MS Huntington Library: Yonge Letters1
Decr 7th [1854]
My dear Miss Roberts,
Here is the first part of your Cathedral sketches. I think I must put them in every alternate month, as there is a ‘press of matter’ and they will better bear a long interval than would any continuous narrative. I waited for them to reply to your last letter, I always feel it a kindness to be written to as if I was a personal acquaintance, so pray do not apologize for your details. I hope the suffering is now nearly over, and that your health will be improved by all that you have undergone. It must have been most difficult to turn your thoughts to any occupation while bearing so much pain and discomfort, but of course the exertion must have brought its own recompense.
I shall reply by telling you what you will I am sure kindly rejoice in, we have just had the pleasure of welcoming my brother home from the East, not as one of the heroes of Alma or Inkerman for the camp at Varna did with him as with many others, so injuring his health that after trying to recover at Scutari, he has been obliged to come home, very weak, but likely to be restored by bracing weather, and bringing back to us much cheerfulness and thankfulness, I hope. How beautiful are the accounts of our soldiers, whether in the battle, or in the hospital their spirit of Christian Chivalry seems to display itself more than in any other war that I have heard of, and it is said much to impress the Turks, it would be a beautiful effect of our Alliance should it dispose them to Christianity. I had not guessed you as the author of the Old Woman’s reminiscences, the unselfish tone is superior to many other papers in Chambers. There are some former tales in which I should think I saw your hand. Thanks for your account of Elford, the red cloaks are delightful. We have made attempts to get them to prevail here, but ineffectually with the mass, though some wear and like them. The boys made an attack on the first girls who wore them! And practically, however pleasing to the eye, I fear that making schoolgirls wear a uniform is more apt to make them long for freedom in finery than to restrain it. If they can be made to take pleasure in their school dress, it is most desirable, and perhaps Mr Paget has the answer with his ‘village children’.2
This sketch had better go on to Derby not back to me.
Yours sincerely
C M Yonge
127.To Mrs Harris1
MS Princeton University: Parrish Collection, Princeton: C0171: Box 29.2
Otterbourn Friday [December 1854?]
My dear Mrs Harris
We have had a long time to wait before I could write to tell you of my brother’s arrival.
The British Queen was so slow in her progress that all her coal was exhausted and they were obliged to burn their top masts as they put into Falmouth.
His arrival at eight o’clock last night, thin but not otherwise looking ill, though he is not fully recovered, the climate entirely overpowered him even before positive illness came on, and we cannot but feel convinced that his leaving the army is all for the best.
He desires his regard to Captain Harris and hopes that it will not be long before they meet
Yours sincerely
C M Yonge
128.To Elizabeth Roberts
MS Huntington Library: Yonge Letters3
Otterbourn
Febry 16th [1855]
My dear Madam,
I have delayed thanking you for Lichfield till I could send you the proof of Durham. Lichfield is exceedingly interesting, and quite a proof that it is our own Mother Church that we can best describe. The whole history and description of the town are delightful, and I am glad you did not leave out Dr Johnson whom I do not think it is the habit of these days to respect as he deserves. I cannot remember whether you said Canterbury was one of the Cathedrals you know. If not, a lady has offered to undertake it, and though I should prefer having all the Cathedrals by one hand, it would be better to insert a different one than to leave out any so important as Canterbury. Winchester I could describe myself, as my own, and Salisbury I know just well enough to be able to get it up for the purpose. Exeter and Chichester I could also get done in case you do not know them well enough.
I could never feel that a Gothic Cathedral had any signification otherwise than that made out in Mr Isaac Williams’ poem of ‘The Cathedral’, a sort of visible emblem of the Christian faith, and surely it is on this that the appropriateness of the different details depends. How far this was present to the minds of the architects is another question, which can hardly be answered. I do not suppose it was by any means consistent or conscious, but surely the Same who instructed Bezaleel and Solomon, may have guided our mediæval builders to raise allegories in stone as His Temples.1
I am very sorry to hear that you are still suffering I fear this strangely lengthened frost is not in your favour. For my own part, I enjoy the clear bracing, and the power of taking long walks, but it is sad to think how much distress it must occasion. I suppose you cannot attempt going out, but I sincerely hope that this long nursing of yourself will ultimately prove beneficial. You must not hurry yourself with the Cathedrals, I have enough to last some time only please send this proof when corrected, on to Derby
Yours sincerely
C M Yonge
129.To Anne Yonge
MS West Devon Record Office Acc 1092/102
Otterbourn
March 19th [1855]
My dear Anne
We were quite glad you were not here on Saturday morning, as the letter then would have made your journey so much more anxious. Now I trust the accounts are beginning to mend, and that we shall here of their continuing to do so. I am almost surprised to hear of Jane’s being able to speak even a few words, and that she should have been allowed to see you so soon is a great comfort. 3 She must be less weak than I had dared to hope, if she is able to speak at all after all that bleeding. I am glad you can begin the nursing at once, and indeed we could not wish either for your sake or Mary’s that you should have been here an hour longer. All I do regret is, (besides of course the cause) that we did not know that was the last day, there seemed so much left to say till the last, which ended in nothing, and we frittered up our evening talks on Thursday, till I was quite sorry even then as I went to bed that we had made so little use of the time, and I had not even seemed to be thinking of dear Jane as I was, all the time that day. I wonder why sympathy always is so hard of coming out, and then one is sorry afterwards. How glad I am you fared so well in your journey! Mr Keble soon came, prepared to look over my Landmarks about Luther and Calvin and after Church, the Withers called, so my letters hurried themselves into a very short span. We did some Paradiso and began Friends & Fortune 4
Sunday’s post cheered us a good deal, and after Church, we had a fine river walk including Julian’s, and found the Simmondses flourishing, Maria Evans gone to Boyatt farm.1 Alice came just too late for Church this morning Dr Moberly is well again, but she is to go home for the feast day, just as I came back from Dogd tomorrow! We are going to afternoon Church at Hursley to hear how Mrs Keble is, as there have been no tidings since you went, and this makes my letter short. You will not try to write at length, only let us have little scraps to tell us how things are going on. I shall not go to Dogd till after the post, though we think no news of the Sunday would be good news, you will have missed Duke that day. Mamma had no headaches, and is as bold as a lion today spite of fog.
your most affectionate
C M Yonge
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