My dear Marianne If the maids had not an evil habit of keeping the arrival of a parcel a secret for some hours, I should not have let the dear Guy go without note or comment, but we never heard of him till just as we were starting for Winchester, when I wrote his mother's name in the first that came out, and carried him off. I hope she has had him by this time, and ... continue reading

My dear Marianne Your letter was the pleasure of sympathy that I knew it would be. We have been going on what seems a long time, with a great deal of severe pain in the head, which gets better late in the afternoon, then he sits up, overtires himself, and makes it worse again. Yesterday mamma had one of her worst varieties of headache, as might have been expected, but it mended in the middle of ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik, I hope this letter is a sufficient acknowledgement of the £25, as I have no receipt stamp at hand and this village does not provide such articles, and as they must not be bought of the unprivileged I cannot beg or borrow too often from our worthy neighbours at the shop

Yours sincerely C M Yonge

Dear Mr Wooldridge The house said to be occupied by E Collins is that of Charles Ray Junior Mrs Collins has been dead these 30 years.

Hall ought to be Pearson John Price rents a very small cottage adjoining his shop, I believe one of Barfoot’s sons sleeps there but Price is accountable for it.

Mrs Bishop is really the tenant of the whole house Ruddock is her lodger Does this make any difference?

County ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Merriman, Mrs Collins will be thankful to have the time till August to get Anne’s clothes ready, and give her the final instructions in scrubbing &c She is quite satisfied with the terms, and has no doubt of her daughter’s strength, Anne has been in great anxiety for the answer, she wishes so much to be with her friend Mary. I do not think you will find her fail on the side ... continue reading