Letter from Dinah Craik to Ben Mulock, 17 March to 7 April 1860

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                <title> Letter from <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Dinah Mulock
                        Craik</persName> to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen">Benjamin
                        Mulock</persName>, from <date from="1860-03-17" to="1860-04-07">17 March to
                        7 April 1860</date>.</title>
                <author ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Dinah Mulock Craik</author>
                <editor ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BourrierKaren">Karen Bourrier</editor>
                <sponsor>
                    <orgName>Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive</orgName>
                </sponsor>
                <sponsor>University of Calgary</sponsor>
                <principal>Karen Bourrier</principal>
                <respStmt>
                    <resp>Transcription <date when="2016-06">June 2016</date> by</resp>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey">Kailey Fukushima</persName>
                </respStmt>
                <respStmt>
                    <resp>Proofing of transcription <date when="2017-04">April 2017</date> by</resp>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey">Kailey Fukushima</persName>
                </respStmt>
                <respStmt>
                    <resp>Second proofing of transcription <date from="2018-06" to="2018-07">June to
                            July 2018</date> by</resp>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BourrierKaren">Karen Bourrier</persName>
                </respStmt>
                <respStmt>
                    <resp>TEI encoding <date when="2016-06">June 2016</date> by</resp>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey">Kailey Fukushima</persName>
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                <respStmt>
                    <resp>Proofing of TEI encoding <date when="2017-04">April 2017</date> by</resp>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey">Kailey Fukushima</persName>
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                <respStmt>
                    <resp>Second proofing of TEI encoding <date when="2018-07">July 2018</date>
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                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BourrierKaren">Karen Bourrier</persName>
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            <editionStmt>
                <edition>First digital edition in TEI, date: <date when="2018-07">July 2018.</date>
                    P5.</edition>
            </editionStmt>
            <publicationStmt>
                <authority>Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive</authority>
                <pubPlace>Calgary, Alberta, Canada</pubPlace>
                <date>2018</date>
                <availability>
                    <p>Reproduced by courtesy of the <placeName>University of California at Los
                            Angeles</placeName>.</p>
                    <licence> Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0
                        Unported License </licence>
                </availability>
            </publicationStmt>
            <seriesStmt>
                <title>Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive</title>
            </seriesStmt>
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                <msDesc>
                    <msIdentifier>
                        <institution>University of California at Los Angeles</institution>
                        <repository>Charles E. Young Research Library</repository>
                        <collection>Mulock Family Papers</collection>
                        <idno>846</idno>
                    </msIdentifier>
                    <head>Letter from <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Dinah Mulock
                            Craik</persName> to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen"
                            >Benjamin Mulock</persName>, from <date from="1860-03-17"
                            to="1860-04-07">17 March to 7 April 1860</date>. </head>
                    <additional>
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                            <note>Box 1, Folder 7</note>
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                <p>Our aim in this edition has been to transcribe the content of the letters as
                    accurately as possible without reproducing the physical appearance of the
                    manuscript. Craik’s spelling, punctuation, underlining, superscripts,
                    abbreviations, additions and deletions are retained, except for words which are
                    hyphenated at the end of a line, which we have silently emended. Where Craik
                    uses a non-standard spelling, we have encoded both her spelling and the standard
                    Oxford English Dictionary spelling to facilitate searching. The long s is not
                    encoded.</p>
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                <opener>
                    <dateline><date when="1860-03-17">Saturday March 17 – / <choice>
                                <abbr>60</abbr>
                                <expan>1860</expan>
                            </choice></date><lb/>
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName></dateline><lb/>
                    <salute>My dearest boy</salute></opener>
                <p>I have actually missed a Sunday. – I was very tired after my journey. &amp; since
                    then there has been a domestic revolution – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Mary">Mary</persName> gone &amp; little <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary">Mary</persName> came back, but I’ll tell
                    you all regularly &amp; – beginning with Wednesday week when your wall<anchor
                        xml:id="n1"/> left – Thursday we all went to tea at <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsGow">Mrs. Gow</persName>’s – at <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Leckhampton">Leckhampton</placeName> – Friday
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellJulietta">Mrs. Dobell</persName>
                    &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellCyrus">Cy</persName> and I drove
                    over the <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#CleeveTower">the Tower</placeName> –
                    what a lovely place it is – &amp; the top of the <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cotswolds">Cotswolds</placeName> made me feel a
                    desperate longing for the Scotch hills – where I’ll be by &amp; by. Saturday I
                    came home – leaving <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Detmore"
                        >Detmore</placeName> in a <hi rend="underline">snowstorm</hi>! Only fancy!
                    And the bitter cold of the journey. However I found <hi rend="underline"
                        >all</hi> right (as I thought) at <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood.</placeName> – Next day I spent
                    at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#GothicCottage">Gothic Cottage</placeName>
                    with <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MottAlbert">Albert</persName>, <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MottClara">Clara</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MottAlbert">Albert</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Clara">Clara</persName> having taken a week’s
                    holiday of <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#London">London</placeName>
                    sight-seeing in the brief interval of babies &amp; enjoyed it very much – she
                    looks so pretty &amp; young &amp; well &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MottAlbert">Albert</persName> in great glory. They
                    wanted to hear your letter: an excerpt edition of which I read them. <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MottAlbert">Albert</persName> seemed rather to envy
                    your “<choice>
                        <abbr>furrin</abbr>
                        <expan>foreign</expan>
                    </choice> parts” &amp; altogether they were greatly interested – &amp; sent
                    their love to you. – Monday came in to my great delight <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrRichards">Mr Richards</persName> – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie Miers</persName> – was there &amp;
                    they fell into great talk about mutual acquaintances in <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Brazil">Brazil.</placeName> What a very nice fellow
                    he seems! – he told me all he could think of about you – also about himself, <rs
                        type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsRichards">wife</rs> &amp;, babies.
                    We quite fraternized &amp; he promised to come again. <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> came in while he
                    stayed &amp; liked him too. As for the <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName> mounted them at
                    once in the book &amp; the admiration of everybody has been something quite
                    special – particularly those two of the <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JohannesRiver">Johannes river</placeName> – They are
                    perfectly beautiful – they ought to be in the <choice>
                        <abbr>Pho.</abbr>
                        <expan>Photography</expan>
                    </choice>
                    <choice>
                        <abbr>Ex.</abbr>
                        <expan>Exhibition</expan>
                    </choice> – I wish you would print out a few more of the like – &amp; send them
                    either to me or <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MayallJoe">Joe
                        Mayall</persName> to try &amp; get them exhibited. Your "Photography in hot
                    climates" seems to do better than in cold. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrRichards">Mr Richards</persName> gave explanations
                    of each <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photograph</expan>
                    </choice> &amp; seemed so pleased &amp; proud about them – also about his own
                    portrait – which he said <rs type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsRichards"
                        >his wife</rs> liked so much &amp; felt so much obliged to you for – Honest
                    man – I'm sure he likes you – &amp; he is a good specimen of your "cheerful
                    society." <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#EliotGeorge">Mrs Lewis</persName>
                    has never turned up: – happily. On Tuesday <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> &amp; I went to
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ValeLodge">Vale Lodge</placeName> to help
                    keep <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMaria">Mrs Lovell</persName>'s
                        30<hi rend="superscript">th</hi> wedding day. She was in great form &amp; it
                    was a pleasanter evening than usual. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName> and <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances">Fanny</persName> &amp; all the rest
                    were there. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName>
                    rather well nursing <choice>
                        <abbr>N<hi rend="superscript"><hi rend="underline">o</hi></hi></abbr>
                        <expan>Number</expan>
                    </choice> 2 – &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances"
                        >Fanny</persName> with expecting the same – in <date when="1860-06"
                        >June.</date> – Everybody kindly enquiring for you &amp; delighted with the
                    new <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellGeorge">Mr Lovell</persName>
                    especially. <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> came
                    over to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> &amp;
                    asked for your public letter – which <pb n="2"/>I gave her – &amp; she gave it
                    back next day without any comment. She, <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#GothicCottage">Gothic Cottage</placeName>, <orgName
                        ref="#Ziepel">the Ziepels</orgName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MarstonWestland">Mr. Marston</persName> came on
                        <date>Wednesday</date>
                    <choice>
                        <abbr>evng</abbr>
                        <expan>evening</expan>
                    </choice> &amp; were very jolly. – except perhaps the latter who has been really
                    ill – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacmillanAlexander">Mr.
                        Macmillan</persName> will only give <measure type="currency">£100</measure>
                    for his book – &amp; publish it in one <choice>
                        <abbr>vol</abbr>
                        <expan>volume</expan>
                    </choice>. – it is not long enough for two. – Perfectly fair – &amp; it being
                    amonymous: but poor <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MarstonWestland">Mr.
                        Marston</persName> can't see that his reputation for plays rather hinders
                    than helps novels – &amp; that he starts quite as a novice – he can't possibly
                    settle with me: so that must stand over for another year. – I'm afraid there'll
                    be a grand crash some time – &amp; perhaps it'll be as good a thing as could
                    happen – I don't know – I got a letter from <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SpringfieldGeorge">Springfield</persName> – telling
                    me he had ceased to be anxious to get abroad – having "been &amp; gone &amp;
                    done it" – &amp; been accepted by <rs type="person"
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissWhite">the <placeName
                            ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Glasgow">Glasgow</placeName> damsel</rs> –
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrWhite">Mr. White</persName>'s daughter.
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrWhite">Mr. White</persName> consenting –
                    only says they must both take the pledge – which <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissWhite"><choice>
                            <abbr>G. S.</abbr>
                            <expan>George Springfield</expan>
                        </choice></persName> declined: but probably will give in – He's very happy
                    poor fellow – &amp; so <hi rend="underline">his</hi> little business is settled.
                    He says he knows <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#EastonAmos">Easton &amp;
                        Amos</orgName> will give him a decent income when they know he is going to
                    be married. On Wednesday night or rather Thursday <choice>
                        <abbr>morng</abbr>
                        <expan>morning</expan>
                    </choice> came the grand domestic crash – found out unfortunate <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Mary">Mary</persName> in drinking – stealing –
                    lying. – I had taken the baby, – &amp; nearly clothed her &amp; it too – these 4
                    months – got her nursed <choice>
                        <abbr>thro'</abbr>
                        <expan>through</expan>
                    </choice> her bad illness – &amp;c &amp;c – All no good – she is thoroughly
                    depraved. Your instinct was right &amp; my pity wrong. – I got her out of the
                    house as soon as I could. &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary"
                        >little Mary</persName> came up at an hour's notice – a great blessing. She
                    is better – &amp; thinks she will be able to stay. – She has had a deal of
                    trouble: the soldier turned out bad – she had to give him up. However a plumber
                    next door – an excellent giving man whom she has known all her life, has
                    consoled her – "he is <hi rend="underline">so good</hi>" – she observes. &amp;
                    she has promised to marry him in a year. Poor <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary">little Mary</persName>! – I shall have a
                    woman once a week to do the hard work – &amp; so I dare say <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary">Mary</persName> can manage – It is so
                    pleasant to look at a face that loves me – the house feels far less dreary now
                    that it has done since you left – – I mean to let the house for <date
                        when="1860-06">June</date> – &amp; send <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary">Mary</persName> home for 3 months. while
                    I go to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Scotland">Scotland.</placeName> I
                    have quite made up my mind to do that instead of going abroad – for two or three
                    months – First the <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Macmillan"
                        >Macmillan</orgName>
                    <choice>
                        <abbr>M.S.</abbr>
                        <expan>manuscript</expan>
                    </choice> cannot possibly be sent after <pb n="3"/>me abroad – 2<hi
                        rend="superscript"><hi rend="underline">nd</hi></hi> – I know I never could
                    stand the knocking &amp; travelling. – The smallest railway journey I don't get
                    over for two or three days. – 3<hi rend="superscript"><hi rend="underline"
                            >rd</hi></hi>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura Herford</persName> has got
                    into a wretched state, mental &amp; physical – frets everybody – worries poor
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissMontgomery">Miss Montgomery</persName>
                    out of her life. – She is regularly worn out with work – &amp; has got an idea,
                    poor girl, that she is going out of her mind. <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissMontgomery">Miss Montgomery</persName> &amp;
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsHerford">Mrs. Herford</persName> both
                    tell <add place="above">her</add> that – oddly enough – the only person that can
                    do anything with her is me – because she has got fond of me – &amp; I quiet her
                    down – while they rub her up the wrong way – we have laid a plan for my taking
                    her with me North – to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Arran"
                        >Arran</placeName> – for a thorough change for a month boarding &amp;
                    lodging in some quiet place – As <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances">Frances</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BensonJane">Jane</persName> did last year. Then I shall
                    pay my various visits &amp; come home by <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Edinburgh"><choice>
                            <abbr>Edin</abbr>
                            <expan>Edinburgh</expan>
                        </choice></placeName> in late autumn. – I have been sadly grieved about poor
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName> – her
                    irritability is something dreadful – poor old <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissMontgomery">Miss Montgomery</persName> has more
                    than once <hi rend="underline">cried</hi> actually about her – when <choice>
                        <abbr>talkg</abbr>
                        <expan>talking</expan>
                    </choice> privately to me. – &amp; she gets utterly unmanageable sometimes: –
                    the only time she is ever herself being when she comes to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName>. She will hardly go
                    anywhere else – except to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna"
                        >Minna</persName> or <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames"
                        >Marian</persName> sometimes – She fears nobody cares for her. Of course all
                    this is in the strictest of confidence. – Partial justice has come to you &amp;
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> in the
                    matter of <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#RoweSeville">Seville
                        Rowe.</persName> – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrAnderson">Mr
                        Andersen</persName> has fallen in with him at <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Melbourne">Melbourne</placeName> – taken kindly to
                    him – helped him &amp; got him a clerkship in the <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#OrientalBank">Oriental bank</orgName> – He has also
                    formed a strong alliance with <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MarshallPhilippa">Philippa</persName>'s eldest
                    brother <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#RoweGeorgeCurtis">George</persName> –
                    who is manager of a theatre there – no "fine" friend for your maligned "worldly"
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrAnderson">Mr. Anderson</persName>! – I
                    told <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> about it as
                    an indifferent piece of news &amp; she did look so pleased! I'd lay a wager that
                    little affair will be settled yet. – </p>
                <p> – I am rather alarmed at the dreadful "confidences" I put into my letters – you
                    must be <hi rend="underline">very</hi> careful over them. Don't leave them about
                    as you have done sometimes – but they were not of much moment generally – I got
                    a long letter from <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HillAmeliaRobertson">Amy
                        Paton</persName> the other day with messages from <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PatonJosephNoel">Joe</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PatonMaggie">Maggie</persName> wanting to know when
                    I was coming to stay with them. – I shall go for a few days <choice>
                        <sic>some time</sic>
                        <reg resp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey">sometime</reg>
                    </choice> this autumn – but not for a long visit as they wish. – I feel <pb
                        n="4"/>a craving after the baby – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HillAmeliaRobertson">Amy</persName> says he has
                    learned to put his little finger on my likeness that they have him say
                        "<persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Aunt Dinah</persName>" – I don't
                    know anything that has touched me more than <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PatonJosephNoel">Joe</persName>'s teaching his boy
                    to call me "<persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Aunt Dinah</persName>!" –
                    it's funny how the world goes round &amp; the old things come up again in
                    different forms – but in essence perfectly &amp; absolutely <hi rend="underline"
                        >unkillable</hi>. It's an odd feeling – but the old thing seems to have slid
                    quietly down &amp; settled on <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PatonMaggie"
                        >Maggie</persName> &amp; the bairns. – There will be a second baby in
                        <date>June.</date> – so I shall not go till after then. – I am <hi
                        rend="underline">sure</hi> I can stand it, &amp; be quite happy – or I would
                    not go at all.– I had a long letter from <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Weirie">Weirie</persName> this week – they expect me
                    at the Cottage of course – And I shall go for I want badly to see how things are
                    with my own eyes – but it won't be half as it used to be – for I can't help
                    speaking my mind about the injustice of not liking <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PatonAllanPark">Allan</persName>'s marriage: – they
                    ought. I shall stick by <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PatonAllanPark"
                        >Allan</persName> thro' thick &amp; thin, as I always did – &amp; probably
                    shall get into a kettle of at least <hi rend="underline">warm</hi> water: –
                    Still it may do good – &amp; then I don't care. – You see, <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen">Ben,</persName> it's useless to knock out
                    of sister the habit of "taking an interest" in people. – It has its advantages
                    as well as its pains. – Well now I hope this is gossip enough for the present. –
                    I was at lunch, or rather dinner – at <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LadyByron">Lady Byron</persName>'s today – Oh by the
                    by did you see that your old <unclear>chums</unclear> the Hills have become
                        "<persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HillRowland">Sir Rowland</persName>." –
                    Honest simple old soul – he has been very ill since his title was near being no
                    good except on his tombstone – &amp; he will not be able to work for a long
                    time. – He came to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood"
                        >Wildwood</placeName> one day before he was ill &amp; left me a whole basket
                    of first rate blood-oranges. – Oh how I wish oranges would keep between
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Bahia">Bahia</placeName> &amp; <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#London">London</placeName> – that I might taste
                    yours. – Here comes <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Christopher"
                        >Christopher</persName>, having lost his beloved baby he now condescends to
                    the parlour – He is grown such a splendid animal – handsomer than <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lotus">Lotus.</persName> – I feel grieved you will
                    have "nothing to read" last mail – but patience. Your <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cornhill">Cornhills</title> &amp;c are all
                    laid-up &amp; waiting. – Have you ever a cat within reach? Have <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Ogilvie">the Ogilvies</orgName> one? – I hope there
                    will be plenty about them &amp; your other friends in next letter – I like to
                    hear all about every body. – </p>
                <pb n="5"/>
                <p><date when="1860-03-25">Sunday March 25.</date> It seems as if there was hardly
                    anything to say this week. &amp; what there is <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Christopher">Christopher</persName> tries hard to
                    prevent my saying by walking over my desk &amp; making this blot you see. –
                        <date>Sunday last</date> was the usual thing – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName>, <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName> – &amp; <rs
                        type="person">a friend of hers</rs>. – in the evening: – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> &amp; I having a
                    quiet afternoon &amp; a walk by our two selves – &amp; <unclear> hours
                    </unclear> of talk. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence"
                        >Clarence</persName> is really beginning to <hi rend="underline">get on</hi>
                    – has two pictures at "British Artists" – being first-rate. – is doing my book
                    beautifully &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LintonWJ">Linton</persName>
                    speaks so highly of him to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacmillanAlexander"
                        >Macmillan</persName> – thinks there's a great deal in him. Also he goes of
                    Thursday evenings to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HenriettaStreet"
                        >Henrietta St.</placeName> &amp; the set there take to him – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MassonDavid">Masson</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#KingsleyCharles">Kingsley</persName> &amp; the rest.
                    – He &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith">Harvey Smith</persName>
                    have struck up a regular friendship – he likes <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith">Harvey</persName> extremely – &amp; goes
                    to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HaltonGarden">Halton garden</placeName> –
                    But he doesn't like the girls there at all – &amp; can't bear <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsSmith">Mrs. Smith</persName>. He says <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith">Harvey</persName> seems to him a regular
                    domestic martyr – &amp; so good with it all – &amp; so steady &amp; home-keeping
                    – Poor <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith">Harvey</persName> – I do
                    wish he had a nice wife of his own. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SpringfieldGeorge">Springfield</persName> has been
                    offered the partnership with young <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Easton"
                        >Easton</persName> &amp; is off to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Norfolk">Norfolk</placeName>: to raise <measure
                        type="currency">£500</measure> which they require: – then he will start as
                    manager – indeed <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Easton">young
                        Easton</persName> will apparently have little enough on <hi rend="underline"
                        >his</hi> hands , as he isn't fit for it: – but no doubt <rs type="person"
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrEaston">his father</rs> will take
                        <supplied>care</supplied> of him &amp; help him on – It seems very good for
                        <hi rend="underline"><persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SpringfieldGeorge">G.
                            S.</persName></hi> &amp; no doubt he will marry &amp; settle very soon.
                    – Another marriage is <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura"
                        >Laura</persName>'s cousin <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordIvan"
                        >Ivan Herford</persName> – who having vainly adored her for ever so long –
                    has taken up with a <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissThomson">Miss
                        Thomson</persName> at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cheltenham"
                        >Cheltenham.</placeName>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName> is much better
                    than she was. – She went boldly to <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#EastlakeCharles">Sir Charles Eastlake</persName> to
                    ask him about women's getting into the <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#RoyalAcademy"><choice>
                            <abbr>R. A.</abbr>
                            <expan>Royal Academy</expan>
                        </choice></orgName> – &amp; he said the thing would be very good – &amp;
                    suggested some young ladies sending in drawings as Probationers – &amp; see what
                    the <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#RoyalAcademy"><choice>
                            <abbr>R. A.</abbr>
                            <expan>Royal Academy</expan>
                        </choice></orgName> – &amp; the students would say to it – there was no <hi
                        rend="underline">law</hi> against it – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> hearing this was
                    horrified!! – the scene <date>last Sunday</date> between him &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName> was a perfect show. –
                    He is evidently quite frightened at the idea of her &amp; a few more young
                    ladies walking in as academy students &amp; they really are trying &amp; have
                    begun their drawings at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lees"
                        >Lee's</placeName> &amp; elsewhere!! – This last feat of <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura </persName>'s as "a man &amp; a
                    brother" you'll be greatly amused at. – it beats the knife board. <pb n="6"/>
                    Monday &amp; Tuesday I did nothing particular – except work – &amp; trying to
                    get back my spoons sheets &amp;c – which the hapless <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Mary">Mary</persName> had walked off with – but the
                    Police said I could do nothing unless I prosecuted: &amp; though <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Mary">Mary</persName> owns to the theft I <hi
                        rend="underline">can't</hi> give her on charge: for the sake of the poor
                    baby. – indeed anyhow I wouldn't prosecute so I just put up with the loss. –
                    Wednesday was the Squabble at <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#AdamsWBridges"
                            >M<hi rend="underline"><hi rend="superscript">r</hi></hi> W. Bridges
                        Adams</persName> – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissCoates">Miss
                        Coates</persName>' essay. – It went off well. The <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Ziepel">Ziepels</orgName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrTomlinson">Mr. Tomlinson</persName> as usual
                    taking the principal part of the conversation. The <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteInde.xml#Lovell">Lovells</orgName> were there. <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMaria">Mrs. Lovell</persName> having at last
                    agreed to call &amp; be civil to <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Adams">the
                        Adams.</orgName> – I do the same – but I don't take to them. By the by, your
                     acquaintance
                    <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Garden">the Gardens</orgName> opposite called
                    on me – &amp; I returned it – &amp; found them really nice homely honest people
                    – one <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissGarden">Miss Garden</persName> quite
                    pretty. They were full of obligation to you for taking the <choice>
                        <abbr>Pho</abbr>
                        <expan>Photograph</expan>
                    </choice> of their house – &amp; made tender enquiries after you &amp; your
                    photography. – So does <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsHartwell">Mrs.
                        Hartwell</persName> – calls regularly after every mail to ask about you. –
                    We go on just in the same way – very civil &amp; no more. They were greatly put
                    out about my losses from <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Mary"
                    >Mary</persName>, as they recommended her. <rs type="person">Her mother</rs> has
                    left them. Also for drunkenness – On Thursday I went to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HenriettaStreet">Henrietta St.</placeName> &amp; to
                    have a talk with <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacmillanAlexander">Mr.
                        Macmillan</persName> – &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HughesThomas"
                        >"Tom Brown"</persName> came in to lunch. Such a fine fellow – as like his
                    books as ever he can be – not a bit of the "literary man" – regular English
                    honesty – &amp; simplicity – with a <unclear>certain</unclear> of what <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DrWilkinson">Dr. Wilkinson</persName> calls "healthy
                    animalism"– for he stands 6 feet &amp; broad in proportion &amp; looks as if he
                    could fight or row or run or anything. And it's such a bright wholesome pleasant
                    face – it makes you smile all over to look at it. – He is just over 40 with <rs
                        type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HughesFrances">a wife</rs> and several
                    children. He &amp; <rs type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HughesFrances">his
                        wife</rs> are coming over for an early tea to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> soon. They know the
                        <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#GurneyHoare">Gurney Hoare's</orgName> &amp;
                    will come on from there here. – Thursday <choice>
                        <abbr>evng</abbr>
                        <expan>evening</expan>
                    </choice>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BlackettHenry">Mr.</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsBlackett">Mrs. Blackett</persName> came and were
                    quite jolly – We had a regular long <choice>
                        <abbr>evng</abbr>
                        <expan>evening</expan>
                    </choice> of talk &amp; settled some business. He has lost by the Poems he says
                    – for he printed a large edition &amp; has only sold 900 – but he says that is
                    more than anybody else's poems would sell, except <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#TennysonAlfred">Tennyson</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BrowningElizabethBarrett">Mrs. Browning</persName> –
                        <pb n="7"/>&amp; seems to take it very easy. He says he shall repay himself
                    from the "<title corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#StudiesFromLife">Studies from
                        Life.</title>" – He says my books keep on selling &amp; are becoming
                    "valuable property." – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BrowningElizabethBarrett">Mrs. Browning</persName>
                    has published a <choice>
                        <abbr>vol.</abbr>
                        <expan>volume</expan>
                    </choice> of poems <title corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PoemsBeforeCongress"
                        >Before Congress</title> – splendid writing – but in sentiment, <hi
                        rend="underline">awful</hi> – adoring <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Italy">Italy</placeName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#NapoleonLouis">Louis Napoleon</persName> &amp;
                    execrating <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#England">England.</placeName> A
                    Curse for a Nation – <choice>
                        <abbr>L. C.</abbr><expan><foreign xml:lang="la">loco citato</foreign></expan>
                    </choice>
                    <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#England">England</placeName> – is perfectly
                        <hi rend="underline">awful</hi> – parricidal, I think. – Even <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> is shocked. – &amp;
                    attributes her state of mind – poor woman to Bogies. <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Marston">The Marston</orgName> Bogies are worse than
                    ever. – they &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#GibsonMilnerMrs">Mrs Milner
                        Gibson</persName> go clear daft together over there.</p>
                <p><placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#GothicCottage">Gothic Cottage</placeName> is
                    going down to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#IsleofWight">Isle of
                        Wight</placeName> – to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellSydney"
                        >Sydney</persName> &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellEmily"
                        >Emily</persName> – next week. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JollyEllen">Ellen Jolly</persName> had a liitle boy
                    on <mod type="subst"><del rend="strikethrough">Friday</del></mod>
                    <add place="inline">Thursday</add>. the night of a grand bridal party to
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JollyFrank">Frank</persName> &amp; <rs
                        type="person">his wife</rs> – at which were <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellIsabella">Bella</persName>, <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellCyrus">Cy</persName> – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> &amp;c. – It took
                    place at the ancient Jolly's – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JollyWilliam"
                        >William</persName> was sent for quietly out in midst of the entertainment.
                    – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JollyEllen">Ellen</persName> is all right. –
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> is so <choice>
                        <sic>cosie</sic>
                        <reg>cosy</reg>
                    </choice> with <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary">little
                        Mary</persName> again – who looks so bright &amp; does her work as quick as
                    a bee. We are so exceedingly peaceful &amp; pretty – &amp; the garden is
                    beginning to sprout up – though it is a very cold, late spring. – Vines for
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ValeLodge">Vale Lodge</placeName> comes
                    regularly to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsEarl">Mrs. Earl</persName>'s
                    garden &amp; use. <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsEarl">Mrs.
                        Earl</persName> has given me a lot of box-edging to go all down the walk –
                    so we shall be quite grand. I don't think I shall ever make up my mind to leave
                    home <choice>
                        <abbr>till</abbr>
                        <expan>until</expan>
                    </choice> July. <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName>
                    won't go to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ArranCottage">Arran</placeName>,
                    as I planned – she <hi rend="underline">will</hi> stay &amp; draw for the
                        <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#RoyalAcademy"><choice>
                            <abbr>R. A.</abbr>
                            <expan>Royal Academy</expan>
                        </choice></orgName> – Probably my first visit will be to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Ayr">Ayr</placeName> – where that nice lad <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JackWilliam">William Jack</persName> that I was
                    telling you of – means to take a house – with his sister as housekeeper (pending
                        <hi rend="underline">the</hi> young lady.) – &amp; has made me promise that
                    I will come &amp; stay with them as soon as they are settled. It's quite droll
                    this lad's downright affection for me – peeps out in all sorts of quiet, Scotch
                    undemonstrative ways. "deeds not words" – &amp; for a lad who is awfully in love
                    &amp; straining every nerve to get on in the world &amp; get married – it's
                    exceedingly creditable I think: – I'm grateful accordingly – I shall extremely
                    enjoy a short visit to <rs type="place" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Scotland">the
                        Land o' Burns</rs> – <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Macmillan">The
                        Macmillan family</orgName> also mean to spend their <date>August</date> in
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Ayr">Ayr</placeName> – Afterwards <pb
                        n="8"/>I mean to go to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Greenock"
                        >Greenock</placeName>, <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Edinburgh"><choice>
                            <abbr>Edin</abbr>
                            <expan>Edinburgh</expan>
                        </choice></placeName> &amp; <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#StAndrews"
                        >St. Andrews</placeName> – as heretofore you see, <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen">Ben</persName>, it's no use effecting to
                        "<foreign xml:lang="fr">déraciner</foreign>" sister from your objectionable
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Scotland">Scotland.</placeName> – all her
                    heart's there &amp; always will be. – I have been amused by a long article on me
                    in the <foreign xml:lang="fr"><title
                            corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#RevueDesDeuxMondes">Revue des deux
                            mondes</title></foreign> – in which they ingenuously derive all my
                    peculiarities from "<foreign xml:lang="fr">un père Irlandais et une mère
                        Écossaise</foreign> – " &amp; how I combine the liveliness &amp; humour (!)
                    of one country with the staunch "<foreign xml:lang="fr">Puritaine</foreign>"
                    spirit of the other! As fine a specimen as could be produced of jumping at
                    conclusions. A very beautiful article it is – I'll send it
                        <supplied>to</supplied> you when I can get it. – I am making my collection
                    of books for the mail – waiting on opportunity. One special shelf is devoted to
                    you – lest there be any mistakes or forgets – By the by – I <hi rend="underline"
                        >have</hi> your <measure type="currency">£8</measure> all right – &amp; keep
                    your money separate – &amp; have a rigid account of all I spend for you. I hope
                    there will be no <choice>
                        <abbr>M.A.</abbr>
                    </choice>'s <expan>missing accounts</expan>– 'tis church time now – so I must go
                    – Goodbye my dearest boy. – </p>
                <p>Sunday <date when="1860-04-01">April 1:<hi rend="superscript">st</hi></date> – I
                    write this under difficulties – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Christopher"
                        >Christopher</persName> being so excessively affectionate that he won't be
                    quiet – insists on kissing me &amp; eating my pen. – He is getting a very nice
                    cat – as nice as <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lotus">Lotus</persName>
                    nearly. – &amp; is more choice in his affections. He was several days before he
                    took to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary">little Mary</persName> –
                    used to run away the minute she came near him – she quite wept over his dislike
                    of her – but he has got over it now. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary">Mary</persName> looks quite well &amp;
                    blooming &amp; does her work without trouble. – &amp; the house is so
                    comfortable – with somebody that's fond of one in it. – Well, let me see – what
                    has been done this week, – <date>Sunday</date> was mild. only <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName> &amp; <rs
                        type="person">a cousin of hers</rs> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> in the evening
                        <add place="above"><date>Monday</date> – while</add>. <date>Tuesday</date>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JackWilliam">Mr. Jack</persName> came to tea
                    &amp; knowing I wanted to see a university boat-race – was going to take
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie Miers</persName> &amp;
                    me to see the grand <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Oxford"
                        >Oxford</placeName> &amp; <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cambridge"
                        >Cambridge</placeName> one from <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HammersmithBridge">Hammersmith Bridge</placeName>. –
                    But I found out accidentally that the lad was giving up three days of his short
                    holiday at home to stop over this date &amp; saying nothing about it. – So I
                    wouldn't agreee to it: &amp; he went off to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Scotland">Scotland</placeName> direct. – It was
                    quite pleasant to see this good lad's intense delight in his success. – he has
                    got <pb n="9"/>nearly <measure type="currency">£450</measure> a year – &amp; two
                    months ago would have been thankful for <measure type="currency">£200</measure>.
                    – He had worked for it awful hard: – but still it's a wonderful good position to
                    be got at 25. – </p>
                <p>Wednesday <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName> spent
                    the day at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> –
                    &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName> &amp; I
                    went in to the final supper at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#GothicCottage"
                        >Gothic Cottage</placeName> when I started off next morning, magnificent in
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissCoates">Emily Coates</persName>' new
                    carriage – such a pretty one. – with the Charger &amp; the man &amp; maid in the
                    box. – North End must have been quite electrified by the turn-out. – They are
                    off to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WendCottage">Wend Cottage</placeName>
                    – <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Niton">Niton</placeName> – near <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellSydney">Sydney</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellEmily">Emily.</persName> Tomorrow <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BensonJane">Jane</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances">Frances</persName> start for same
                    place – so there will be quite a colony. There has been a trifling breeze
                    between <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances">Frances</persName>
                    &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> &amp;
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> – or rather
                    between her &amp; the ancients. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances">Frances</persName> has roused
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMaria">Mrs Lovell</persName>'s wrath
                    by not seeming to care for her acquaintance – &amp; though <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BensonJane">Jane</persName> does the polite –
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances">Frances</persName> calls
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMaria">Mrs Lovell</persName> "horrid
                    woman" &amp; won't call – for which she is soundly abused by <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BensonJane">Jane.</persName> – Consequently
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> &amp;
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> call very
                    seldom, &amp; at least <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BensonJane"
                        >Jane</persName> &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames"
                        >Marian</persName> talked it out &amp; "came to terms" sociably. – I think
                    the old <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lovell">Lovells</orgName> are more
                    disagreeble than ever, they actually would not let <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> come to supper at
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#GothicCottage">Gothic Cottage</placeName>
                    the last Sunday because <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Fork">the
                        Forks</orgName>
                    <hi rend="underline">might</hi> be coming to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ValeLodge">Vale Lodge.</placeName> they bother
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName>'s life out
                    &amp; she hasn't the will to resist. – She never goes anywhere but to the
                        <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Tomlinson">Tomlinsons</orgName>. I have
                    been hoping that she &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacmillanCaroline"
                        >Mrs. Macmillan</persName> – who is coming to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> – might fraternize –
                    &amp; so <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> might
                    go to stop at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cambridge"
                        >Cambridge</placeName> – but I fear it's no good. it's no use trying to help
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> out of the
                    perfectly hopeless state of domestic subservience – which no woman of 27 ought
                    to be subjected to by any parents. She won't help herself. – She has grown
                    hopelessly passive. – I grieve over her unutterably: – but I can't do anything.
                    – I never even ask her for a walk that they don't grumble &amp; getting her over
                    to tea is a thing to be "mentioned with her" – they even grumble at her going to
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#GothicCottage">Gothic Cottage</placeName>
                    – on account of <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissCoates">Emily
                        Coates</persName> – whom otherwise they like very well – being Unitarian
                    &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMaria">Mrs Lovell</persName>
                    moaned over <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> to me
                    like anything. – They'll interfere with her next. <pb n="10"/>Well – I have had
                    my grumble out – but it is a constant source of grief &amp; irritation to me –
                    being so fond as I am of <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna"
                        >Minna</persName>. I look upon hers as a completely lost life – with no
                    usefulness in it &amp; not a bit of happiness – either past present or probable.
                    You have no right to feel hardly to <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> – under all
                    circumstances – her position is much worse than yours. I dined on
                        Friday at <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Marston">the
                        Marstons</orgName> – &amp; came away with an equally wretched impression of
                    all things there – returning to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood"
                        >Wildwood</placeName> with a source of unalterable thankfulness for my own
                    peaceful home &amp; for being able to think of you across the seas with the
                    comfort that I do. – Saturday having business in Town I went in to
                    the 2. P.M. dinner of <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Mudie">the
                        Mudies</orgName> – which I really enjoy. such a table full of well-behaved
                    children. Afterwards I went through a whole portfolio of <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacphersonRobert">Macpherson</persName>'s <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> – &amp; we – they are splendid! – but though they seem clearer as to
                    atmosphere the prints are not to be generally perfect as yours – I saw lots of
                    white spots on the very best of them. it was quite curious how many defective
                    prints there were. They are mostly large – nearly as large as the Brig –
                    architecture predominating – The best were – the exit of the <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#CloacaMaxima">Cloaca Maxima</placeName> all hung
                    with trees – perfectly lovely. the cataract of <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#VelinoRiver">Velino</placeName> – "such a volume of
                    water" said somebody – "<hi rend="underline">Three</hi> volumes –" amended
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MudieCharles">Mudie</persName> with a dim
                        <del rend="crossout">idea</del> of a joke professional. &amp; some <mod
                        type="subst"><del rend="crossout">cedar</del><add place="above"
                            >cypress</add></mod> &amp; fir trees – the finest <hi rend="underline"
                        >tree</hi>
                    <choice>
                        <abbr>phos</abbr>
                        <expan>photographs</expan>
                    </choice> I ever did see: – so steady &amp; clear – I do wish you could do some
                    more <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> like the <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JohannesRiver">river
                        Johannes</placeName> – it delights every body. – I don't think any one of
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacphersonRobert">Macpherson</persName>s
                    is better – though bigger – the water is far better than his <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#VelinoRiver">Velino</placeName> – where to make the
                    cataract I suppose, he has printed every other but so intensely black – that you
                    can distinguish nothing. I suppose he was obliged. – I am looking forward to
                    more <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> – it will make a splendid book by the 3 years' end. – I am getting
                    into my usual small fidget of expecting the mail &amp; fancying something may
                    have gone wrong between whiles. – however the eel may get <pb n="11"/>used to
                    shining. – I do not make myself needlessly unhappy I trust &amp; everybody said
                    I am fat &amp; well – </p>
                <p>Every month I live here, <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HampsteadHeath"
                        >Hampstead</placeName> seems to suit me better: – if I go into <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#London">London</placeName> for a day I feel wretched
                    – but as soon as I come back home I'm all right. I never feel so well anywhere
                    as I do at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> –
                    which is a great comfort. It is quite cold weather still – not a sign of spring.
                    – You will be at the rainy season – &amp; no fever to be heard of by now, I
                    trust. <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie Miers</persName>
                    seems quite easy in her mind concerning it – which is my great stronghold – as
                    she knows the Brazilian climate so well. She confirms all you say about drinking
                    – &amp; does not seem to think there is the least fear – humanly speaking – for
                    you. – I must put aside now &amp; get ready for Church – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> is coming to
                    dinner – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndx.xml#SpringfieldGeorge"
                        >Springfield</persName> to tea – also possible <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith">Harvey Smith.</persName> There are two
                    new invites to the Sunday Collection – <rs type="person"
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BowesRobert">a nephew of Mr. Macmillan</rs>'s whom
                    he asked me to have sometimes – a nice fellow who manages the <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HenriettaStreet">Henrietta St.</placeName> branch –
                    &amp; does all my business in getting books for you &amp;c. – indeed is my
                    regular "agent in town" – very prompt &amp; dependable – Scotch of course. –
                    &amp; another strange to say, English – named <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#AingerAlfred">Ainger</persName> – a
                        <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#UniversityofCambridge">Cambridge</orgName>
                    co-mate of <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JackWilliam">Mr. Jack</persName>'s
                    whom he asked me to take in – because the lad is rather in trouble &amp; poverty
                    – &amp; he thought coming to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood"
                        >Wildwood</placeName> would "do him good!" – I couldn't help thinking how
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen">Ben</persName> would laugh! –
                    Certainly <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName>
                    <hi rend="underline">is</hi> turning into a Refuge if not a Reformatory – on
                        Sundays at least: – but on weekdays (now that the first rush of
                    friends who thought I should be so solitary, has abated) I am decidedly <hi
                        rend="underline">quiet</hi> &amp; have a great many solitary evenings – or
                    at least half evenings. – which <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Christopher"
                        >Christopher</persName> &amp; I enjoy very much. – It is curious – but
                    consolatory – that after all there is great peace in one's own company. – I
                    never come home from any household that I don't feel how very much happier
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> is than
                    any of them. – &amp; can understand in a priggish &amp; gratified way, why it is
                    that people evidently like to come to it, because nobody bothers or scolds –
                    everything goes smoothly &amp; the mistress lets people do as they like – &amp;
                    is certainly whatever her faults – neither snappish nor glum. <pb n="12"/>the
                    more I see of the <hi rend="underline">rows</hi> in families – the more proud
                    &amp; thankful I feel that in all our lives, however you &amp; I may
                    occasionally have bothered ourselves &amp; one another – we have <hi
                        rend="underline">bothered anybody else</hi> – &amp; our household was always
                    pleasant to everybody that came into it. – Now goodbye – till, I hope, my mail
                    comes in next week. – </p>
                <p><date>Wednesday</date> morning – your letter came yesterday afternoon – cheap at
                    the money – as <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissHill">Miss Hill</persName>
                    <add place="above">would</add> observe – I think <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary">little Mary</persName> thought so as she
                    came running with it all the way down the garden. Time being that on account of
                        <date when="1860-04-06">Good Friday</date> – I at once fell to your
                    commissions &amp; they are now, I think all <foreign xml:lang="fr">en
                        train</foreign> to go by this mail. – (of which anon.) – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> came in &amp; we went
                    direct to Post &amp; Parcel's delivery &amp;c.– then came back &amp; she read
                    your public letter &amp; the one to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames"
                        >Marian</persName>. – We made no comments or conversation. – I think when
                    you are quite <hi rend="underline">sure</hi> of your own feelings – that you <hi
                        rend="underline">have</hi> not the least wish to marry <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> – &amp; for anything
                    but the old friendship – you should send her a message to that effect and return
                    to the old friendship, as much as is practicable. She must feel acutely your
                    loss as a friend of so many years. – How <hi rend="underline">any</hi> girl not
                    a paving-stone could be so fond of a young man as <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna </persName> was &amp; is of you –
                    without the slightest wish to marry them – <hi rend="underline">I</hi> can't
                    understand but still it evidently is the case. I have no doubt about it now. –
                    The <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Tomlinson">Tomlinsons</orgName>, <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsZiepel">Mrs. Ziepel</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrAnderson">Mr.</persName> &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xmxl#MrsAnderson">Mrs. Anderson</persName> came to tea –
                    &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> stayed
                    with me until this morning &amp; has only just left – </p>
                <p>Now to your letters – the private one first. – It is thoroughly satisfactory, my
                    dearest boy – It is hardly possible to express what I feel of the matter of you.
                    – the whole tone of your letters is so kind &amp; thoughtful &amp; good &amp;
                    home-loving. I feel happier about you than ever I did in my life. – And when I
                    think of all the trial &amp; temptation that you have had to go through – it
                    seems seems perfectly <pb n="13"/>wonderful. Your remark, the last
                        Sunday but one you were at home – "The thing is, sister, you're a
                    Christian &amp; I'm not." – Often comes back to my mind as gradually becoming a
                    very great falsehood. – I am easy now about the fever – &amp; your health
                    generally: – but you must not reckon too much so as to become careless of
                    health. as <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName> says
                    the <hi rend="underline">second</hi> summer in <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Brazil">Brazil</placeName> is always the most
                    trying. If possible, against the hot season you should manage to live up the
                    country where fever never comes. It would not do to mount the <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Brazil">Brazil</placeName>
                    <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> – so many people want to see them that they are only safe in a book –
                    they would get spoiled directly otherwise. – The lily Panoroma however shall go
                    by itself. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances">Frances</persName>
                    &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BensonJane">Jane</persName> will be so
                    glad you are friends with <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Nicolay"
                        >Nicolay.</persName> They are at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Niton"
                        >Niton</placeName>: in the same lodgings as <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> – I ha<del
                        rend="overwrite">ve</del><add place="inline">d</add> a letter from <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> this morning – asking
                    me to do professionally her "Not an Angel" – with an eye to <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Macmillan">Macmillan.</orgName> I shall send your
                    letter to her by today's post – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna"
                        >Minna</persName> &amp; I kept it yesterday because we wanted to read it.
                    Yours to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MayallJohn">J. Mayall</persName>
                    &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SpringfieldGeorge">G. S.</persName> –
                    went all right. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SpringfieldGeorge">G.
                        S.</persName> – is half sorry not to go out to you. – but is going for <rs
                        type="event" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Easter">Easter</rs> to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Glasgow">Glasgow</placeName> – Which will probably
                    change his mind: As "<rs type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissWhite"
                        >Polly</rs>" might not like <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Brazil"
                        >Brazil.</placeName> – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SpringfieldGeorge"
                        >G. S.</persName> came on <date>Sunday</date>: all is settled about the <hi
                        rend="underline">partnership</hi> – he has got the <measure type="currency"
                        >£500</measure>. – The house of business is at <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wapping">Wapping</placeName>: but he won't live
                    there – "would not mind it if he were alone." – he observed at tea <add
                        place="above">on Sunday</add> to the great amusement of
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName> &amp;
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> –
                    &amp; the surprise of <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BowesRobert">Mr. Robert
                        Bowes</persName> – (Macmillan's nephew – who made his first appearance at
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> on
                        Sunday – He is a nice quiet good fellow – about 25. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> likes him very
                    much – you see, I'm quite losing my "fine" friends – as this youth is <hi
                        rend="underline">shopman</hi> at <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HenriettaStreet">Henrietta St.</placeName> – but
                    nevertheless quite a gentleman.) I have not sent you <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LloydsList">Lloyd's</title> – as <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockThomas">Papa</persName> said he had sent you
                    such a quantity of papers – about 30 altogether – He sends you a very
                    affectionate message by last letter – I think he really takes pleasure in
                    sending <pb n="14"/>you papers – I shall send him a message from you – when I
                    write – I generally write in the middle of the month also, now – &amp; make my
                    letters longer by my little bit of news I can put in – that might be published
                    harmlessly in <title ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Times">the Times.</title> – He
                    writes very kindly to me – I am so glad you like your <choice>
                        <abbr>Mags</abbr>
                        <expan>magazines</expan>
                    </choice>. You will have a disappointment last month – but there was no one to
                    send them by – besides my being out of town. – Isn't <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#TomBrown">Tom Brown</title> beautiful? –
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> &amp;
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BowesRobert">Robert Bowes</persName> came
                    to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> full of the
                    University boat-race – where they had been – it was from <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Putney">Putney</placeName> to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Mortlake">Mortlake</placeName> – at 8:30 a. m. –
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> got on
                    board an <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Oxford">Oxford</placeName> boat
                    &amp; saw it all close; his description was really like a bit of <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#TomBrown">Tom Brown.</title> – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> read the "boat-race"
                    in <title corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#TomBrown">Tom Brown</title> in <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Omnibus">the Omnibus</title> – &amp; was so
                    excited by it, she said, that she was near crying – greatly to her confusion. –
                    Do you like the poems in <title corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cornhill"
                        >Cornhill</title> &amp; <title corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Macmillan"
                        >Macmillan</title>. <title ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#AMansWooing">A Man's
                        Wooing</title> was mine – It took considerably I believe. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BlackettHenry">Mr. Blackett</persName> has sold 900
                    of the Poems – which he says is more than he believes most poems would sell –
                    but still he printed so large an edition that at present he has lost – However
                    he seems to take it very calmly. – He wants another book – I have had I don't
                    know how many offers to write all sorts of things: But I won't : it is not worth
                    while killing myself over making money – About the <measure type="currency"
                        >£50</measure> that is to come next mail. I will if you like invest it with
                    mine: but as you will have seen by my last you can get far better interest for
                    it out at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Brazil">Brazil</placeName> – &amp;
                    it would be ready to hand. I really think if you would write to <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersJohn">John Miers</persName>, as <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName> suggested – &amp; ask
                    him what he would advise as Brazilian investment – you would make more by the
                    end of 3 years. But do as you think most prudent &amp; best, I have put another
                        <measure type="currency">£50</measure> – due from <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#TicknorFields">Ticknor &amp; Fields</orgName> for
                        <hi rend="underline"><title corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Poems"
                        >Poems</title></hi> into the Joint Stock Bank. – <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Macmillan">Macmillan</orgName>, translations &amp;c
                    keep me going on very well. – living as quietly as I do – but I don't reason to
                    be quite so stingy<pb n="15"/> over myself as I have been – because the Family
                    is getting well off – &amp; I am getting old. – I have treated <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> to a regular gardener
                    – <persName>Vines</persName> – at <measure type="currency">9/:</measure> per
                    month – &amp; the garden looks so nice – &amp; has box edging down to the very
                    end. – I wish you could see it. I walked down it this morning &amp; picked you
                    the best nosegay attainable &amp; put it in inside <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacmillansMagazine">a Macmillan.</title> – I
                    wonder if any other folk out there besides yourself will have pleasure in
                    looking at English flowers .– It will be a great treat to get the beautiful new <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> – per <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrGale">Mr. Gale</persName> –
                    for my birthday &amp; thank you, <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen"
                        >Ben</persName>! – we shall have a grand mounting of them &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName> will be so pleased with
                    hers. – Don't ever think you bother me with commissions – it's quite a pleasant
                    little excitement to think how to get them &amp; send them off. – when <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrWatson">Mr. Watson</persName> calls &amp; becomes
                    "friendly" – I'll settle with him about some regular plan of sending things: or
                    else pay him a visit at <placeName>29</placeName> – but meantime I generally
                    hear of somebody going out there. – I can't <del rend="scribble">
                        <gap quantity="1" unit="word"/>
                    </del> – I was going to write I can't – send you out Wills &amp; the Autocrat –
                    by this mail – but on second thoughts I believe I can via <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BowesRobert">R. Bowes</persName> – to whom I have
                    delivered your polite message all proper. He evidently rather enjoys "<title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacmillansMagazine">our Mag</title>" being known
                    in <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Brazil">Brazil.</placeName> You shall have
                    your <choice>
                        <abbr>Pho</abbr>
                        <expan>Photo</expan>
                    </choice>. Journals by post after this mail. – I never ask anybody for
                    newspapers for you. – all you get you may be quite sure you get on your own
                    hook. <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MarstonWestland">Mr. Marston</persName>
                    proposed sending you regularly <title corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#TheLeader">the
                        Leader</title> – which he gets: &amp; which poor <persName>Bruddy</persName>
                    made a pathetic riddle – "What is the best newspaper for the blind?" – I like to
                    be acquainted with <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrMatthew">Mr.
                        Matthew</persName> &amp; the rest of the staff. You do not mention <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Horne">the Hornes</orgName> this letter – but I
                    conclude you go on "improving the acquaintance." – <del rend="scribble">
                        <gap quantity="2" unit="word"/>
                    </del> Do not imagine I grieve about your not being a Senior Wrangler now!! –
                    you are much better as you are: it would never have done for you. – only it <hi
                        rend="underline">was</hi> my dream for a great many years. But 'tis better
                    as it is. – I only fretted a little about it from being at <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cambridge">Cambridge.</placeName> – but soon got
                    over it. – I really don't wish <pb n="16"/>different from what it is: – only I
                    look forward to your settling in <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#England"
                        >England</placeName> sometime or other – that I may make <mod type="subst"
                            ><add place="inline">the</add><del rend="overwrite">your</del></mod>
                    room at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> into
                    an occasional nursery &amp; my unused travelling-bath into a children's bath –
                    bless their little hearts! my heart is very soft on the subject of children. –
                    Your private letter is very nice &amp; far the pleasantest to read as well as to
                    write. I enjoy it exceedingly: but still I think it's a pity you should quite
                    give up the public ones – because so many – that is – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName>, <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName>, <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura Herford</persName> – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellClarence">Clarence</persName> – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie Miers</persName> – &amp;
                    especially <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockAunts">the little
                        Aunts</orgName> – enjoy reading <add place="above">or hearing</add> them –
                    they are so extremely graphic &amp; clever – If you only write privately –
                        <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockAunts">the Aunts</orgName> will have
                    to be stopped out of their monthly treat entirely – which alone would be a pity
                    – dear little aunts! – they make such an awful fuss about "<hi rend="underline"
                        >our</hi> nephew." – As I told you nobody but <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName>, <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> &amp; <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockAunts">the Aunts</orgName> get the public
                    letters to read. – the others have excerpt editions of my reading aloud. –
                        <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Ziepel">The Ziepels</orgName> also
                    invariably come for your news as soon as they see the mail is in. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrZiepel">Mr. Ziepel</persName> has been very unwell
                    lately – my own private belief is he eats too much. <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MontgomeryHugh">Hugh Montgomery</persName> is
                    growing such a big fellow – with few ideas in his head but rifles. – The rifle
                    movement has grown tremendous. – everybody at "at drill." – It is really having
                    a beneficial effect on the morals of youth – everybody – shopmen, clerks,
                    professionals, &amp; even schoolboys – forming volunteer corps – &amp; drilling
                    5 nights out of six – They come home so tired they go straight to bed instead of
                    to Casinos &amp; so on. – The <orgName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#UniversityofCambridge">Cambridge</orgName> "bills"
                    this term have been astonishingly small – because the young fellows literally
                    have no time for any worse amusement than drilling – so my good friend <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JackWilliam">Mr. Jack</persName> told me – He is one
                    of a small set now rising up in both universities who are not ashamed of being
                    good – &amp; "testifying" as loudly as possible – that a man should marry early
                    – upon <measure type="currency">£150</measure> or <measure type="currency"
                        >£200</measure> a year – &amp; love his wife <pb n="17"/>&amp; <hi
                        rend="underline">love nobody else.</hi> Of course it's an awful pull against
                    the stream – but it's a good thing &amp; slowly <choice>
                        <sic>encreasing</sic>
                        <reg>increasing</reg>
                    </choice>. the world may be mended in time. – It's quite a sight to see the
                    troops of young fellows from every corps in <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#London">London</placeName> in turn, that march up to
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HampsteadHeath">Hampstead</placeName> of
                        Saturday afternoon – with band &amp; officers – &amp; "dismiss"
                    for an hour's beer &amp; bread &amp; cheese at Jack Straws. All the young ladies
                    &amp; little boys of <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HampsteadHeath"
                        >Hampstead</placeName> turn out to have a stare at them. – Now to your
                    public letter. I greatly admire your business-like arrangement of <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice>. Should not wonder if you turned out your great horror a "good man of
                    business." – It's in you if you only take the trouble to draw it out. your
                    account of the Oneida's sailing was quite pathetic – poor boy – I wish you could
                    come home for the rainy season.<anchor xml:id="n2"/> Here was an interruption
                    carrier for your packet of books – which <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LittleMary">Mary</persName> &amp; I had packed up
                    satisfactorily. You will find in it besides literature a bit of <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WrightMaria">Maria Wright</persName>'s wedding cake
                    – which <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockAunts">the Aunts</orgName> sent
                    you from their piece. – I had a letter from <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WrightWilliam">Willie Wright</persName>
                    yesterday asking me to help <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WrightWilliamJr">William</persName> with "my reference
                    in the Church or patrons of the Church." – Poor old gentleman – is it come to
                    this! – Pathetic – to think how our side the family has gone up &amp; his gone
                    down. – I send your letter to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames"
                        >Marian</persName> today. They have taken <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#UpperTerraceLodge">Upper Terrace</placeName> – the
                    house next the <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Scott">Scotts</orgName>
                    <measure type="currency">£130</measure> a year – looking over the Heath – you
                    know it. Splendid house. <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissCoates">Emily
                        Coates</persName> has leased it for 7 years – is making great alterations –
                    they will be settled about July. – They are very pleased – I think
                    there is nothing special to answer on your public letter – except that it is
                    generally interesting – What a glorious ride that must have been – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MayallJohn">Joe Mayall</persName> told me how
                        <unclear>Ca'meat</unclear> was in print – he seemed quite pleased. – </p>
                <p><date when="1860-04-06">Good Friday</date>. – On this memorable day in the Family
                    – I finish my letter. – On Wednesday night I got your <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> – just as starting to tea at <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ClockHouse">the Clock House</placeName> to see
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName> before she
                    went for <rs type="event" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Easter">Easter</rs> to
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cheltenham">Cheltenham.</placeName> So
                    there was a grand "read" &amp; examination. Dear <pb n="18"/>old <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissMontgomery">Miss Montgomery</persName> takes
                    quite <add place="above">a</add> infantile delight in your Brazilian life – also
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MontgomeryHugh">Hugh</persName> bursting
                    at intervals into his approving roar of laughter. And the <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> were thoroughly appreciated. – especially the panorama – the Mango –
                    &amp; the viaduct. – That of you is considered surprisingly "fat &amp; well-<choice>
                        <sic>liking</sic>
                        <reg resp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BourrierKaren">looking</reg>
                    </choice>" – quite jolly: I like it much for expression but it isn't a good <choice>
                        <abbr>Pho</abbr>
                        <expan>Photograph</expan>
                    </choice> – not sharp. – As you know – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura">Laura</persName> sent kind remembrance
                    to you – she is still entertained by your ardent enjoyment of "meals" – such a
                    contrast to former times. – I got an answer from <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith">Harvey Smith.</persName> he says if I
                    will send him the <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> of Opening Railway – he will take them himself to <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#IllustratedNews"><choice>
                            <abbr>Illus.</abbr>
                            <expan>Illustrated</expan>
                        </choice> News</title>. If "telling" ones – he has no doubt they will be
                    accepted <add place="above">&amp; paid for</add> – <choice><sic>Tho</sic><reg>though</reg></choice> what he knows not: they
                    being not over liberal. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith"
                        >Harvey</persName> says "<persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen"
                        >Ben</persName> might write me a line. I think I would to him if I were
                    away." – He is coming up to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood"
                        >Wildwood</placeName> shortly – &amp; will enjoy the <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice>. Thursday I was at <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Hammersmith">Hammersmith.</placeName> – &amp; there
                    indeed the <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice>
                    <hi rend="underline">were</hi> appreciated – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName> took the <choice>
                        <abbr>Pan</abbr>
                        <reg>Panoroma</reg>
                    </choice> &amp; as I like the Mango best it's all right – They were delighted
                    with the Panorama – &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellGeorge">Mr.
                        Lovell</persName> went into <choice>
                        <sic>extasies</sic>
                        <reg>ecstasies</reg>
                    </choice> over it as a <choice>
                        <abbr>Pho</abbr>
                        <expan>Photograph</expan>
                    </choice> – &amp; being printed so evenly – considered it a wonderful work. –
                    but it troubled his mind considerably about <hi rend="underline">
                            Trapiches<anchor xml:id="n5"/></hi> – which he there saw – finds they
                    are so much bigger than they are insured for – that he begged to take panorama
                    down to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LombardStreet">Lombard
                        St.</placeName> to have a consultation thereafter!! – I expect it will be
                    very useful to them in further insurances – – but I do hope they'll give an
                    "order" for one – instead of borrowing mine. – we found out your office &amp;
                    the theatre &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsMiers">Mrs.
                        Miers</persName> recognized the wonderful new buildings that have sprung up
                    since she was at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Bahia">Bahia</placeName> –
                    which was when <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName>
                    was a baby. I think the Panorama has "taken" more than any <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photographs</expan>
                    </choice> yet. – Poor <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellGeorge">Mr
                        Lovell</persName> – It's quite pathetic to me the kind way he always speaks
                    of you &amp; the warm interest he shows in all your proceedings Photographic
                    &amp; otherwise</p>
                <pb n="19"/>
                <p> – I got last night a long letter from <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Anderson">Mr. Anderson</persName> – so extremely
                    kind, downright affectionate – thanking me for my steady friendship when other
                    folk thought him changed – which he won't. – telling me all his circumstances
                    &amp; way of life: – not a bit grand but very simple &amp; working "harder than
                    he ever had in his life." – saying he meant to write me every mail – but he
                    wishes me not to make his letters public as before. – It's very odd – I can't
                    make head or tail of that matter to this day: – there has been an awful muddle
                    somewhere: but the only thing is to let it alone. – it will right itself
                    sometime. – Poor lad! I'm so glad to think how true &amp; good he is still. –
                    Now about your commisions. – Your books are gone by <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PocockGeorge">Mr. George Pocock</persName> an
                    English Engineering foreman, whom <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrMiers">Mr.
                        Miers</persName> is sending out to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Bahia"
                        >Bahia.</placeName> – a very respectable working-man. If I can I will tell
                    you the name of the house he goes to in <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Bahia">Bahia</placeName> – before closing this. –
                    but anyhow he has orders from <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrMiers">Mr.
                        Miers</persName> to find you out &amp; deliver the parcel – which contains
                        <date>March</date> &amp; <date>April</date>
                    <title corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacmillansMagazine">Macmillan</title>. <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cornhill">Cornhills</title> &amp; <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#AllTheYearRound">All Year rounds</title>. – 2 <choice>
                        <abbr>Pho</abbr>
                        <expan>Photograph</expan>
                        </choice> Journals. Cheap mak<anchor
                            xml:id="n6"/>. – &amp; some music <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> chose – the only <hi
                        rend="underline">classical</hi>
                    <choice>
                        <abbr>Con</abbr>
                        <expan>concert</expan>
                    </choice> music she could find – but there is a catalogue enclosed for you to
                    send word back if you want more. there is also a bit of wedding-cake some of
                    your old music &amp; inside the <title corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MacmillansMagazine">Macmillan</title> some <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> flowers. – Your
                    Wills, Old Leaves &amp; Autocrat – you will find in <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Hockin">Hockin</persName>'s book <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BowesRobert">Robert Bowes</persName> sent them. Your
                    boots &amp; spur <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SpringfieldGeorge"
                        >Springfield</persName> gives <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrWestern"
                        >Mr. Western</persName> to send out. – Your <choice>
                        <abbr>Con.</abbr><expan>concert</expan>
                    </choice> notes &amp; the elastic are the only things I am in doubt about – as
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MayallJohn">Joe Mayall</persName> I asked
                    to get them – not knowing the sort of elastic required, &amp; not having heard,
                    am afraid he is out of town. – but I shall go to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#RegentStreet">Regent St.</placeName> tomorrow &amp;
                    then to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ParliamentStreet">Parliament
                        St.</placeName> – the things may still be in time to send by some one going
                    out from <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ParliamentStreet">47.</placeName> –
                    If not, you will understand why they don't come to hand. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissBroadribb">Miss Brodribb</persName> – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersJohn">John Miers</persName>' governess will be
                    on board the steamer – look out for her if you have time to go on board. – Also
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FryAleck">Mr. Aleck Fry</persName> sent
                    word to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName> by this
                    mail. <pb n="20"/>that he expects to be in <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Bahia">Bahia</placeName> shortly &amp; will hunt you
                    out. He is a very nice individual – his sister married <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersFrancis">Frank Miers.</persName> – He &amp; the
                    whole <rs type="org" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Miers">Frank Miers</rs> are coming home by either the
                        May or June packet – &amp; hope you will try to go
                    and board &amp; see them all &amp; they will take any message or parcel home.
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersAnnie">Annie</persName> is so happy
                    at the prospect of her "family" – she wishes me to send you a special message of
                    thanks for the tree, She quite beamed all over at us as she does over all the
                    Brazilian <choice>
                        <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                        <expan>Photos</expan>
                    </choice>. – Everybody as knows you sends you kind messages "next time I write"
                    – I think there is a general impression of mentioning you with "<choice>
                        <abbr>hon</abbr>
                        <expan>honour</expan>
                    </choice>." – something like <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#AndersenHansChristian">Andersen</persName>'s Ugly
                    Duck when he began to put in his right feathers. – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsMiers">Mrs. Miers</persName> cries you up
                    amazingly – "had no idea you were so practical &amp; business-like" – "wonders
                    how a young man of such energy &amp; perseverance could ever have stood that
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Liverpool">Liverpool</placeName> office"
                    &amp;c &amp;c.<anchor xml:id="n3"/> – And <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DrStorrar">Dr. Storrar</persName> – you remember
                        <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Storrar">the Storrars</orgName> – who came
                    in when your letter was lying on my desk – opened his eyes at its length – "Do
                    you get that much every month! Why, what a very good fellow he must be!" –
                    Whatever you may have been – I don't think you're the unappreciated now. – and
                    therefore I eat my bisket alone this <date when="1860-04-06">Good Friday</date>.
                    feeling that after all the Family has not done ill since that <date
                        when="1845-03-28">Good Friday</date> 15 years back when it dined together
                    for the last time – &amp; then burst like a bubble &amp; met no more. – I have a
                    firm conviction that you will yet re-found the Family. – &amp; perhaps have a
                    little daughter the very image of <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockDinah"
                        >Mamma.</persName> – which will be very comfortable. – Now goodbye – for
                    there being no service at my Conventual – I mean to go to Church &amp; hear <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BickerstethEdwardHenry"><choice>
                            <abbr>Rev.</abbr>
                            <expan>Reverend</expan>
                        </choice>
                        Bickersteth.</persName> – It is a dark gloomy, rather
                    rainy, but "growing" day. – &amp; the garden is perking up. – did I tell you we
                    have box edging right to the end now? – Not a soul has asked me to dinner
                    today!! but luckily I'd rather stop at home. Goodbye – God bless you my dearest
                    boy. – </p>
                <pb n="21"/>
                <p><date when="1860-04-07">Saturday – April 7.</date> – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MayallJohn">Joe Mayall</persName> came this morning
                    – just as I was off into town to see if he had got the tongues – &amp; to get
                    the waist-belt – which last night I found was forgotten – &amp; <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SpringfieldGeorge">Springfield</persName> off to
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Glasgow">Glasgow</placeName> – I confided
                    my woes to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MayallJoe">Joe Mayall</persName>
                    &amp; he offered to get the belt – as <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MayallJohn">John</persName> wears the same sort
                    &amp; take it to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ParliamentStreet"
                        >Parliament</placeName> – so now I trust everything you ordered will reach
                    you safely. – Remember 1<hi rend="underline"><hi rend="superscript">st</hi></hi>
                    packet of books &amp; <choice>
                        <abbr>mags</abbr>
                        <expan>magazines</expan>
                    </choice> by <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PocockGeorge">Mr. George
                        Pocock.</persName> the engineer's foreman: – 2<hi rend="underline"><hi
                            rend="superscript">nd</hi></hi> boots &amp; spurs: by some are from
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ParliamentStreet">47 – Parliament
                        St.</placeName> – 3<hi rend="underline"><hi rend="superscript">rd</hi></hi>
                    Tongues &amp; elastic – in separate parcel – also from <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ParliamentStreet">N<hi rend="underline"><hi
                                rend="superscript">o.</hi></hi> 47.</placeName> – 4:<hi
                        rend="underline"><hi rend="superscript">th</hi></hi> – waist-band – also
                    separate &amp; also via <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ParliamentStreet"
                            >N<hi rend="underline"><hi rend="superscript">o.</hi></hi>
                        47.</placeName> – The only that I am in doubt about is your order to
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersFrancis" cert="medium"
                        >Francis</persName>'s – (to be sent via <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Hockin">Hockin</persName>) as <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Hockin">Hockin</persName> told <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MayallJoe">Joe Mayall</persName> he had sent off his
                    box 3 weeks since &amp; advised sending on the parcel to <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ParliamentStreet">47.</placeName> – he may have said
                    the same to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersFrancis" cert="medium"
                        >Francis</persName> – However the next time I am near the place I will find
                    out <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersFrancis" cert="medium"
                        >Francis</persName> &amp; inquire – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MayallJoe">Joe Mayall</persName> was delighted with
                    the Panorama – walked off with it to mount it: but as he is writing you today
                    will tell you himself about it. He seemed so pleased to hear from you. Poor lad:
                    – I felt so sorry for him – so uncared for – with dirty ragged shirt &amp; dirty
                    hands – &amp; he tells me they never have regular meals – they never have coffee
                    or tea or milk – just bread &amp; water or cold meat when they feel hungry. –
                    &amp; stop the money out of their allowance in order to spend it in concerts.
                    How any mother can let two lads live so passes my comprehension. – He is coming
                    up again some morning next week. Really a breakfast must be quite a novelty
                    &amp; a treat to him poor fellow. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsZiepel"
                        >Mrs. Ziepel</persName> was here. I had fetched her overnight – <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrZiepel">her husband</persName> being gone to
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cambridge">Cambridge</placeName> – &amp;
                    she &amp; I combined our solitudes – for not a soul came near me all <date
                        when="1860-06-06">Good Friday</date> – nor did I get a single invitation to
                    dinner or to tea: which I really felt rather hard, on a general holiday. –
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HampsteadHeath">The Heath</placeName> was
                    more crowded than even last year – a perfect fair – spring has come on now with
                    a jump: in two days the Chestnuts are turning quite green. – Who do <supplied
                        reason="omitted-in-original">think</supplied> you is coming today? –
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HenshallPenelope">Penelope
                        Henshall</persName> &amp; <rs type="person"
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SheltonGeorge">her husband</rs>! – I wonder if she
                    has altered in 22 years! – I wrote to <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Reade"
                        >the Reades</orgName> yesterday &amp; sent them a message for you. <pb
                        n="22"/>They &amp; <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Estell">the
                        Estells</orgName>, <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MottClara"
                        >Clara</persName> told me are quite intimate – the boys flirt with <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#EstellFanny">Fanny Estell</persName> a trifle so we
                    may hear of another wedding some day. – Living next door is usually next door to
                    something else. – I have sent you two <title
                        corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Athenaeum">Athenaeums</title> by post – &amp;
                    there is a lot of papers coming to you from <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockThomas">papa</persName> – so you'll not be in
                    want of literature against the rainy season – which may be less dreadful than it
                    seems – you will have to cultivate pianos &amp; friends – &amp; write a few long
                    letters home – which will be a great pleasure to several folk. – Any you enclose
                    I'll forward – so stuff them once full – &amp; then begin another – I don't mind
                    postage. – This here is a perfect volume in my small hand. – so much less
                        compass than yours – but it's wonderful how your hand is
                    improving – a regular hand now – clear &amp; neat &amp; legible. – What a
                    perfect <unclear>
                        trichton
                    </unclear> you'll be about 40! bless you! – But you are a <hi rend="underline"
                        >very</hi>
                    <hi rend="underline">very</hi> good boy – &amp; that's the truth – I leave this
                    blank for any extraneous event before now &amp; 4 P.M. – </p>
                <p>No more news – so I go to post my letter – &amp; – "mak sicker."<anchor
                        xml:id="n4"/> – I hope all your things will come right – I can't think of
                    anything else to say or to do – everybody sends you kind messages &amp;
                        <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> a note
                    enclosed. – I think I have specially enjoyed this mail – You are very good &amp;
                    thoughtful over sister in every sort of way. – </p>
                <closer>
                    <signed>Ever your affectionate</signed>
                    <lb/>
                    <signed><persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Sister</persName></signed>
                </closer>
            </div>
        </body>
        <back>
            <div type="notes">
                <note target="#n1" resp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey">Wall was an archaic
                    term for the navy or for a ship in the British army (OED "wall,n.1" 3. fig.
                    b.).</note>
                <note target="#n2" resp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey"><persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen">Ben Mulock</persName> sailed from
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Liverpool">Liverpool</placeName> to
                        <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Brazil">Brazil</placeName> on the <hi rend="italic">Oneida</hi>
                    in <date when="1859-10">October of 1859.</date></note>
                <note target="#n3" resp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey"><persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen">Ben Mulock</persName> worked at an
                    engineering office in <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Liverpool"
                        >Liverpool</placeName>
                    <date from="1857" to="1858">from 1857 to 1858.</date> He worked as a civil
                    engineer under <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#NewlandsJames">James
                        Newlands,</persName> building sewerage systems for the city. <lb/>See Aleyn
                    Lyell Reade, <title>The Mellards &amp; Their Descendants, Including the Bibbys
                        of Liverpool, with Memoirs of Dinah Maria Mulock &amp; Thomas Mellard
                        Reade</title> (London: Arden P, 1915), 72.</note>
                <note target="#n4" resp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey">To "Mak sicker" is a
                    Scottish phrase that means "to make sure."<lb/> "Sicker," Dictionary of the
                    Scots Language (2004), Scottish Language Dictionaries
                    Ltd,http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sicker, accessed 31 May 2017.</note>
                <note target="#n5" resp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BourrierKaren">A trapiche is a mill used
                    in South American to grind sugar cane and extract its juices.</note>
                <note target="n6" resp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BourrierKaren">"Mak" is a Scottish phrase for "make". <lb/> See "Mak," Dictionary of the Scots Language (2004),Scottish Language Dictionaries
                    Ltd, http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mak, accessed July 18, 2018</note>
            </div>
        </back>
    </text>
</TEI>
Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Benjamin Mulock, from 17 March to 7 April 1860. Dinah Mulock Craik Karen Bourrier Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive University of Calgary Karen Bourrier Transcription June 2016 by Kailey Fukushima Proofing of transcription April 2017 by Kailey Fukushima Second proofing of transcription June to July 2018 by Karen Bourrier TEI encoding June 2016 by Kailey Fukushima Proofing of TEI encoding April 2017 by Kailey Fukushima Second proofing of TEI encoding July 2018 by Karen Bourrier First digital edition in TEI, date: July 2018. P5. Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2018

Reproduced by courtesy of the University of California at Los Angeles.

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive University of California at Los Angeles Charles E. Young Research Library Mulock Family Papers 846 Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Benjamin Mulock, from 17 March to 7 April 1860. Box 1, Folder 7

Our aim in this edition has been to transcribe the content of the letters as accurately as possible without reproducing the physical appearance of the manuscript. Craik’s spelling, punctuation, underlining, superscripts, abbreviations, additions and deletions are retained, except for words which are hyphenated at the end of a line, which we have silently emended. Where Craik uses a non-standard spelling, we have encoded both her spelling and the standard Oxford English Dictionary spelling to facilitate searching. The long s is not encoded.

Saturday March 17 – / 60 1860 Wildwood My dearest boy

I have actually missed a Sunday. – I was very tired after my journey. & since then there has been a domestic revolution – Mary gone & little Mary came back, but I’ll tell you all regularly & – beginning with Wednesday week when your wall left – Thursday we all went to tea at Mrs. Gow’s – at Leckhampton – Friday Mrs. Dobell & Cy and I drove over the the Tower – what a lovely place it is – & the top of the Cotswolds made me feel a desperate longing for the Scotch hills – where I’ll be by & by. Saturday I came home – leaving Detmore in a snowstorm! Only fancy! And the bitter cold of the journey. However I found all right (as I thought) at Wildwood. – Next day I spent at Gothic Cottage with Albert, Clara & ClarenceAlbert & Clara having taken a week’s holiday of London sight-seeing in the brief interval of babies & enjoyed it very much – she looks so pretty & young & well & Albert in great glory. They wanted to hear your letter: an excerpt edition of which I read them. Albert seemed rather to envy your “furrin foreign parts” & altogether they were greatly interested – & sent their love to you. – Monday came in to my great delight Mr RichardsAnnie Miers – was there & they fell into great talk about mutual acquaintances in Brazil. What a very nice fellow he seems! – he told me all he could think of about you – also about himself, wife &, babies. We quite fraternized & he promised to come again. Minna came in while he stayed & liked him too. As for the Phos Photographs Annie mounted them at once in the book & the admiration of everybody has been something quite special – particularly those two of the Johannes river – They are perfectly beautiful – they ought to be in the Pho. Photography Ex. Exhibition – I wish you would print out a few more of the like – & send them either to me or Joe Mayall to try & get them exhibited. Your "Photography in hot climates" seems to do better than in cold. – Mr Richards gave explanations of each Phos Photograph & seemed so pleased & proud about them – also about his own portrait – which he said his wife liked so much & felt so much obliged to you for – Honest man – I'm sure he likes you – & he is a good specimen of your "cheerful society." Mrs Lewis has never turned up: – happily. On Tuesday Minna & I went to Vale Lodge to help keep Mrs Lovell's 30th wedding day. She was in great form & it was a pleasanter evening than usual. – Annie and Fanny & all the rest were there. – Annie rather well nursing N o Number 2 – & Fanny with expecting the same – in June. – Everybody kindly enquiring for you & delighted with the new Phos Photographs Mr Lovell especially. Minna came over to Wildwood & asked for your public letter – which I gave her – & she gave it back next day without any comment. She, Gothic Cottage, the Ziepels & Mr. Marston came on Wednesday evng evening & were very jolly. – except perhaps the latter who has been really ill – Mr. Macmillan will only give £100 for his book – & publish it in one vol volume . – it is not long enough for two. – Perfectly fair – & it being amonymous: but poor Mr. Marston can't see that his reputation for plays rather hinders than helps novels – & that he starts quite as a novice – he can't possibly settle with me: so that must stand over for another year. – I'm afraid there'll be a grand crash some time – & perhaps it'll be as good a thing as could happen – I don't know – I got a letter from Springfield – telling me he had ceased to be anxious to get abroad – having "been & gone & done it" – & been accepted by the Glasgow damselMr. White's daughter. Mr. White consenting – only says they must both take the pledge – which G. S. George Springfield declined: but probably will give in – He's very happy poor fellow – & so his little business is settled. He says he knows Easton & Amos will give him a decent income when they know he is going to be married. On Wednesday night or rather Thursday morng morning came the grand domestic crash – found out unfortunate Mary in drinking – stealing – lying. – I had taken the baby, – & nearly clothed her & it too – these 4 months – got her nursed thro' through her bad illness – &c &c – All no good – she is thoroughly depraved. Your instinct was right & my pity wrong. – I got her out of the house as soon as I could. & little Mary came up at an hour's notice – a great blessing. She is better – & thinks she will be able to stay. – She has had a deal of trouble: the soldier turned out bad – she had to give him up. However a plumber next door – an excellent giving man whom she has known all her life, has consoled her – "he is so good" – she observes. & she has promised to marry him in a year. Poor little Mary! – I shall have a woman once a week to do the hard work – & so I dare say Mary can manage – It is so pleasant to look at a face that loves me – the house feels far less dreary now that it has done since you left – – I mean to let the house for June – & send Mary home for 3 months. while I go to Scotland. I have quite made up my mind to do that instead of going abroad – for two or three months – First the Macmillan M.S. manuscript cannot possibly be sent after me abroad – 2 nd – I know I never could stand the knocking & travelling. – The smallest railway journey I don't get over for two or three days. – 3 rd Laura Herford has got into a wretched state, mental & physical – frets everybody – worries poor Miss Montgomery out of her life. – She is regularly worn out with work – & has got an idea, poor girl, that she is going out of her mind. Miss Montgomery & Mrs. Herford both tell her that – oddly enough – the only person that can do anything with her is me – because she has got fond of me – & I quiet her down – while they rub her up the wrong way – we have laid a plan for my taking her with me North – to Arran – for a thorough change for a month boarding & lodging in some quiet place – As Frances & Jane did last year. Then I shall pay my various visits & come home by Edin Edinburgh in late autumn. – I have been sadly grieved about poor Laura – her irritability is something dreadful – poor old Miss Montgomery has more than once cried actually about her – when talkg talking privately to me. – & she gets utterly unmanageable sometimes: – the only time she is ever herself being when she comes to Wildwood. She will hardly go anywhere else – except to Minna or Marian sometimes – She fears nobody cares for her. Of course all this is in the strictest of confidence. – Partial justice has come to you & Clarence in the matter of Seville Rowe.Mr Andersen has fallen in with him at Melbourne – taken kindly to him – helped him & got him a clerkship in the Oriental bank – He has also formed a strong alliance with Philippa's eldest brother George – who is manager of a theatre there – no "fine" friend for your maligned "worldly" Mr. Anderson! – I told Marian about it as an indifferent piece of news & she did look so pleased! I'd lay a wager that little affair will be settled yet. –

– I am rather alarmed at the dreadful "confidences" I put into my letters – you must be very careful over them. Don't leave them about as you have done sometimes – but they were not of much moment generally – I got a long letter from Amy Paton the other day with messages from Joe & Maggie wanting to know when I was coming to stay with them. – I shall go for a few days some time sometime this autumn – but not for a long visit as they wish. – I feel a craving after the baby – Amy says he has learned to put his little finger on my likeness that they have him say "Aunt Dinah" – I don't know anything that has touched me more than Joe's teaching his boy to call me "Aunt Dinah!" – it's funny how the world goes round & the old things come up again in different forms – but in essence perfectly & absolutely unkillable. It's an odd feeling – but the old thing seems to have slid quietly down & settled on Maggie & the bairns. – There will be a second baby in June. – so I shall not go till after then. – I am sure I can stand it, & be quite happy – or I would not go at all.– I had a long letter from Weirie this week – they expect me at the Cottage of course – And I shall go for I want badly to see how things are with my own eyes – but it won't be half as it used to be – for I can't help speaking my mind about the injustice of not liking Allan's marriage: – they ought. I shall stick by Allan thro' thick & thin, as I always did – & probably shall get into a kettle of at least warm water: – Still it may do good – & then I don't care. – You see, Ben, it's useless to knock out of sister the habit of "taking an interest" in people. – It has its advantages as well as its pains. – Well now I hope this is gossip enough for the present. – I was at lunch, or rather dinner – at Lady Byron's today – Oh by the by did you see that your old chums the Hills have become "Sir Rowland." – Honest simple old soul – he has been very ill since his title was near being no good except on his tombstone – & he will not be able to work for a long time. – He came to Wildwood one day before he was ill & left me a whole basket of first rate blood-oranges. – Oh how I wish oranges would keep between Bahia & London – that I might taste yours. – Here comes Christopher, having lost his beloved baby he now condescends to the parlour – He is grown such a splendid animal – handsomer than Lotus. – I feel grieved you will have "nothing to read" last mail – but patience. Your Cornhills &c are all laid-up & waiting. – Have you ever a cat within reach? Have the Ogilvies one? – I hope there will be plenty about them & your other friends in next letter – I like to hear all about every body. –

Sunday March 25. It seems as if there was hardly anything to say this week. & what there is Christopher tries hard to prevent my saying by walking over my desk & making this blot you see. – Sunday last was the usual thing – ClarenceMarian, Laura – & a friend of hers. – in the evening: – Clarence & I having a quiet afternoon & a walk by our two selves – & hours of talk. – Clarence is really beginning to get on – has two pictures at "British Artists" – being first-rate. – is doing my book beautifully & Linton speaks so highly of him to Macmillan – thinks there's a great deal in him. Also he goes of Thursday evenings to Henrietta St. & the set there take to him – Masson & Kingsley & the rest. – He & Harvey Smith have struck up a regular friendship – he likes Harvey extremely – & goes to Halton garden – But he doesn't like the girls there at all – & can't bear Mrs. Smith. He says Harvey seems to him a regular domestic martyr – & so good with it all – & so steady & home-keeping – Poor Harvey – I do wish he had a nice wife of his own. – Springfield has been offered the partnership with young Easton & is off to Norfolk: to raise £500 which they require: – then he will start as manager – indeed young Easton will apparently have little enough on his hands , as he isn't fit for it: – but no doubt his father will take care of him & help him on – It seems very good for G. S. & no doubt he will marry & settle very soon. – Another marriage is Laura's cousin Ivan Herford – who having vainly adored her for ever so long – has taken up with a Miss Thomson at Cheltenham. Laura is much better than she was. – She went boldly to Sir Charles Eastlake to ask him about women's getting into the R. A. Royal Academy – & he said the thing would be very good – & suggested some young ladies sending in drawings as Probationers – & see what the R. A. Royal Academy – & the students would say to it – there was no law against it – Clarence hearing this was horrified!! – the scene last Sunday between him & Laura was a perfect show. – He is evidently quite frightened at the idea of her & a few more young ladies walking in as academy students & they really are trying & have begun their drawings at Lee's & elsewhere!! – This last feat of Laura 's as "a man & a brother" you'll be greatly amused at. – it beats the knife board. Monday & Tuesday I did nothing particular – except work – & trying to get back my spoons sheets &c – which the hapless Mary had walked off with – but the Police said I could do nothing unless I prosecuted: & though Mary owns to the theft I can't give her on charge: for the sake of the poor baby. – indeed anyhow I wouldn't prosecute so I just put up with the loss. – Wednesday was the Squabble at M r W. Bridges AdamsMiss Coates' essay. – It went off well. The Ziepels & Mr. Tomlinson as usual taking the principal part of the conversation. The Lovells were there. Mrs. Lovell having at last agreed to call & be civil to the Adams. – I do the same – but I don't take to them. By the by, your acquaintance the Gardens opposite called on me – & I returned it – & found them really nice homely honest people – one Miss Garden quite pretty. They were full of obligation to you for taking the Pho Photograph of their house – & made tender enquiries after you & your photography. – So does Mrs. Hartwell – calls regularly after every mail to ask about you. – We go on just in the same way – very civil & no more. They were greatly put out about my losses from Mary, as they recommended her. Her mother has left them. Also for drunkenness – On Thursday I went to Henrietta St. & to have a talk with Mr. Macmillan – & "Tom Brown" came in to lunch. Such a fine fellow – as like his books as ever he can be – not a bit of the "literary man" – regular English honesty – & simplicity – with a certain of what Dr. Wilkinson calls "healthy animalism"– for he stands 6 feet & broad in proportion & looks as if he could fight or row or run or anything. And it's such a bright wholesome pleasant face – it makes you smile all over to look at it. – He is just over 40 with a wife and several children. He & his wife are coming over for an early tea to Wildwood soon. They know the Gurney Hoare's & will come on from there here. – Thursday evng evening Mr. & Mrs. Blackett came and were quite jolly – We had a regular long evng evening of talk & settled some business. He has lost by the Poems he says – for he printed a large edition & has only sold 900 – but he says that is more than anybody else's poems would sell, except Tennyson & Mrs. Browning & seems to take it very easy. He says he shall repay himself from the "Studies from Life." – He says my books keep on selling & are becoming "valuable property." – Mrs. Browning has published a vol. volume of poems Before Congress – splendid writing – but in sentiment, awful – adoring Italy & Louis Napoleon & execrating England. A Curse for a Nation – L. C. loco citato England – is perfectly awful – parricidal, I think. – Even Marian is shocked. – & attributes her state of mind – poor woman to Bogies. The Marston Bogies are worse than ever. – they & Mrs Milner Gibson go clear daft together over there.

Gothic Cottage is going down to Isle of Wight – to Sydney & Emily – next week. – Ellen Jolly had a liitle boy on Friday Thursday. the night of a grand bridal party to Frank & his wife – at which were Bella, CyLaura Marian &c. – It took place at the ancient Jolly's – William was sent for quietly out in midst of the entertainment. – Ellen is all right. – Wildwood is so cosie cosy with little Mary again – who looks so bright & does her work as quick as a bee. We are so exceedingly peaceful & pretty – & the garden is beginning to sprout up – though it is a very cold, late spring. – Vines for Vale Lodge comes regularly to Mrs. Earl's garden & use. Mrs. Earl has given me a lot of box-edging to go all down the walk – so we shall be quite grand. I don't think I shall ever make up my mind to leave home till until July. Laura won't go to Arran, as I planned – she will stay & draw for the R. A. Royal Academy – Probably my first visit will be to Ayr – where that nice lad William Jack that I was telling you of – means to take a house – with his sister as housekeeper (pending the young lady.) – & has made me promise that I will come & stay with them as soon as they are settled. It's quite droll this lad's downright affection for me – peeps out in all sorts of quiet, Scotch undemonstrative ways. "deeds not words" – & for a lad who is awfully in love & straining every nerve to get on in the world & get married – it's exceedingly creditable I think: – I'm grateful accordingly – I shall extremely enjoy a short visit to the Land o' BurnsThe Macmillan family also mean to spend their August in Ayr – Afterwards I mean to go to Greenock, Edin Edinburgh & St. Andrews – as heretofore you see, Ben, it's no use effecting to "déraciner" sister from your objectionable Scotland. – all her heart's there & always will be. – I have been amused by a long article on me in the Revue des deux mondes – in which they ingenuously derive all my peculiarities from "un père Irlandais et une mère Écossaise – " & how I combine the liveliness & humour (!) of one country with the staunch "Puritaine" spirit of the other! As fine a specimen as could be produced of jumping at conclusions. A very beautiful article it is – I'll send it to you when I can get it. – I am making my collection of books for the mail – waiting on opportunity. One special shelf is devoted to you – lest there be any mistakes or forgets – By the by – I have your £8 all right – & keep your money separate – & have a rigid account of all I spend for you. I hope there will be no M.A. 's missing accounts– 'tis church time now – so I must go – Goodbye my dearest boy. –

Sunday April 1:st – I write this under difficulties – Christopher being so excessively affectionate that he won't be quiet – insists on kissing me & eating my pen. – He is getting a very nice cat – as nice as Lotus nearly. – & is more choice in his affections. He was several days before he took to little Mary – used to run away the minute she came near him – she quite wept over his dislike of her – but he has got over it now. – Mary looks quite well & blooming & does her work without trouble. – & the house is so comfortable – with somebody that's fond of one in it. – Well, let me see – what has been done this week, – Sunday was mild. only Laura & a cousin of hers & Clarence in the evening Monday – while. Tuesday Mr. Jack came to tea & knowing I wanted to see a university boat-race – was going to take Annie Miers & me to see the grand Oxford & Cambridge one from Hammersmith Bridge. – But I found out accidentally that the lad was giving up three days of his short holiday at home to stop over this date & saying nothing about it. – So I wouldn't agreee to it: & he went off to Scotland direct. – It was quite pleasant to see this good lad's intense delight in his success. – he has got nearly £450 a year – & two months ago would have been thankful for £200. – He had worked for it awful hard: – but still it's a wonderful good position to be got at 25. –

Wednesday Annie spent the day at Wildwood – & Laura & I went in to the final supper at Gothic Cottage when I started off next morning, magnificent in Emily Coates' new carriage – such a pretty one. – with the Charger & the man & maid in the box. – North End must have been quite electrified by the turn-out. – They are off to Wend CottageNiton – near Sydney & Emily. Tomorrow Jane & Frances start for same place – so there will be quite a colony. There has been a trifling breeze between Frances & Marian & Minna – or rather between her & the ancients. – Frances has roused Mrs Lovell's wrath by not seeming to care for her acquaintance – & though Jane does the polite – Frances calls Mrs Lovell "horrid woman" & won't call – for which she is soundly abused by Jane. – Consequently Minna & Marian call very seldom, & at least Jane & Marian talked it out & "came to terms" sociably. – I think the old Lovells are more disagreeble than ever, they actually would not let Minna come to supper at Gothic Cottage the last Sunday because the Forks might be coming to Vale Lodge. they bother Minna's life out & she hasn't the will to resist. – She never goes anywhere but to the Tomlinsons. I have been hoping that she & Mrs. Macmillan – who is coming to Wildwood – might fraternize – & so Minna might go to stop at Cambridge – but I fear it's no good. it's no use trying to help Minna out of the perfectly hopeless state of domestic subservience – which no woman of 27 ought to be subjected to by any parents. She won't help herself. – She has grown hopelessly passive. – I grieve over her unutterably: – but I can't do anything. – I never even ask her for a walk that they don't grumble & getting her over to tea is a thing to be "mentioned with her" – they even grumble at her going to Gothic Cottage – on account of Emily Coates – whom otherwise they like very well – being Unitarian & Mrs Lovell moaned over Marian to me like anything. – They'll interfere with her next. Well – I have had my grumble out – but it is a constant source of grief & irritation to me – being so fond as I am of Minna. I look upon hers as a completely lost life – with no usefulness in it & not a bit of happiness – either past present or probable. You have no right to feel hardly to Minna – under all circumstances – her position is much worse than yours. I dined on Friday at the Marstons – & came away with an equally wretched impression of all things there – returning to Wildwood with a source of unalterable thankfulness for my own peaceful home & for being able to think of you across the seas with the comfort that I do. – Saturday having business in Town I went in to the 2. P.M. dinner of the Mudies – which I really enjoy. such a table full of well-behaved children. Afterwards I went through a whole portfolio of Macpherson's Phos Photographs – & we – they are splendid! – but though they seem clearer as to atmosphere the prints are not to be generally perfect as yours – I saw lots of white spots on the very best of them. it was quite curious how many defective prints there were. They are mostly large – nearly as large as the Brig – architecture predominating – The best were – the exit of the Cloaca Maxima all hung with trees – perfectly lovely. the cataract of Velino – "such a volume of water" said somebody – "Three volumes –" amended Mudie with a dim idea of a joke professional. & some cedar cypress & fir trees – the finest tree phos photographs I ever did see: – so steady & clear – I do wish you could do some more Phos Photographs like the river Johannes – it delights every body. – I don't think any one of Macphersons is better – though bigger – the water is far better than his Velino – where to make the cataract I suppose, he has printed every other but so intensely black – that you can distinguish nothing. I suppose he was obliged. – I am looking forward to more Phos Photographs – it will make a splendid book by the 3 years' end. – I am getting into my usual small fidget of expecting the mail & fancying something may have gone wrong between whiles. – however the eel may get used to shining. – I do not make myself needlessly unhappy I trust & everybody said I am fat & well –

Every month I live here, Hampstead seems to suit me better: – if I go into London for a day I feel wretched – but as soon as I come back home I'm all right. I never feel so well anywhere as I do at Wildwood – which is a great comfort. It is quite cold weather still – not a sign of spring. – You will be at the rainy season – & no fever to be heard of by now, I trust. Annie Miers seems quite easy in her mind concerning it – which is my great stronghold – as she knows the Brazilian climate so well. She confirms all you say about drinking – & does not seem to think there is the least fear – humanly speaking – for you. – I must put aside now & get ready for Church – Clarence is coming to dinner – Springfield to tea – also possible Harvey Smith. There are two new invites to the Sunday Collection – a nephew of Mr. Macmillan's whom he asked me to have sometimes – a nice fellow who manages the Henrietta St. branch – & does all my business in getting books for you &c. – indeed is my regular "agent in town" – very prompt & dependable – Scotch of course. – & another strange to say, English – named Ainger – a Cambridge co-mate of Mr. Jack's whom he asked me to take in – because the lad is rather in trouble & poverty – & he thought coming to Wildwood would "do him good!" – I couldn't help thinking how Ben would laugh! – Certainly Wildwood is turning into a Refuge if not a Reformatory – on Sundays at least: – but on weekdays (now that the first rush of friends who thought I should be so solitary, has abated) I am decidedly quiet & have a great many solitary evenings – or at least half evenings. – which Christopher & I enjoy very much. – It is curious – but consolatory – that after all there is great peace in one's own company. – I never come home from any household that I don't feel how very much happier Wildwood is than any of them. – & can understand in a priggish & gratified way, why it is that people evidently like to come to it, because nobody bothers or scolds – everything goes smoothly & the mistress lets people do as they like – & is certainly whatever her faults – neither snappish nor glum. the more I see of the rows in families – the more proud & thankful I feel that in all our lives, however you & I may occasionally have bothered ourselves & one another – we have bothered anybody else – & our household was always pleasant to everybody that came into it. – Now goodbye – till, I hope, my mail comes in next week. –

Wednesday morning – your letter came yesterday afternoon – cheap at the money – as Miss Hill would observe – I think little Mary thought so as she came running with it all the way down the garden. Time being that on account of Good Friday – I at once fell to your commissions & they are now, I think all en train to go by this mail. – (of which anon.) – Minna came in & we went direct to Post & Parcel's delivery &c.– then came back & she read your public letter & the one to Marian. – We made no comments or conversation. – I think when you are quite sure of your own feelings – that you have not the least wish to marry Minna – & for anything but the old friendship – you should send her a message to that effect and return to the old friendship, as much as is practicable. She must feel acutely your loss as a friend of so many years. – How any girl not a paving-stone could be so fond of a young man as Minna was & is of you – without the slightest wish to marry them – I can't understand but still it evidently is the case. I have no doubt about it now. – The Tomlinsons, Mrs. Ziepel & Mr. & Mrs. Anderson came to tea – & Minna stayed with me until this morning & has only just left –

Now to your letters – the private one first. – It is thoroughly satisfactory, my dearest boy – It is hardly possible to express what I feel of the matter of you. – the whole tone of your letters is so kind & thoughtful & good & home-loving. I feel happier about you than ever I did in my life. – And when I think of all the trial & temptation that you have had to go through – it seems seems perfectly wonderful. Your remark, the last Sunday but one you were at home – "The thing is, sister, you're a Christian & I'm not." – Often comes back to my mind as gradually becoming a very great falsehood. – I am easy now about the fever – & your health generally: – but you must not reckon too much so as to become careless of health. as Annie says the second summer in Brazil is always the most trying. If possible, against the hot season you should manage to live up the country where fever never comes. It would not do to mount the Brazil Phos Photographs – so many people want to see them that they are only safe in a book – they would get spoiled directly otherwise. – The lily Panoroma however shall go by itself. – Frances & Jane will be so glad you are friends with Nicolay. They are at Niton: in the same lodgings as Marian – I have d a letter from Marian this morning – asking me to do professionally her "Not an Angel" – with an eye to Macmillan. I shall send your letter to her by today's post – Minna & I kept it yesterday because we wanted to read it. Yours to J. Mayall & G. S. – went all right. – G. S. – is half sorry not to go out to you. – but is going for Easter to Glasgow – Which will probably change his mind: As "Polly" might not like Brazil.G. S. came on Sunday: all is settled about the partnership – he has got the £500. – The house of business is at Wapping: but he won't live there – "would not mind it if he were alone." – he observed at tea on Sunday to the great amusement of Laura & Clarence – & the surprise of Mr. Robert Bowes – (Macmillan's nephew – who made his first appearance at Wildwood on Sunday – He is a nice quiet good fellow – about 25. – Clarence likes him very much – you see, I'm quite losing my "fine" friends – as this youth is shopman at Henrietta St. – but nevertheless quite a gentleman.) I have not sent you Lloyd's – as Papa said he had sent you such a quantity of papers – about 30 altogether – He sends you a very affectionate message by last letter – I think he really takes pleasure in sending you papers – I shall send him a message from you – when I write – I generally write in the middle of the month also, now – & make my letters longer by my little bit of news I can put in – that might be published harmlessly in the Times. – He writes very kindly to me – I am so glad you like your Mags magazines . You will have a disappointment last month – but there was no one to send them by – besides my being out of town. – Isn't Tom Brown beautiful? – Clarence & Robert Bowes came to Wildwood full of the University boat-race – where they had been – it was from Putney to Mortlake – at 8:30 a. m. – Clarence got on board an Oxford boat & saw it all close; his description was really like a bit of Tom Brown.Minna read the "boat-race" in Tom Brown in the Omnibus – & was so excited by it, she said, that she was near crying – greatly to her confusion. – Do you like the poems in Cornhill & Macmillan. A Man's Wooing was mine – It took considerably I believe. – Mr. Blackett has sold 900 of the Poems – which he says is more than he believes most poems would sell – but still he printed so large an edition that at present he has lost – However he seems to take it very calmly. – He wants another book – I have had I don't know how many offers to write all sorts of things: But I won't : it is not worth while killing myself over making money – About the £50 that is to come next mail. I will if you like invest it with mine: but as you will have seen by my last you can get far better interest for it out at Brazil – & it would be ready to hand. I really think if you would write to John Miers, as Annie suggested – & ask him what he would advise as Brazilian investment – you would make more by the end of 3 years. But do as you think most prudent & best, I have put another £50 – due from Ticknor & Fields for Poems into the Joint Stock Bank. – Macmillan, translations &c keep me going on very well. – living as quietly as I do – but I don't reason to be quite so stingy over myself as I have been – because the Family is getting well off – & I am getting old. – I have treated Wildwood to a regular gardener – Vines – at 9/: per month – & the garden looks so nice – & has box edging down to the very end. – I wish you could see it. I walked down it this morning & picked you the best nosegay attainable & put it in inside a Macmillan. – I wonder if any other folk out there besides yourself will have pleasure in looking at English flowers .– It will be a great treat to get the beautiful new Phos Photographs – per Mr. Gale – for my birthday & thank you, Ben! – we shall have a grand mounting of them & Annie will be so pleased with hers. – Don't ever think you bother me with commissions – it's quite a pleasant little excitement to think how to get them & send them off. – when Mr. Watson calls & becomes "friendly" – I'll settle with him about some regular plan of sending things: or else pay him a visit at 29 – but meantime I generally hear of somebody going out there. – I can't – I was going to write I can't – send you out Wills & the Autocrat – by this mail – but on second thoughts I believe I can via R. Bowes – to whom I have delivered your polite message all proper. He evidently rather enjoys "our Mag" being known in Brazil. You shall have your Pho Photo . Journals by post after this mail. – I never ask anybody for newspapers for you. – all you get you may be quite sure you get on your own hook. Mr. Marston proposed sending you regularly the Leader – which he gets: & which poor Bruddy made a pathetic riddle – "What is the best newspaper for the blind?" – I like to be acquainted with Mr. Matthew & the rest of the staff. You do not mention the Hornes this letter – but I conclude you go on "improving the acquaintance." – Do not imagine I grieve about your not being a Senior Wrangler now!! – you are much better as you are: it would never have done for you. – only it was my dream for a great many years. But 'tis better as it is. – I only fretted a little about it from being at Cambridge. – but soon got over it. – I really don't wish different from what it is: – only I look forward to your settling in England sometime or other – that I may make theyour room at Wildwood into an occasional nursery & my unused travelling-bath into a children's bath – bless their little hearts! my heart is very soft on the subject of children. – Your private letter is very nice & far the pleasantest to read as well as to write. I enjoy it exceedingly: but still I think it's a pity you should quite give up the public ones – because so many – that is – Minna, Marian, Laura HerfordClarenceAnnie Miers – & especially the little Aunts – enjoy reading or hearing them – they are so extremely graphic & clever – If you only write privately – the Aunts will have to be stopped out of their monthly treat entirely – which alone would be a pity – dear little aunts! – they make such an awful fuss about "our nephew." – As I told you nobody but Minna, Marian & the Aunts get the public letters to read. – the others have excerpt editions of my reading aloud. – The Ziepels also invariably come for your news as soon as they see the mail is in. – Mr. Ziepel has been very unwell lately – my own private belief is he eats too much. Hugh Montgomery is growing such a big fellow – with few ideas in his head but rifles. – The rifle movement has grown tremendous. – everybody at "at drill." – It is really having a beneficial effect on the morals of youth – everybody – shopmen, clerks, professionals, & even schoolboys – forming volunteer corps – & drilling 5 nights out of six – They come home so tired they go straight to bed instead of to Casinos & so on. – The Cambridge "bills" this term have been astonishingly small – because the young fellows literally have no time for any worse amusement than drilling – so my good friend Mr. Jack told me – He is one of a small set now rising up in both universities who are not ashamed of being good – & "testifying" as loudly as possible – that a man should marry early – upon £150 or £200 a year – & love his wife & love nobody else. Of course it's an awful pull against the stream – but it's a good thing & slowly encreasing increasing . the world may be mended in time. – It's quite a sight to see the troops of young fellows from every corps in London in turn, that march up to Hampstead of Saturday afternoon – with band & officers – & "dismiss" for an hour's beer & bread & cheese at Jack Straws. All the young ladies & little boys of Hampstead turn out to have a stare at them. – Now to your public letter. I greatly admire your business-like arrangement of Phos Photographs . Should not wonder if you turned out your great horror a "good man of business." – It's in you if you only take the trouble to draw it out. your account of the Oneida's sailing was quite pathetic – poor boy – I wish you could come home for the rainy season. Here was an interruption carrier for your packet of books – which Mary & I had packed up satisfactorily. You will find in it besides literature a bit of Maria Wright's wedding cake – which the Aunts sent you from their piece. – I had a letter from Willie Wright yesterday asking me to help William with "my reference in the Church or patrons of the Church." – Poor old gentleman – is it come to this! – Pathetic – to think how our side the family has gone up & his gone down. – I send your letter to Marian today. They have taken Upper Terrace – the house next the Scotts £130 a year – looking over the Heath – you know it. Splendid house. Emily Coates has leased it for 7 years – is making great alterations – they will be settled about July. – They are very pleased – I think there is nothing special to answer on your public letter – except that it is generally interesting – What a glorious ride that must have been – Joe Mayall told me how Ca'meat was in print – he seemed quite pleased. –

Good Friday. – On this memorable day in the Family – I finish my letter. – On Wednesday night I got your Phos Photographs – just as starting to tea at the Clock House to see Laura before she went for Easter to Cheltenham. So there was a grand "read" & examination. Dear old Miss Montgomery takes quite a infantile delight in your Brazilian life – also Hugh bursting at intervals into his approving roar of laughter. And the Phos Photographs were thoroughly appreciated. – especially the panorama – the Mango – & the viaduct. – That of you is considered surprisingly "fat & well- liking looking " – quite jolly: I like it much for expression but it isn't a good Pho Photograph – not sharp. – As you know – Laura sent kind remembrance to you – she is still entertained by your ardent enjoyment of "meals" – such a contrast to former times. – I got an answer from Harvey Smith. he says if I will send him the Phos Photographs of Opening Railway – he will take them himself to Illus. Illustrated News. If "telling" ones – he has no doubt they will be accepted & paid for Tho though what he knows not: they being not over liberal. – Harvey says "Ben might write me a line. I think I would to him if I were away." – He is coming up to Wildwood shortly – & will enjoy the Phos Photographs . Thursday I was at Hammersmith. – & there indeed the Phos Photographs were appreciated – Annie took the Pan Panoroma & as I like the Mango best it's all right – They were delighted with the Panorama – & Mr. Lovell went into extasies ecstasies over it as a Pho Photograph – & being printed so evenly – considered it a wonderful work. – but it troubled his mind considerably about Trapiches – which he there saw – finds they are so much bigger than they are insured for – that he begged to take panorama down to Lombard St. to have a consultation thereafter!! – I expect it will be very useful to them in further insurances – – but I do hope they'll give an "order" for one – instead of borrowing mine. – we found out your office & the theatre & Mrs. Miers recognized the wonderful new buildings that have sprung up since she was at Bahia – which was when Annie was a baby. I think the Panorama has "taken" more than any Phos Photographs yet. – Poor Mr Lovell – It's quite pathetic to me the kind way he always speaks of you & the warm interest he shows in all your proceedings Photographic & otherwise

– I got last night a long letter from Mr. Anderson – so extremely kind, downright affectionate – thanking me for my steady friendship when other folk thought him changed – which he won't. – telling me all his circumstances & way of life: – not a bit grand but very simple & working "harder than he ever had in his life." – saying he meant to write me every mail – but he wishes me not to make his letters public as before. – It's very odd – I can't make head or tail of that matter to this day: – there has been an awful muddle somewhere: but the only thing is to let it alone. – it will right itself sometime. – Poor lad! I'm so glad to think how true & good he is still. – Now about your commisions. – Your books are gone by Mr. George Pocock an English Engineering foreman, whom Mr. Miers is sending out to Bahia. – a very respectable working-man. If I can I will tell you the name of the house he goes to in Bahia – before closing this. – but anyhow he has orders from Mr. Miers to find you out & deliver the parcel – which contains March & April Macmillan. Cornhills & All Year rounds. – 2 Pho Photograph Journals. Cheap mak. – & some music Marian chose – the only classical Con concert music she could find – but there is a catalogue enclosed for you to send word back if you want more. there is also a bit of wedding-cake some of your old music & inside the Macmillan some Wildwood flowers. – Your Wills, Old Leaves & Autocrat – you will find in Hockin's book Robert Bowes sent them. Your boots & spur Springfield gives Mr. Western to send out. – Your Con. concert notes & the elastic are the only things I am in doubt about – as Joe Mayall I asked to get them – not knowing the sort of elastic required, & not having heard, am afraid he is out of town. – but I shall go to Regent St. tomorrow & then to Parliament St. – the things may still be in time to send by some one going out from 47. – If not, you will understand why they don't come to hand. – Miss BrodribbJohn Miers' governess will be on board the steamer – look out for her if you have time to go on board. – Also Mr. Aleck Fry sent word to Annie by this mail. that he expects to be in Bahia shortly & will hunt you out. He is a very nice individual – his sister married Frank Miers. – He & the whole Frank Miers are coming home by either the May or June packet – & hope you will try to go and board & see them all & they will take any message or parcel home. Annie is so happy at the prospect of her "family" – she wishes me to send you a special message of thanks for the tree, She quite beamed all over at us as she does over all the Brazilian Phos Photos . – Everybody as knows you sends you kind messages "next time I write" – I think there is a general impression of mentioning you with "hon honour ." – something like Andersen's Ugly Duck when he began to put in his right feathers. – Mrs. Miers cries you up amazingly – "had no idea you were so practical & business-like" – "wonders how a young man of such energy & perseverance could ever have stood that Liverpool office" &c &c. – And Dr. Storrar – you remember the Storrars – who came in when your letter was lying on my desk – opened his eyes at its length – "Do you get that much every month! Why, what a very good fellow he must be!" – Whatever you may have been – I don't think you're the unappreciated now. – and therefore I eat my bisket alone this Good Friday. feeling that after all the Family has not done ill since that Good Friday 15 years back when it dined together for the last time – & then burst like a bubble & met no more. – I have a firm conviction that you will yet re-found the Family. – & perhaps have a little daughter the very image of Mamma. – which will be very comfortable. – Now goodbye – for there being no service at my Conventual – I mean to go to Church & hear Rev. Reverend Bickersteth. – It is a dark gloomy, rather rainy, but "growing" day. – & the garden is perking up. – did I tell you we have box edging right to the end now? – Not a soul has asked me to dinner today!! but luckily I'd rather stop at home. Goodbye – God bless you my dearest boy. –

Saturday – April 7.Joe Mayall came this morning – just as I was off into town to see if he had got the tongues – & to get the waist-belt – which last night I found was forgotten – & Springfield off to Glasgow – I confided my woes to Joe Mayall & he offered to get the belt – as John wears the same sort & take it to Parliament – so now I trust everything you ordered will reach you safely. – Remember 1 st packet of books & mags magazines by Mr. George Pocock. the engineer's foreman: – 2 nd boots & spurs: by some are from 47 – Parliament St. – 3 rd Tongues & elastic – in separate parcel – also from N o. 47. – 4: th – waist-band – also separate & also via N o. 47. – The only that I am in doubt about is your order to Francis's – (to be sent via Hockin) as Hockin told Joe Mayall he had sent off his box 3 weeks since & advised sending on the parcel to 47. – he may have said the same to Francis – However the next time I am near the place I will find out Francis & inquire – Joe Mayall was delighted with the Panorama – walked off with it to mount it: but as he is writing you today will tell you himself about it. He seemed so pleased to hear from you. Poor lad: – I felt so sorry for him – so uncared for – with dirty ragged shirt & dirty hands – & he tells me they never have regular meals – they never have coffee or tea or milk – just bread & water or cold meat when they feel hungry. – & stop the money out of their allowance in order to spend it in concerts. How any mother can let two lads live so passes my comprehension. – He is coming up again some morning next week. Really a breakfast must be quite a novelty & a treat to him poor fellow. – Mrs. Ziepel was here. I had fetched her overnight – her husband being gone to Cambridge – & she & I combined our solitudes – for not a soul came near me all Good Friday – nor did I get a single invitation to dinner or to tea: which I really felt rather hard, on a general holiday. – The Heath was more crowded than even last year – a perfect fair – spring has come on now with a jump: in two days the Chestnuts are turning quite green. – Who do think you is coming today? – Penelope Henshall & her husband! – I wonder if she has altered in 22 years! – I wrote to the Reades yesterday & sent them a message for you. They & the Estells, Clara told me are quite intimate – the boys flirt with Fanny Estell a trifle so we may hear of another wedding some day. – Living next door is usually next door to something else. – I have sent you two Athenaeums by post – & there is a lot of papers coming to you from papa – so you'll not be in want of literature against the rainy season – which may be less dreadful than it seems – you will have to cultivate pianos & friends – & write a few long letters home – which will be a great pleasure to several folk. – Any you enclose I'll forward – so stuff them once full – & then begin another – I don't mind postage. – This here is a perfect volume in my small hand. – so much less compass than yours – but it's wonderful how your hand is improving – a regular hand now – clear & neat & legible. – What a perfect trichton you'll be about 40! bless you! – But you are a very very good boy – & that's the truth – I leave this blank for any extraneous event before now & 4 P.M. –

No more news – so I go to post my letter – & – "mak sicker." – I hope all your things will come right – I can't think of anything else to say or to do – everybody sends you kind messages & Marian a note enclosed. – I think I have specially enjoyed this mail – You are very good & thoughtful over sister in every sort of way. –

Ever your affectionate Sister
1 Wall was an archaic term for the navy or for a ship in the British army (OED "wall,n.1" 3. fig. b.). 2 Ben Mulock sailed from Liverpool to Brazil on the Oneida in October of 1859. 3 Ben Mulock worked at an engineering office in Liverpool from 1857 to 1858. He worked as a civil engineer under James Newlands, building sewerage systems for the city. See Aleyn Lyell Reade, The Mellards & Their Descendants, Including the Bibbys of Liverpool, with Memoirs of Dinah Maria Mulock & Thomas Mellard Reade (London: Arden P, 1915), 72. 4 To "Mak sicker" is a Scottish phrase that means "to make sure." "Sicker," Dictionary of the Scots Language (2004), Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd,http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sicker, accessed 31 May 2017. 5 A trapiche is a mill used in South American to grind sugar cane and extract its juices. 6 "Mak" is a Scottish phrase for "make". See "Mak," Dictionary of the Scots Language (2004),Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd, http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mak, accessed July 18, 2018

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Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Benjamin Mulock, from 17 March to 7 April 1860. Dinah Mulock Craik Karen Bourrier Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive University of Calgary Karen Bourrier Transcription June 2016 by Kailey Fukushima Proofing of transcription April 2017 by Kailey Fukushima Second proofing of transcription June to July 2018 by Karen Bourrier TEI encoding June 2016 by Kailey Fukushima Proofing of TEI encoding April 2017 by Kailey Fukushima Second proofing of TEI encoding July 2018 by Karen Bourrier First digital edition in TEI, date: July 2018. P5. Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2018

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Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive University of California at Los Angeles Charles E. Young Research Library Mulock Family Papers 846 Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Benjamin Mulock, from 17 March to 7 April 1860. Box 1, Folder 7

Our aim in this edition has been to transcribe the content of the letters as accurately as possible without reproducing the physical appearance of the manuscript. Craik’s spelling, punctuation, underlining, superscripts, abbreviations, additions and deletions are retained, except for words which are hyphenated at the end of a line, which we have silently emended. Where Craik uses a non-standard spelling, we have encoded both her spelling and the standard Oxford English Dictionary spelling to facilitate searching. The long s is not encoded.

Saturday March 17 – / 60 1860 Wildwood My dearest boy

I have actually missed a Sunday. – I was very tired after my journey. & since then there has been a domestic revolution – Mary gone & little Mary came back, but I’ll tell you all regularly & – beginning with Wednesday week when your wall left – Thursday we all went to tea at Mrs. Gow’s – at Leckhampton – Friday Mrs. Dobell & Cy and I drove over the the Tower – what a lovely place it is – & the top of the Cotswolds made me feel a desperate longing for the Scotch hills – where I’ll be by & by. Saturday I came home – leaving Detmore in a snowstorm! Only fancy! And the bitter cold of the journey. However I found all right (as I thought) at Wildwood. – Next day I spent at Gothic Cottage with Albert, Clara & ClarenceAlbert & Clara having taken a week’s holiday of London sight-seeing in the brief interval of babies & enjoyed it very much – she looks so pretty & young & well & Albert in great glory. They wanted to hear your letter: an excerpt edition of which I read them. Albert seemed rather to envy your “ furrin foreign parts” & altogether they were greatly interested – & sent their love to you. – Monday came in to my great delight Mr RichardsAnnie Miers – was there & they fell into great talk about mutual acquaintances in Brazil. What a very nice fellow he seems! – he told me all he could think of about you – also about himself, wife &, babies. We quite fraternized & he promised to come again. Minna came in while he stayed & liked him too. As for the Phos Photographs Annie mounted them at once in the book & the admiration of everybody has been something quite special – particularly those two of the Johannes river – They are perfectly beautiful – they ought to be in the Pho. Photography Ex. Exhibition – I wish you would print out a few more of the like – & send them either to me or Joe Mayall to try & get them exhibited. Your "Photography in hot climates" seems to do better than in cold. – Mr Richards gave explanations of each Phos Photograph & seemed so pleased & proud about them – also about his own portrait – which he said his wife liked so much & felt so much obliged to you for – Honest man – I'm sure he likes you – & he is a good specimen of your "cheerful society." Mrs Lewis has never turned up: – happily. On Tuesday Minna & I went to Vale Lodge to help keep Mrs Lovell's 30th wedding day. She was in great form & it was a pleasanter evening than usual. – Annie and Fanny & all the rest were there. – Annie rather well nursing N o Number 2 – & Fanny with expecting the same – in June. – Everybody kindly enquiring for you & delighted with the new Phos Photographs Mr Lovell especially. Minna came over to Wildwood & asked for your public letter – which I gave her – & she gave it back next day without any comment. She, Gothic Cottage, the Ziepels & Mr. Marston came on Wednesday evng evening & were very jolly. – except perhaps the latter who has been really ill – Mr. Macmillan will only give £100 for his book – & publish it in one vol volume . – it is not long enough for two. – Perfectly fair – & it being amonymous: but poor Mr. Marston can't see that his reputation for plays rather hinders than helps novels – & that he starts quite as a novice – he can't possibly settle with me: so that must stand over for another year. – I'm afraid there'll be a grand crash some time – & perhaps it'll be as good a thing as could happen – I don't know – I got a letter from Springfield – telling me he had ceased to be anxious to get abroad – having "been & gone & done it" – & been accepted by the Glasgow damselMr. White's daughter. Mr. White consenting – only says they must both take the pledge – which G. S. George Springfield declined: but probably will give in – He's very happy poor fellow – & so his little business is settled. He says he knows Easton & Amos will give him a decent income when they know he is going to be married. On Wednesday night or rather Thursday morng morning came the grand domestic crash – found out unfortunate Mary in drinking – stealing – lying. – I had taken the baby, – & nearly clothed her & it too – these 4 months – got her nursed thro' through her bad illness – &c &c – All no good – she is thoroughly depraved. Your instinct was right & my pity wrong. – I got her out of the house as soon as I could. & little Mary came up at an hour's notice – a great blessing. She is better – & thinks she will be able to stay. – She has had a deal of trouble: the soldier turned out bad – she had to give him up. However a plumber next door – an excellent giving man whom she has known all her life, has consoled her – "he is so good" – she observes. & she has promised to marry him in a year. Poor little Mary! – I shall have a woman once a week to do the hard work – & so I dare say Mary can manage – It is so pleasant to look at a face that loves me – the house feels far less dreary now that it has done since you left – – I mean to let the house for June – & send Mary home for 3 months. while I go to Scotland. I have quite made up my mind to do that instead of going abroad – for two or three months – First the Macmillan M.S. manuscript cannot possibly be sent after me abroad – 2 nd – I know I never could stand the knocking & travelling. – The smallest railway journey I don't get over for two or three days. – 3 rd Laura Herford has got into a wretched state, mental & physical – frets everybody – worries poor Miss Montgomery out of her life. – She is regularly worn out with work – & has got an idea, poor girl, that she is going out of her mind. Miss Montgomery & Mrs. Herford both tell her that – oddly enough – the only person that can do anything with her is me – because she has got fond of me – & I quiet her down – while they rub her up the wrong way – we have laid a plan for my taking her with me North – to Arran – for a thorough change for a month boarding & lodging in some quiet place – As Frances & Jane did last year. Then I shall pay my various visits & come home by Edin Edinburgh in late autumn. – I have been sadly grieved about poor Laura – her irritability is something dreadful – poor old Miss Montgomery has more than once cried actually about her – when talkg talking privately to me. – & she gets utterly unmanageable sometimes: – the only time she is ever herself being when she comes to Wildwood. She will hardly go anywhere else – except to Minna or Marian sometimes – She fears nobody cares for her. Of course all this is in the strictest of confidence. – Partial justice has come to you & Clarence in the matter of Seville Rowe.Mr Andersen has fallen in with him at Melbourne – taken kindly to him – helped him & got him a clerkship in the Oriental bank – He has also formed a strong alliance with Philippa's eldest brother George – who is manager of a theatre there – no "fine" friend for your maligned "worldly" Mr. Anderson! – I told Marian about it as an indifferent piece of news & she did look so pleased! I'd lay a wager that little affair will be settled yet. –

– I am rather alarmed at the dreadful "confidences" I put into my letters – you must be very careful over them. Don't leave them about as you have done sometimes – but they were not of much moment generally – I got a long letter from Amy Paton the other day with messages from Joe & Maggie wanting to know when I was coming to stay with them. – I shall go for a few days some time sometime this autumn – but not for a long visit as they wish. – I feel a craving after the baby – Amy says he has learned to put his little finger on my likeness that they have him say "Aunt Dinah" – I don't know anything that has touched me more than Joe's teaching his boy to call me "Aunt Dinah!" – it's funny how the world goes round & the old things come up again in different forms – but in essence perfectly & absolutely unkillable. It's an odd feeling – but the old thing seems to have slid quietly down & settled on Maggie & the bairns. – There will be a second baby in June. – so I shall not go till after then. – I am sure I can stand it, & be quite happy – or I would not go at all.– I had a long letter from Weirie this week – they expect me at the Cottage of course – And I shall go for I want badly to see how things are with my own eyes – but it won't be half as it used to be – for I can't help speaking my mind about the injustice of not liking Allan's marriage: – they ought. I shall stick by Allan thro' thick & thin, as I always did – & probably shall get into a kettle of at least warm water: – Still it may do good – & then I don't care. – You see, Ben, it's useless to knock out of sister the habit of "taking an interest" in people. – It has its advantages as well as its pains. – Well now I hope this is gossip enough for the present. – I was at lunch, or rather dinner – at Lady Byron's today – Oh by the by did you see that your old chums the Hills have become "Sir Rowland." – Honest simple old soul – he has been very ill since his title was near being no good except on his tombstone – & he will not be able to work for a long time. – He came to Wildwood one day before he was ill & left me a whole basket of first rate blood-oranges. – Oh how I wish oranges would keep between Bahia & London – that I might taste yours. – Here comes Christopher, having lost his beloved baby he now condescends to the parlour – He is grown such a splendid animal – handsomer than Lotus. – I feel grieved you will have "nothing to read" last mail – but patience. Your Cornhills &c are all laid-up & waiting. – Have you ever a cat within reach? Have the Ogilvies one? – I hope there will be plenty about them & your other friends in next letter – I like to hear all about every body. –

Sunday March 25. It seems as if there was hardly anything to say this week. & what there is Christopher tries hard to prevent my saying by walking over my desk & making this blot you see. – Sunday last was the usual thing – ClarenceMarian, Laura – & a friend of hers. – in the evening: – Clarence & I having a quiet afternoon & a walk by our two selves – & hours of talk. – Clarence is really beginning to get on – has two pictures at "British Artists" – being first-rate. – is doing my book beautifully & Linton speaks so highly of him to Macmillan – thinks there's a great deal in him. Also he goes of Thursday evenings to Henrietta St. & the set there take to him – Masson & Kingsley & the rest. – He & Harvey Smith have struck up a regular friendship – he likes Harvey extremely – & goes to Halton garden – But he doesn't like the girls there at all – & can't bear Mrs. Smith. He says Harvey seems to him a regular domestic martyr – & so good with it all – & so steady & home-keeping – Poor Harvey – I do wish he had a nice wife of his own. – Springfield has been offered the partnership with young Easton & is off to Norfolk: to raise £500 which they require: – then he will start as manager – indeed young Easton will apparently have little enough on his hands , as he isn't fit for it: – but no doubt his father will take care of him & help him on – It seems very good for G. S. & no doubt he will marry & settle very soon. – Another marriage is Laura's cousin Ivan Herford – who having vainly adored her for ever so long – has taken up with a Miss Thomson at Cheltenham. Laura is much better than she was. – She went boldly to Sir Charles Eastlake to ask him about women's getting into the R. A. Royal Academy – & he said the thing would be very good – & suggested some young ladies sending in drawings as Probationers – & see what the R. A. Royal Academy – & the students would say to it – there was no law against it – Clarence hearing this was horrified!! – the scene last Sunday between him & Laura was a perfect show. – He is evidently quite frightened at the idea of her & a few more young ladies walking in as academy students & they really are trying & have begun their drawings at Lee's & elsewhere!! – This last feat of Laura 's as "a man & a brother" you'll be greatly amused at. – it beats the knife board. Monday & Tuesday I did nothing particular – except work – & trying to get back my spoons sheets &c – which the hapless Mary had walked off with – but the Police said I could do nothing unless I prosecuted: & though Mary owns to the theft I can't give her on charge: for the sake of the poor baby. – indeed anyhow I wouldn't prosecute so I just put up with the loss. – Wednesday was the Squabble at M r W. Bridges AdamsMiss Coates' essay. – It went off well. The Ziepels & Mr. Tomlinson as usual taking the principal part of the conversation. The Lovells were there. Mrs. Lovell having at last agreed to call & be civil to the Adams. – I do the same – but I don't take to them. By the by, your acquaintance the Gardens opposite called on me – & I returned it – & found them really nice homely honest people – one Miss Garden quite pretty. They were full of obligation to you for taking the Pho Photograph of their house – & made tender enquiries after you & your photography. – So does Mrs. Hartwell – calls regularly after every mail to ask about you. – We go on just in the same way – very civil & no more. They were greatly put out about my losses from Mary, as they recommended her. Her mother has left them. Also for drunkenness – On Thursday I went to Henrietta St. & to have a talk with Mr. Macmillan – & "Tom Brown" came in to lunch. Such a fine fellow – as like his books as ever he can be – not a bit of the "literary man" – regular English honesty – & simplicity – with a certain of what Dr. Wilkinson calls "healthy animalism"– for he stands 6 feet & broad in proportion & looks as if he could fight or row or run or anything. And it's such a bright wholesome pleasant face – it makes you smile all over to look at it. – He is just over 40 with a wife and several children. He & his wife are coming over for an early tea to Wildwood soon. They know the Gurney Hoare's & will come on from there here. – Thursday evng evening Mr. & Mrs. Blackett came and were quite jolly – We had a regular long evng evening of talk & settled some business. He has lost by the Poems he says – for he printed a large edition & has only sold 900 – but he says that is more than anybody else's poems would sell, except Tennyson & Mrs. Browning& seems to take it very easy. He says he shall repay himself from the "Studies from Life." – He says my books keep on selling & are becoming "valuable property." – Mrs. Browning has published a vol. volume of poems Before Congress – splendid writing – but in sentiment, awful – adoring Italy & Louis Napoleon & execrating England. A Curse for a Nation – L. C. loco citato England – is perfectly awful – parricidal, I think. – Even Marian is shocked. – & attributes her state of mind – poor woman to Bogies. The Marston Bogies are worse than ever. – they & Mrs Milner Gibson go clear daft together over there.

Gothic Cottage is going down to Isle of Wight – to Sydney & Emily – next week. – Ellen Jolly had a liitle boy on Friday Thursday. the night of a grand bridal party to Frank & his wife – at which were Bella, CyLaura Marian &c. – It took place at the ancient Jolly's – William was sent for quietly out in midst of the entertainment. – Ellen is all right. – Wildwood is so cosie cosy with little Mary again – who looks so bright & does her work as quick as a bee. We are so exceedingly peaceful & pretty – & the garden is beginning to sprout up – though it is a very cold, late spring. – Vines for Vale Lodge comes regularly to Mrs. Earl's garden & use. Mrs. Earl has given me a lot of box-edging to go all down the walk – so we shall be quite grand. I don't think I shall ever make up my mind to leave home till until July. Laura won't go to Arran, as I planned – she will stay & draw for the R. A. Royal Academy – Probably my first visit will be to Ayr – where that nice lad William Jack that I was telling you of – means to take a house – with his sister as housekeeper (pending the young lady.) – & has made me promise that I will come & stay with them as soon as they are settled. It's quite droll this lad's downright affection for me – peeps out in all sorts of quiet, Scotch undemonstrative ways. "deeds not words" – & for a lad who is awfully in love & straining every nerve to get on in the world & get married – it's exceedingly creditable I think: – I'm grateful accordingly – I shall extremely enjoy a short visit to the Land o' BurnsThe Macmillan family also mean to spend their August in Ayr – Afterwards I mean to go to Greenock, Edin Edinburgh & St. Andrews – as heretofore you see, Ben, it's no use effecting to "déraciner" sister from your objectionable Scotland. – all her heart's there & always will be. – I have been amused by a long article on me in the Revue des deux mondes – in which they ingenuously derive all my peculiarities from "un père Irlandais et une mère Écossaise – " & how I combine the liveliness & humour (!) of one country with the staunch "Puritaine" spirit of the other! As fine a specimen as could be produced of jumping at conclusions. A very beautiful article it is – I'll send it to you when I can get it. – I am making my collection of books for the mail – waiting on opportunity. One special shelf is devoted to you – lest there be any mistakes or forgets – By the by – I have your £8 all right – & keep your money separate – & have a rigid account of all I spend for you. I hope there will be no M.A. 's missing accounts– 'tis church time now – so I must go – Goodbye my dearest boy. –

Sunday April 1:st – I write this under difficulties – Christopher being so excessively affectionate that he won't be quiet – insists on kissing me & eating my pen. – He is getting a very nice cat – as nice as Lotus nearly. – & is more choice in his affections. He was several days before he took to little Mary – used to run away the minute she came near him – she quite wept over his dislike of her – but he has got over it now. – Mary looks quite well & blooming & does her work without trouble. – & the house is so comfortable – with somebody that's fond of one in it. – Well, let me see – what has been done this week, – Sunday was mild. only Laura & a cousin of hers & Clarence in the evening Monday – while. Tuesday Mr. Jack came to tea & knowing I wanted to see a university boat-race – was going to take Annie Miers & me to see the grand Oxford & Cambridge one from Hammersmith Bridge. – But I found out accidentally that the lad was giving up three days of his short holiday at home to stop over this date & saying nothing about it. – So I wouldn't agreee to it: & he went off to Scotland direct. – It was quite pleasant to see this good lad's intense delight in his success. – he has got nearly £450 a year – & two months ago would have been thankful for £200. – He had worked for it awful hard: – but still it's a wonderful good position to be got at 25. –

Wednesday Annie spent the day at Wildwood – & Laura & I went in to the final supper at Gothic Cottage when I started off next morning, magnificent in Emily Coates' new carriage – such a pretty one. – with the Charger & the man & maid in the box. – North End must have been quite electrified by the turn-out. – They are off to Wend CottageNiton – near Sydney & Emily. Tomorrow Jane & Frances start for same place – so there will be quite a colony. There has been a trifling breeze between Frances & Marian & Minna – or rather between her & the ancients. – Frances has roused Mrs Lovell's wrath by not seeming to care for her acquaintance – & though Jane does the polite – Frances calls Mrs Lovell "horrid woman" & won't call – for which she is soundly abused by Jane. – Consequently Minna & Marian call very seldom, & at least Jane & Marian talked it out & "came to terms" sociably. – I think the old Lovells are more disagreeble than ever, they actually would not let Minna come to supper at Gothic Cottage the last Sunday because the Forks might be coming to Vale Lodge. they bother Minna's life out & she hasn't the will to resist. – She never goes anywhere but to the Tomlinsons. I have been hoping that she & Mrs. Macmillan – who is coming to Wildwood – might fraternize – & so Minna might go to stop at Cambridge – but I fear it's no good. it's no use trying to help Minna out of the perfectly hopeless state of domestic subservience – which no woman of 27 ought to be subjected to by any parents. She won't help herself. – She has grown hopelessly passive. – I grieve over her unutterably: – but I can't do anything. – I never even ask her for a walk that they don't grumble & getting her over to tea is a thing to be "mentioned with her" – they even grumble at her going to Gothic Cottage – on account of Emily Coates – whom otherwise they like very well – being Unitarian & Mrs Lovell moaned over Marian to me like anything. – They'll interfere with her next. Well – I have had my grumble out – but it is a constant source of grief & irritation to me – being so fond as I am of Minna. I look upon hers as a completely lost life – with no usefulness in it & not a bit of happiness – either past present or probable. You have no right to feel hardly to Minna – under all circumstances – her position is much worse than yours. I dined on Friday at the Marstons – & came away with an equally wretched impression of all things there – returning to Wildwood with a source of unalterable thankfulness for my own peaceful home & for being able to think of you across the seas with the comfort that I do. – Saturday having business in Town I went in to the 2. P.M. dinner of the Mudies – which I really enjoy. such a table full of well-behaved children. Afterwards I went through a whole portfolio of Macpherson's Phos Photographs – & we – they are splendid! – but though they seem clearer as to atmosphere the prints are not to be generally perfect as yours – I saw lots of white spots on the very best of them. it was quite curious how many defective prints there were. They are mostly large – nearly as large as the Brig – architecture predominating – The best were – the exit of the Cloaca Maxima all hung with trees – perfectly lovely. the cataract of Velino – "such a volume of water" said somebody – "Three volumes –" amended Mudie with a dim idea of a joke professional. & some cedar cypress & fir trees – the finest tree phos photographs I ever did see: – so steady & clear – I do wish you could do some more Phos Photographs like the river Johannes – it delights every body. – I don't think any one of Macphersons is better – though bigger – the water is far better than his Velino – where to make the cataract I suppose, he has printed every other but so intensely black – that you can distinguish nothing. I suppose he was obliged. – I am looking forward to more Phos Photographs – it will make a splendid book by the 3 years' end. – I am getting into my usual small fidget of expecting the mail & fancying something may have gone wrong between whiles. – however the eel may get used to shining. – I do not make myself needlessly unhappy I trust & everybody said I am fat & well –

Every month I live here, Hampstead seems to suit me better: – if I go into London for a day I feel wretched – but as soon as I come back home I'm all right. I never feel so well anywhere as I do at Wildwood – which is a great comfort. It is quite cold weather still – not a sign of spring. – You will be at the rainy season – & no fever to be heard of by now, I trust. Annie Miers seems quite easy in her mind concerning it – which is my great stronghold – as she knows the Brazilian climate so well. She confirms all you say about drinking – & does not seem to think there is the least fear – humanly speaking – for you. – I must put aside now & get ready for Church – Clarence is coming to dinner – Springfield to tea – also possible Harvey Smith. There are two new invites to the Sunday Collection – a nephew of Mr. Macmillan's whom he asked me to have sometimes – a nice fellow who manages the Henrietta St. branch – & does all my business in getting books for you &c. – indeed is my regular "agent in town" – very prompt & dependable – Scotch of course. – & another strange to say, English – named Ainger – a Cambridge co-mate of Mr. Jack's whom he asked me to take in – because the lad is rather in trouble & poverty – & he thought coming to Wildwood would "do him good!" – I couldn't help thinking how Ben would laugh! – Certainly Wildwood is turning into a Refuge if not a Reformatory – on Sundays at least: – but on weekdays (now that the first rush of friends who thought I should be so solitary, has abated) I am decidedly quiet & have a great many solitary evenings – or at least half evenings. – which Christopher & I enjoy very much. – It is curious – but consolatory – that after all there is great peace in one's own company. – I never come home from any household that I don't feel how very much happier Wildwood is than any of them. – & can understand in a priggish & gratified way, why it is that people evidently like to come to it, because nobody bothers or scolds – everything goes smoothly & the mistress lets people do as they like – & is certainly whatever her faults – neither snappish nor glum. the more I see of the rows in families – the more proud & thankful I feel that in all our lives, however you & I may occasionally have bothered ourselves & one another – we have bothered anybody else – & our household was always pleasant to everybody that came into it. – Now goodbye – till, I hope, my mail comes in next week. –

Wednesday morning – your letter came yesterday afternoon – cheap at the money – as Miss Hill would observe – I think little Mary thought so as she came running with it all the way down the garden. Time being that on account of Good Friday – I at once fell to your commissions & they are now, I think all en train to go by this mail. – (of which anon.) – Minna came in & we went direct to Post & Parcel's delivery &c.– then came back & she read your public letter & the one to Marian. – We made no comments or conversation. – I think when you are quite sure of your own feelings – that you have not the least wish to marry Minna – & for anything but the old friendship – you should send her a message to that effect and return to the old friendship, as much as is practicable. She must feel acutely your loss as a friend of so many years. – How any girl not a paving-stone could be so fond of a young man as Minna was & is of you – without the slightest wish to marry them – I can't understand but still it evidently is the case. I have no doubt about it now. – The Tomlinsons, Mrs. Ziepel & Mr. & Mrs. Anderson came to tea – & Minna stayed with me until this morning & has only just left –

Now to your letters – the private one first. – It is thoroughly satisfactory, my dearest boy – It is hardly possible to express what I feel of the matter of you. – the whole tone of your letters is so kind & thoughtful & good & home-loving. I feel happier about you than ever I did in my life. – And when I think of all the trial & temptation that you have had to go through – it seems seems perfectly wonderful. Your remark, the last Sunday but one you were at home – "The thing is, sister, you're a Christian & I'm not." – Often comes back to my mind as gradually becoming a very great falsehood. – I am easy now about the fever – & your health generally: – but you must not reckon too much so as to become careless of health. as Annie says the second summer in Brazil is always the most trying. If possible, against the hot season you should manage to live up the country where fever never comes. It would not do to mount the Brazil Phos Photographs – so many people want to see them that they are only safe in a book – they would get spoiled directly otherwise. – The lily Panoroma however shall go by itself. – Frances & Jane will be so glad you are friends with Nicolay. They are at Niton: in the same lodgings as Marian – I have d a letter from Marian this morning – asking me to do professionally her "Not an Angel" – with an eye to Macmillan. I shall send your letter to her by today's post – Minna & I kept it yesterday because we wanted to read it. Yours to J. Mayall & G. S. – went all right. – G. S. – is half sorry not to go out to you. – but is going for Easter to Glasgow – Which will probably change his mind: As "Polly" might not like Brazil.G. S. came on Sunday: all is settled about the partnership – he has got the £500. – The house of business is at Wapping: but he won't live there – "would not mind it if he were alone." – he observed at tea on Sunday to the great amusement of Laura & Clarence – & the surprise of Mr. Robert Bowes – (Macmillan's nephew – who made his first appearance at Wildwood on Sunday – He is a nice quiet good fellow – about 25. – Clarence likes him very much – you see, I'm quite losing my "fine" friends – as this youth is shopman at Henrietta St. – but nevertheless quite a gentleman.) I have not sent you Lloyd's – as Papa said he had sent you such a quantity of papers – about 30 altogether – He sends you a very affectionate message by last letter – I think he really takes pleasure in sending you papers – I shall send him a message from you – when I write – I generally write in the middle of the month also, now – & make my letters longer by my little bit of news I can put in – that might be published harmlessly in the Times. – He writes very kindly to me – I am so glad you like your Mags magazines . You will have a disappointment last month – but there was no one to send them by – besides my being out of town. – Isn't Tom Brown beautiful? – Clarence & Robert Bowes came to Wildwood full of the University boat-race – where they had been – it was from Putney to Mortlake – at 8:30 a. m. – Clarence got on board an Oxford boat & saw it all close; his description was really like a bit of Tom Brown.Minna read the "boat-race" in Tom Brown in the Omnibus – & was so excited by it, she said, that she was near crying – greatly to her confusion. – Do you like the poems in Cornhill & Macmillan. A Man's Wooing was mine – It took considerably I believe. – Mr. Blackett has sold 900 of the Poems – which he says is more than he believes most poems would sell – but still he printed so large an edition that at present he has lost – However he seems to take it very calmly. – He wants another book – I have had I don't know how many offers to write all sorts of things: But I won't : it is not worth while killing myself over making money – About the £50 that is to come next mail. I will if you like invest it with mine: but as you will have seen by my last you can get far better interest for it out at Brazil – & it would be ready to hand. I really think if you would write to John Miers, as Annie suggested – & ask him what he would advise as Brazilian investment – you would make more by the end of 3 years. But do as you think most prudent & best, I have put another £50 – due from Ticknor & Fields for Poems into the Joint Stock Bank. – Macmillan, translations &c keep me going on very well. – living as quietly as I do – but I don't reason to be quite so stingy over myself as I have been – because the Family is getting well off – & I am getting old. – I have treated Wildwood to a regular gardener – Vines – at 9/: per month – & the garden looks so nice – & has box edging down to the very end. – I wish you could see it. I walked down it this morning & picked you the best nosegay attainable & put it in inside a Macmillan. – I wonder if any other folk out there besides yourself will have pleasure in looking at English flowers .– It will be a great treat to get the beautiful new Phos Photographs – per Mr. Gale – for my birthday & thank you, Ben! – we shall have a grand mounting of them & Annie will be so pleased with hers. – Don't ever think you bother me with commissions – it's quite a pleasant little excitement to think how to get them & send them off. – when Mr. Watson calls & becomes "friendly" – I'll settle with him about some regular plan of sending things: or else pay him a visit at 29 – but meantime I generally hear of somebody going out there. – I can't – I was going to write I can't – send you out Wills & the Autocrat – by this mail – but on second thoughts I believe I can via R. Bowes – to whom I have delivered your polite message all proper. He evidently rather enjoys "our Mag" being known in Brazil. You shall have your Pho Photo . Journals by post after this mail. – I never ask anybody for newspapers for you. – all you get you may be quite sure you get on your own hook. Mr. Marston proposed sending you regularly the Leader – which he gets: & which poor Bruddy made a pathetic riddle – "What is the best newspaper for the blind?" – I like to be acquainted with Mr. Matthew & the rest of the staff. You do not mention the Hornes this letter – but I conclude you go on "improving the acquaintance." – Do not imagine I grieve about your not being a Senior Wrangler now!! – you are much better as you are: it would never have done for you. – only it was my dream for a great many years. But 'tis better as it is. – I only fretted a little about it from being at Cambridge. – but soon got over it. – I really don't wish different from what it is: – only I look forward to your settling in England sometime or other – that I may make theyour room at Wildwood into an occasional nursery & my unused travelling-bath into a children's bath – bless their little hearts! my heart is very soft on the subject of children. – Your private letter is very nice & far the pleasantest to read as well as to write. I enjoy it exceedingly: but still I think it's a pity you should quite give up the public ones – because so many – that is – Minna, Marian, Laura HerfordClarenceAnnie Miers – & especially the little Aunts – enjoy reading or hearing them – they are so extremely graphic & clever – If you only write privately – the Aunts will have to be stopped out of their monthly treat entirely – which alone would be a pity – dear little aunts! – they make such an awful fuss about "our nephew." – As I told you nobody but Minna, Marian & the Aunts get the public letters to read. – the others have excerpt editions of my reading aloud. – The Ziepels also invariably come for your news as soon as they see the mail is in. – Mr. Ziepel has been very unwell lately – my own private belief is he eats too much. Hugh Montgomery is growing such a big fellow – with few ideas in his head but rifles. – The rifle movement has grown tremendous. – everybody at "at drill." – It is really having a beneficial effect on the morals of youth – everybody – shopmen, clerks, professionals, & even schoolboys – forming volunteer corps – & drilling 5 nights out of six – They come home so tired they go straight to bed instead of to Casinos & so on. – The Cambridge "bills" this term have been astonishingly small – because the young fellows literally have no time for any worse amusement than drilling – so my good friend Mr. Jack told me – He is one of a small set now rising up in both universities who are not ashamed of being good – & "testifying" as loudly as possible – that a man should marry early – upon £150 or £200 a year – & love his wife & love nobody else. Of course it's an awful pull against the stream – but it's a good thing & slowly encreasing increasing . the world may be mended in time. – It's quite a sight to see the troops of young fellows from every corps in London in turn, that march up to Hampstead of Saturday afternoon – with band & officers – & "dismiss" for an hour's beer & bread & cheese at Jack Straws. All the young ladies & little boys of Hampstead turn out to have a stare at them. – Now to your public letter. I greatly admire your business-like arrangement of Phos Photographs . Should not wonder if you turned out your great horror a "good man of business." – It's in you if you only take the trouble to draw it out. your account of the Oneida's sailing was quite pathetic – poor boy – I wish you could come home for the rainy season. Here was an interruption carrier for your packet of books – which Mary & I had packed up satisfactorily. You will find in it besides literature a bit of Maria Wright's wedding cake – which the Aunts sent you from their piece. – I had a letter from Willie Wright yesterday asking me to help William with "my reference in the Church or patrons of the Church." – Poor old gentleman – is it come to this! – Pathetic – to think how our side the family has gone up & his gone down. – I send your letter to Marian today. They have taken Upper Terrace – the house next the Scotts £130 a year – looking over the Heath – you know it. Splendid house. Emily Coates has leased it for 7 years – is making great alterations – they will be settled about July. – They are very pleased – I think there is nothing special to answer on your public letter – except that it is generally interesting – What a glorious ride that must have been – Joe Mayall told me how Ca'meat was in print – he seemed quite pleased. –

Good Friday. – On this memorable day in the Family – I finish my letter. – On Wednesday night I got your Phos Photographs – just as starting to tea at the Clock House to see Laura before she went for Easter to Cheltenham. So there was a grand "read" & examination. Dear old Miss Montgomery takes quite a infantile delight in your Brazilian life – also Hugh bursting at intervals into his approving roar of laughter. And the Phos Photographs were thoroughly appreciated. – especially the panorama – the Mango – & the viaduct. – That of you is considered surprisingly "fat & well- liking looking " – quite jolly: I like it much for expression but it isn't a good Pho Photograph – not sharp. – As you know – Laura sent kind remembrance to you – she is still entertained by your ardent enjoyment of "meals" – such a contrast to former times. – I got an answer from Harvey Smith. he says if I will send him the Phos Photographs of Opening Railway – he will take them himself to Illus. Illustrated News. If "telling" ones – he has no doubt they will be accepted & paid for Tho though what he knows not: they being not over liberal. – Harvey says "Ben might write me a line. I think I would to him if I were away." – He is coming up to Wildwood shortly – & will enjoy the Phos Photographs . Thursday I was at Hammersmith. – & there indeed the Phos Photographs were appreciated – Annie took the Pan Panoroma & as I like the Mango best it's all right – They were delighted with the Panorama – & Mr. Lovell went into extasies ecstasies over it as a Pho Photograph – & being printed so evenly – considered it a wonderful work. – but it troubled his mind considerably about Trapiches – which he there saw – finds they are so much bigger than they are insured for – that he begged to take panorama down to Lombard St. to have a consultation thereafter!! – I expect it will be very useful to them in further insurances – – but I do hope they'll give an "order" for one – instead of borrowing mine. – we found out your office & the theatre & Mrs. Miers recognized the wonderful new buildings that have sprung up since she was at Bahia – which was when Annie was a baby. I think the Panorama has "taken" more than any Phos Photographs yet. – Poor Mr Lovell – It's quite pathetic to me the kind way he always speaks of you & the warm interest he shows in all your proceedings Photographic & otherwise

– I got last night a long letter from Mr. Anderson – so extremely kind, downright affectionate – thanking me for my steady friendship when other folk thought him changed – which he won't. – telling me all his circumstances & way of life: – not a bit grand but very simple & working "harder than he ever had in his life." – saying he meant to write me every mail – but he wishes me not to make his letters public as before. – It's very odd – I can't make head or tail of that matter to this day: – there has been an awful muddle somewhere: but the only thing is to let it alone. – it will right itself sometime. – Poor lad! I'm so glad to think how true & good he is still. – Now about your commisions. – Your books are gone by Mr. George Pocock an English Engineering foreman, whom Mr. Miers is sending out to Bahia. – a very respectable working-man. If I can I will tell you the name of the house he goes to in Bahia – before closing this. – but anyhow he has orders from Mr. Miers to find you out & deliver the parcel – which contains March & April Macmillan. Cornhills & All Year rounds. – 2 Pho Photograph Journals. Cheap mak. – & some music Marian chose – the only classical Con concert music she could find – but there is a catalogue enclosed for you to send word back if you want more. there is also a bit of wedding-cake some of your old music & inside the Macmillan some Wildwood flowers. – Your Wills, Old Leaves & Autocrat – you will find in Hockin's book Robert Bowes sent them. Your boots & spur Springfield gives Mr. Western to send out. – Your Con. concert notes & the elastic are the only things I am in doubt about – as Joe Mayall I asked to get them – not knowing the sort of elastic required, & not having heard, am afraid he is out of town. – but I shall go to Regent St. tomorrow & then to Parliament St. – the things may still be in time to send by some one going out from 47. – If not, you will understand why they don't come to hand. – Miss BrodribbJohn Miers' governess will be on board the steamer – look out for her if you have time to go on board. – Also Mr. Aleck Fry sent word to Annie by this mail. that he expects to be in Bahia shortly & will hunt you out. He is a very nice individual – his sister married Frank Miers. – He & the whole Frank Miers are coming home by either the May or June packet – & hope you will try to go and board & see them all & they will take any message or parcel home. Annie is so happy at the prospect of her "family" – she wishes me to send you a special message of thanks for the tree, She quite beamed all over at us as she does over all the Brazilian Phos Photos . – Everybody as knows you sends you kind messages "next time I write" – I think there is a general impression of mentioning you with " hon honour ." – something like Andersen's Ugly Duck when he began to put in his right feathers. – Mrs. Miers cries you up amazingly – "had no idea you were so practical & business-like" – "wonders how a young man of such energy & perseverance could ever have stood that Liverpool office" &c &c. – And Dr. Storrar – you remember the Storrars – who came in when your letter was lying on my desk – opened his eyes at its length – "Do you get that much every month! Why, what a very good fellow he must be!" – Whatever you may have been – I don't think you're the unappreciated now. – and therefore I eat my bisket alone this Good Friday. feeling that after all the Family has not done ill since that Good Friday 15 years back when it dined together for the last time – & then burst like a bubble & met no more. – I have a firm conviction that you will yet re-found the Family. – & perhaps have a little daughter the very image of Mamma. – which will be very comfortable. – Now goodbye – for there being no service at my Conventual – I mean to go to Church & hear Rev. Reverend Bickersteth. – It is a dark gloomy, rather rainy, but "growing" day. – & the garden is perking up. – did I tell you we have box edging right to the end now? – Not a soul has asked me to dinner today!! but luckily I'd rather stop at home. Goodbye – God bless you my dearest boy. –

Saturday – April 7.Joe Mayall came this morning – just as I was off into town to see if he had got the tongues – & to get the waist-belt – which last night I found was forgotten – & Springfield off to Glasgow – I confided my woes to Joe Mayall & he offered to get the belt – as John wears the same sort & take it to Parliament – so now I trust everything you ordered will reach you safely. – Remember 1 st packet of books & mags magazines by Mr. George Pocock. the engineer's foreman: – 2 nd boots & spurs: by some are from 47 – Parliament St. – 3 rd Tongues & elastic – in separate parcel – also from N o. 47. – 4: th – waist-band – also separate & also via N o. 47. – The only that I am in doubt about is your order to Francis's – (to be sent via Hockin) as Hockin told Joe Mayall he had sent off his box 3 weeks since & advised sending on the parcel to 47. – he may have said the same to Francis – However the next time I am near the place I will find out Francis & inquire – Joe Mayall was delighted with the Panorama – walked off with it to mount it: but as he is writing you today will tell you himself about it. He seemed so pleased to hear from you. Poor lad: – I felt so sorry for him – so uncared for – with dirty ragged shirt & dirty hands – & he tells me they never have regular meals – they never have coffee or tea or milk – just bread & water or cold meat when they feel hungry. – & stop the money out of their allowance in order to spend it in concerts. How any mother can let two lads live so passes my comprehension. – He is coming up again some morning next week. Really a breakfast must be quite a novelty & a treat to him poor fellow. – Mrs. Ziepel was here. I had fetched her overnight – her husband being gone to Cambridge – & she & I combined our solitudes – for not a soul came near me all Good Friday – nor did I get a single invitation to dinner or to tea: which I really felt rather hard, on a general holiday. – The Heath was more crowded than even last year – a perfect fair – spring has come on now with a jump: in two days the Chestnuts are turning quite green. – Who do think you is coming today? – Penelope Henshall & her husband! – I wonder if she has altered in 22 years! – I wrote to the Reades yesterday & sent them a message for you. They & the Estells, Clara told me are quite intimate – the boys flirt with Fanny Estell a trifle so we may hear of another wedding some day. – Living next door is usually next door to something else. – I have sent you two Athenaeums by post – & there is a lot of papers coming to you from papa – so you'll not be in want of literature against the rainy season – which may be less dreadful than it seems – you will have to cultivate pianos & friends – & write a few long letters home – which will be a great pleasure to several folk. – Any you enclose I'll forward – so stuff them once full – & then begin another – I don't mind postage. – This here is a perfect volume in my small hand. – so much less compass than yours – but it's wonderful how your hand is improving – a regular hand now – clear & neat & legible. – What a perfect trichton you'll be about 40! bless you! – But you are a very very good boy – & that's the truth – I leave this blank for any extraneous event before now & 4 P.M. –

No more news – so I go to post my letter – & – "mak sicker." – I hope all your things will come right – I can't think of anything else to say or to do – everybody sends you kind messages & Marian a note enclosed. – I think I have specially enjoyed this mail – You are very good & thoughtful over sister in every sort of way. –

Ever your affectionate Sister
Wall was an archaic term for the navy or for a ship in the British army (OED "wall,n.1" 3. fig. b.). Ben Mulock sailed from Liverpool to Brazil on the Oneida in October of 1859. Ben Mulock worked at an engineering office in Liverpool from 1857 to 1858. He worked as a civil engineer under James Newlands, building sewerage systems for the city. See Aleyn Lyell Reade, The Mellards & Their Descendants, Including the Bibbys of Liverpool, with Memoirs of Dinah Maria Mulock & Thomas Mellard Reade (London: Arden P, 1915), 72. To "Mak sicker" is a Scottish phrase that means "to make sure." "Sicker," Dictionary of the Scots Language (2004), Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd,http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sicker, accessed 31 May 2017. A trapiche is a mill used in South American to grind sugar cane and extract its juices. "Mak" is a Scottish phrase for "make". See "Mak," Dictionary of the Scots Language (2004),Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd, http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mak, accessed July 18, 2018