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To Mary Anne Dyson
Val Richer,
August 9. [1869]
My dear Marianne- My letter yesterday came to an untimely end in consequence of an invitation to go out and hunt fossils in a pit half clay, half chalk, near the drain tile factory, with Julian, Frances, Cornélis, and the two girls. The fossils are very good. We got a shark’s tooth, some very good bits of coral, and some nice shells, but of course there was much disappointment from their habit of crumbling away. There ... continue reading
To Mary Anne Dyson
Val Richer,
August 5 [1869]

My dear Marianne Here we are, after having, I think, done very well on our journey. We met Miss Martin on board the steamer. I forget whether I told you that she had begged to come at the same time for the benefit of our escort, and though we had rather have been alone, she was very helpful and pleasant. She is the editor of the Sunday Library, which is the way we fell in with ... continue reading

To Mary Anne Dyson
Val Richer,
August 6. [1869]

My dear Marianne- The day went in this way yesterday---towards eleven o’clock there was a bell, and we all went down and wandered in the garden till everybody was assembled, then we went to M. Guizot’s study and had prayers, he reading a chapter of St. Matthew, and Mme. de Witt making a short prayer of it, ending with the Lord’s Prayer. Then came the post and breakfast, upon rissoles, fried potatoes, fruit and vin ordinaire, ... continue reading

To Mary Anne Dyson
Val Richer,
August 11. [1869]
My dear Marianne- The occupation of yesterday was a drive to Cambermer, the bourg, a large village of the district, the name of which is on M. de Witt’s carts. It is about as large as Hursley apparently, and has a church with a good old Norman tower, but the body horridly bad modern. However, it was the girls’ school that we went to see, it being the only one not yet broken up for the ... continue reading
To Mary Anne Dyson
Val Richer,
August 12. [1869]

My dear Marianne- This last day will be a very quiet one, for M. de Witt is gone to a horse-fair at Falaise, and Julian, Frances and Miss Martin are gone with him, starting at eight this morning, and coming home at eleven at night; unluckily I could not go, and Mme. de Witt caught a bad cold yesterday and I fear will not be good for much to-day. Caen had to be given up because ... continue reading

To Mary Anne Dyson
Val Richer,
August 13. [1869]

My dear Marianne-

Here is our last morning here, at least so I hope, for I ended the day yesterday by a collapse, and instead of spending the evening with M. Guizot, had to lie on my back in my room all the evening. However, I am much mended, and hope to be in thorough repair before we start at 12 o’clock. Madame de Witt’s cold was very bad yesterday and she only came out at ... continue reading

To Mary Anne Dyson
Hotel Castiglione, 12 Rue Castiglione,
August 14. [1869]
My dear Marianne- We broke up from Val Richer with many regrets. The Falaise expedition had turned out very well ; they had a splendid scramble upon a magnificent steep rock, with a deep ravine between it, and such another rock, and the castle in tall, round towers, one of which they climbed up to the top, and were very stiff all day after it, and the roof was covered with zinc, sloping down all round, ... continue reading