good girl inclined to learn is very happy ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik

I think the printing may be begun at once of Stray Pearls, and the proofs had better come to me as inconsistencies arise when tales run on long. And besides I always find that the printers make their worst blunders when their copy is in print. I suppose they set on their worst hands. Clay is sure to have the copy. It may very well come out in April - it will only ... continue reading

My dear Christabel

I suppose you are beginning daily life again. When in some ways it is so hard When it feels as if there were so few in the house, and yet when people talk it gets into a whirl and one does not care about it, and oh! the letters that seem as if they would never get themselves written. I suppose you stay where you are and in that way are much ... continue reading

My dear Christabel

Here is a beginning of Mrs Lyndhurst. I am afraid she is too much in the Aunt Dora style. I think we might do without Sylvia I don’t see anything for her to do. Denys seems to me quite enough, so I send nothing about her, though if needful I could put her in afterwards. Denys may have a calf love for Rachel which may make a man of him. ... continue reading

My dear Florence

As next Tuesday is a Saint's day, perhaps I had better say that the boy would not find me at home, as the first Tuesday in every month there is a meeting of the High School committee. On all Thursday afternoons till Easter I have to be at the mother's meeting, and indeed we are so eaten up with preparing for the examinations that I can answer for no afternoons in February ... continue reading

Dear Mr Innes

I am afraid I never answered about the MS. It will not do being too much of the mere novelette. I do not object to such dénouements, but a story ought, I think to turn on something besides.

Miss Coleridge has £5 a year for her work upon Debatable Ground. I do not know if that was mentioned but she has not had it yet. I think you have her new address.

I think you ... continue reading

My dear Frances

Thank you for your letter. We don’t deal in squills, but I have just brought in various primroses and violets, though there was hardly a berry for the Church. However the holly leaves are much finer than when the berries have starved them.

Gertrude was tolerable and could enjoy her cards and presents, and shells go on as her great delight at present, that wonderful step-step father of hers has an endless variety of ... continue reading

consciously – in extremity breaks his heart over it and is converted by his failure. I have had my head very full of it. I want to know what you think of the Apples of Sodom, for we have various controversies about it, Christabel thinks the one religious man becoming morbid and accustomed a mistake and likely to promote the popular fancy about good men and clergy, and Miss Bramston says ... continue reading