Sir,

Some time ago you were kind enough to mention, in a letter to Mrs Austin, the life of Madam de Montagu as one that would be very desirable among the ‘biographies of good women’ that I have been attempting to collect for the improvement of young girls; I have ventured to desire my publisher to send you a copy of the first series that you may see at what I have aimed; I am now ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan, I should be much obliged if you would send a copy of the Trial to M. Guizot’s daughter

Madame de Witt Val Richer Lisieux Calvados France

as she wishes to translate the book. I believe I sent before the list of copies that I should like to have sent out. I hope the book will appear soon now

Yours faithfully C.M. Yonge

Dear Mr Macmillan, Would you be so kind as to send an order for me for Sir F. Palgraves History of Normandy and England. I cannot get my Cameo’s [sic] correct without it, and Dr Moberly’s copy on which I reckoned proves to be packed up for leaving Winchester so as to be unobtainable. I can do nothing till I get it, and though I could order it from the London Library, one is kept often ... continue reading

My dear Mr Macmillan A proof of the history of St Louis, I suppose M. Guizot’s has come here, but I do not know the why or wherefore. Is it a mistake?

Mrs Valentine (Mr Warne’s reader) says they do not know anything of having had 'Wooed and Won' sent in. Perhaps you would kindly ask whoever was your messenger to whom he gave it

Yours sincerely C M Yonge

Would you kindly have both the Cameos and Historical Selections ... continue reading

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

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

My dear Marianne- Yesterday was so rainy that there really is very little to say about it. The breakfast was enlivened by our being told that Madame Adelaide always had a set of bonbons placed beside the seat of each member of her brother’s cabinet whenever they met, and that they were of a superior quality or not according as to whether she liked the ministry or not. M. Guizot said he had the experience of ... continue reading

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

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

My dear Frances Here is the autograph of M Guizot’s that I promised to get for you. If you could only see his collection. A bit of rough copy of one of Bossuet’s sermons, a brown scrap of the Chevalier Bose written out of the midst of the plague, an abject letter of Murat saying he was expelled from his kingdom for having followed La Système Britannique a curious letter of old Napoleon about a rising ... continue reading

Dear Mr Macmillan I have a story within three or four short chapters of completion, which I should like to mention in case it should come within the scope of any autumn arrangements.

I think the title might be ‘A Release’. It is founded on a story that Guizot once told me that Mongolfier, the aëronaut gained the affections of a noble young lady, whose parents forced her to become a nun. She appealed to the ... continue reading

Dear M. E. C. I feel strongly impelled to write to you both to thank you for your letter and for St. Christopher's legend. A German lady once sent me a set of photographs of frescoes of his history, where he was going through all sorts of temptations, including one by evil women.

I think I must tell you that the Daisy Chain was written just when I was fresh from the influence and guiding of ... continue reading

My dear M. Guizot My brother begs me to convey his best thanks as well as my own to you for so kindly sending us your pamphlet. I am afraid the sky has darkened even more in the short time that has elapsed since its conclusion, and that the enemy are nearer to you. It seems to me that English sympathy has been greatly gained by this gallant resistance. I hear so many ... continue reading

My dear M. Guizot Thank you most heartily for so kindly remembering to send me the continuation of your history of France. It is quite a visible token of the cessation of the saddest of the time - and of the recovery of activity. The numbers are quite right, I have them up to the 17th

With many thanks yours sincerely C M Yonge

My dear Elizabeth

I believe (reluctantly) that you are right and that Ebb & Flow is too apposite to the present fashion to bear postponement, I think Macmillan would take such a story as that, and do well by it, I hope to send it off on Monday.

Gertrude thanks much for the paper about the works She has sent off a parcel today Yes, M.Guizot gave me that history of France as it ... continue reading

My dear Mrs Blackburn,

It is very pleasant to hear from you again! Someone ought to collect versions of Father Isams[?] and Sister Katieaia[?] (as she was in my time) Our school children have been seeing [sic] playing at them in Church. I should not have understood but my mother and her half sister had played at it in their childhood without understanding it. A few years ago one of my cousins saw another - a ... continue reading