My dear Lady Salisbury I am venturing to ask if you would be so good as to present my niece Mrs Cromie at the coming drawing room. Her husband Captain Cromie has just been promoted from Morocco to Algeciras, and they are in England during the transit. It would of course be much more convenient to her to be presented now that she is at home than to have to come on purpose.

If you ... continue reading

My dear Lottie

Many thanks for the Water Soldier who came in excellent order. Fancy Arthur Yonge being like Julian. He was in a very different style in his younger days being very dark and always carrying his chin rather in the air but I think his beard must have made a difference and I know there always is a tendency in us to be more like the Duke Yonges than anyone else. ... continue reading

My dear Mary I am glad you have been keeping the wedding day with Charlotte. I am afraid that the hotel must spoil sitting out of doors except in front of the house. I am writing now in the garden while Blanche Webber, who is here to recover from the remains of the influenza is lying down in her own room. She had it at Easter and does not quite get over the remains, ... continue reading

My dear Mary That letter came to me with a request that I would forward it to Mr Arthur Yonge whom the writer had met 7 years before in New Zealand, by which I concluded he did not mean Arthur in America and I thought it would just meet him with you, but probably it will find him in time. Poor Annie Woollcombe, the deaths from illness seem sadder than those in battle, and yet ... continue reading

Dear Mr Craik I see you are advertising Highways and Byways in Spain. I should be much obliged if I might have a copy as my Sister in law and her daughters are at Algeciras, where the husband of one is Vice Consul. I am expecting the elder one to return before the end of the month, and the book would be much enjoyed by us together.

I am glad Modern Broods is doing well. ... continue reading

My dear Mary

All thanks for your letter, I think matters are looking better and that something less than £2000 will clear it all, but we cannot be sure till after the 24th, at any rate Julian is in much better spirits about it. Maurice must have gone to school any way, so that is the least part of the trouble, and I do not think Anne Parnell much to be regretted for she had ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Harrison Thank you so much for my God daughter’s photograph. Alas! I have been a very bad Godmother to her, never having a chance to come in her way, but I go so little from home and when I do, it is always to my own people in Devon.

I have not been to London even for three years! Unluckily I just missed Mrs Bland when she was staying with the Bakers at Winchester. ... continue reading

My dear Mary

In the autumn a Mr Yonge in America, an Engineer chose to send me the photograph of his little daughter whom he had named Charlotte and he sent a description of his arms, wanting to know whether he could be of the same family. They were not the same as ours, nor as those to which we failed to shew our claim but Julian thought they were the same as yours. ... continue reading