Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Benjamin Mulock, 3 November 1863

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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>, <date
                  when="--11-03">November 3</date>
               <date when="1863" precision="low"></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="2020-07">July 2020</date> by</resp>
               <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WongKiana">Kiana Wong</persName>
            </respStmt>
            <respStmt>
               <resp>Proofing of transcription <date when="2020-08">August 2020</date> by </resp>
               <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JarmulaSonia">Sonia Jarmula</persName>
            </respStmt>
            <respStmt>
               <resp>TEI encoding <date when="2020-07">July 2020</date> by</resp>
               <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WongKiana">Kiana Wong</persName>
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            <respStmt>
               <resp>Proofing of TEI encoding <date when="2020-08">August 2020</date> by</resp>
               <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JarmulaSonia">Sonia Jarmula</persName>
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            <edition> First digital edition in TEI, date: <date when="2020-07">July 2020.</date> P5.
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            <authority>Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive</authority>
            <pubPlace>Calgary, Alberta, Canada</pubPlace>
            <date>2020</date>
            <availability>
               <p>Reproduced by courtesy of the <placeName>University of California at Los Angeles
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               <licence>Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
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            <title>Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive</title>
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         <sourceDesc>
            <msDesc>
               <msIdentifier>
                  <institution>University of California at Los Angeles</institution>
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                  <idno>846</idno>
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               <head> Letter from <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Dinah Mulock
                     Craik</persName> to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen">Benjamin
                     Mulock</persName>, <date when="--11-03">November 3</date>
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                     <note>Box 1, Folder 8</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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         <div type="letter">
            <opener>
               <dateline>
                  <placeName/>
                  <date when="--11-03"><choice>
                        <abbr>Nov.</abbr>
                        <expan>November</expan>
                     </choice>3<hi rend="superscript">rd</hi></date>
               </dateline>
               <salute> My dearest boy</salute>
            </opener>
            <p>I go back to the old habit of writing between breakfast &amp; church-time though it's
               such a shiver I can hardly steady my hand - After a regular Indian summer October –
               as mild as June – it has suddenly so cold even I can hardly stand it – such wind
               frost – &amp; snow. – I’m sorry for the <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Ogilvie"
                  >Ogilvies</orgName> – Whom I have not heard of – &amp; conclude they are still
               taking their Cornish tour. Poor <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#JollyEmily">Miss
                  Emily</persName> will be perfectly perished. She said she hated cold. – For your
               letter – which came yesterday – of course I expected a scolding about the magazine –
               but it wasn’t a question of shillings at all – it was a question of time. – Nothing
               short of an express train between <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Liverpool"
                  >Liverpool</placeName> &amp; <mod type="subst"><del rend="strikethrough"
                     >Manchester</del><add place="inline">
                     <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#London">London</placeName></add></mod> would
               have done it at the time I discovered <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BowesRobert"
                  >Robert Bowes’</persName> absence. – It was one of those inevitable things which
               people have to put up with – &amp; I’m sure you haven’t had many such since you left.
               The way I make all my arrangements dependent on mails has become so settled – that it
               will be quite funny when that state of things is over. You will know by now that you
               stay another year – perhaps you will not be sorry – spite of ants – &amp; sanas – how
               dreadful those sanas must be – is there no way of avoiding them? – They must
               originate in “beasties" getting into the flesh. – It’s very bad – because it must
               hinder you taking exercise – the very worst thing possible. <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> was in here when your letter
               came – so I read it to her. She came to ask what your savage message had been – so I
               hunted out the old letter &amp; read it to her. – She defended herself <choice>
                  <sic>vigourously</sic>
                  <reg resp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WongKiana">vigorously</reg>
               </choice>. – but I believe she is going to write herself – so</p>
            <p>I need not say more. – I should like to know what are your “divers reasons" for
               coming to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#England">England</placeName> – &amp;
               whether you have any new hope about “settling” – which of course you won’t tell me. –
               but will probably rush on your settling in a blind way – &amp; more misery will come.
               – Now my boy – don’t! – Just do the thing quietly deliberately &amp; perseveringly –
               make sure of your ground – your love is worth having – &amp; many a girl would get
               desperately fond of you. – But with <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna"
                  >Minna</persName> – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName>
               – or <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances">Frances</persName> you never
               will have the slightest chance – so don’t hope it. With the <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Dobell">Dobells</orgName> you might – I can’t say – but
               still I doubt – You might try &amp; see if <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellMary">Alice</persName> or <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DobellNora">Nora</persName> liked you or you them. – But
               my strong impression putting everything together – seeing how very much you must have
               been thrown together, &amp; how extremely <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsOgilvie">Mrs Ogilvie</persName> likes &amp; respects
               you, that in spite of all you say, there must have been some small sort of “kindness”
               between you &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BronEmily">Emily Bron</persName>.
               – If there ever was, or there is the least likelihood of you liking her, or her
               liking you – you had better tell me outright – &amp; then I shall know my ground –
               &amp; get into no muddle. I am greatly inclined to like the lassie – but I’ll not
               take to her if there’s any chance of her having been fond of you &amp; you not
               returning it or vice versa. – When there’s any doubt young people can’t be kept too
               much out of one another’s way. – You see I am talking in a strange matter-of-fact
               about your chances of marrying – but your first romantic days are gone by – you have
               been in love – in a sort of way – three times. – the next will hardly be falling in
               love – but the deliberate choice of a man who needs a wife &amp; ought quietly to
               look out for the woman who is most likely to love him &amp; make him happy. – Which
               choice would grow into a far deeper attachment than you have</p>
            <p>ever yet had. – Think seriously about it. You are in a position to marry – it is
               quite time you did – Only mind who you choose – &amp; mind you set about it carefully
               – I think, spite of all you say, &amp; though I know you will indignantly scout the
               idea, that you would do better to tell your sister first. – If you had told me about
               the others – I am sure I could have saved you a great deal of misery – but when
               people just go muddling on in the dark they are sure to make mistakes &amp; do all
               sorts of wrong things as doubtless I have done. – I can’t see anything either silly
               or wrong in a man saying to either his mother or his sister – neither being quite a
               fool – “I have a liking for such &amp; such a girl – what do you think about her
               &amp; of my chance of getting her?” – And whatever you may say – women are far better
               judges of women than ever men can be. – This is a long “preaching” – &amp; I daresay
               it will be all thrown away – but I take the chance. – Afternoon – I may as well go on
               – having a solitary afternoon – save for a call from <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FiskHenry">Henry Fisk</persName> – who talks as fine as
               ever – &amp; has a moustache tre-mendous – But he is an honest fellow – &amp; works
               hard for his wife and child: at teaching – painting at leisure pictures that seldom
               sell – He told me he had had no holiday for three years. – <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#CraikGeorge">George Craik</persName> &amp; <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#CraikMargaret">Mrs Craik</persName> – left me on Thursday
               – it was a doleful parting – after living together for nearly ten months – The day
               before he walked up to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HampsteadHeath"
                  >Hampstead</placeName> – with his artificial leg – a stick &amp; my arm – which
               was a great achievement. – I had a “tea-&amp;-turn out” – on Tuesday – 25 in all –
               they filled the drawing room – &amp; were very lively – <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Marston">Marstons</orgName>
               <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Singleton">Singletons</orgName> – <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lovell">Lovells</orgName> – <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Jameses">James’s</orgName> – <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lintons">Lintons</orgName> – <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Herford">Herford</orgName> – </p>
            <p><persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith">Harvey Smith</persName> &amp;c. –
                  <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith">Harvey</persName> told me his mother
               was getting quite well – he has taken her home – or rather to a boarding-house –
               &amp; she goes to see <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Carry">Carry</persName> &amp;
                  <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MiersJulia">Julia</persName> every day.
                  <persName>Ellen</persName> is at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Brighton"
                  >Brighton</placeName> – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Orrinsmith"
                  >Harvey</persName> looks bright &amp; cheerful – He is a good lad – The other day
               I went with <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#CraikGeorge">George</persName> to
                  <persName>Mayall</persName>’s to get his photograph – a carte de visite – which
                  <persName>Mayall</persName> executed with great gusto &amp; success. – He was very
               benign &amp; enquired most tenderly after <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen">“Ben”</persName>. His wife’s father is just
               dead. – <persName>John</persName> is working close – so close that the fumes of ether
               have made him ill – &amp; he has been for weeks at a water-cure – He looks very
               ghostly – with his black hair very wild &amp; long. <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex#MrCollins">Mr Collins</persName> is the same as ever – &amp;
               asked after you. – I told <persName>Mayall</persName> you were prospering wonderfully
               – at which he looked just a little disappointed &amp; said he was delighted to hear
               it! – he is a dreadful old humbug – that’s sure. He remarked how well I was looking!
               – I having a wretched bad cold so that I could hardly keep my eyes open – &amp;
               begged me to come another day for a large <choice>
                  <abbr>Pho</abbr>
                  <expan>Photograph</expan>
               </choice>. – which I shan’t. – For the applications I get for my likeness in all
               shapes are quite dreadful – the affectionate Public must just wait till I’m dead. –
               The other day I was at the <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lane">Lane’s</orgName> at
                  <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LadbrookPark">Ladbrook Park</placeName> – they
               are doing capitally – a house constantly full – sometimes they sit down 80 to dinner.
               The boys are growing up – &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DrysdaleLady">Lady
                  Drysdale</persName></p>
            <p>looks no older – &amp; is as active &amp; kind as ever. <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> &amp; <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> go a good deal to <placeName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SudbrookPark">Sudbrook</placeName>. – the rectory now
               extends from <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PondStreet">Pond <hi
                     rend="superscript">St</hi></placeName> to <placeName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Richmond">Richmond</placeName> – so there’s no difficulty.
               – My next excursion will be to see the <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Ogilvie"
                  >Ogilvies</orgName> there. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MartinFrances"
                  >Frances</persName> &amp; <persName>Jane</persName> walked in last Sunday – which
               they have got rather a habit of doing. They are both remarkably well &amp; merry. –
               They have taken a house on <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MorningtonRoad"
                  >Mornington Road</placeName>, &amp; are now busy “settling” – Living – for how
               long? – they seem never to stay long anywhere. Their erratic habits have become quite
               a proverb. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex#HerfordLaura">Laura Herford</persName> has
               finished her drawing for the medal – &amp; now waits to see if she has got it. If she
               does – whatever will the <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#RoyalAcademy"
                  >Academy</orgName> say! – But I wonder how she likes sitting &amp; walking among
               the rest as “a man &amp; a brother.” I couldn’t endure it. – All the art in the world
               would not make up for the dreadful unfeminizing of it – </p>
            <p> Tuesday night – This was interrupted by <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna</persName> coming in – she stayed &amp;
               had tea with me – &amp; then <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HerfordLaura"
                  >Laura</persName> came in &amp; finished the evening. – so my Sunday was not
               solitary as I expected – Yesterday I paid various calls – a <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#PatmoreCoventry">Mrs Coventry Patmore</persName> who lives
               next to the Bull &amp; Bush – &amp; who seems a nice woman – but so very unlike
                  <unclear>Honoria</unclear> – She is in a consumption though – poor thing. – I then
               went on &amp; called on <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#TennysonMatilda">Miss
                  Tennyson</persName> who had called on me – not, she observed because I was “noted”
               – but because she understood I was “nice.” – A queer little ugly, sharp old-maidish
               woman she is – I wasn’t very disinterested in returning her</p>
            <p>call – as it was simply because she was <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#TennysonAlfred">Tennyson</persName>’s sister. She informed
               me that <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#TennysonAlfred">“Alfred”</persName> had
               been there the day before – as I hope I may catch him some day. – Today I went a long
               walk with <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MissJames">Marian</persName> – &amp; we
               settled a musical party that I am to give next week – the usual tea-&amp; turn-out –
               with part-singing. We counted about 18 – if they all say they will certainly sing the
               ceiling off the drawing-room. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna"
                  >Minna</persName> also came after me today – I suppose they think I am dull after
               the <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Craik">Craik’s</orgName> leaving – which is not
               untrue as one can’t have lived a domestic life for ten months without missing it when
               one goes back to solitude. – I go out 3 evenings this week – to <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Harper">the Harpers</orgName>, <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lintons">Lintons</orgName> – &amp; <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lovell">Lovells</orgName> – but I’m not sure that I don’t
               enjoy my evenings at home best. The piano is in beautiful tune – &amp; sounds so much
               better in the drawing-room – By the bye – you don’t give up Concertina – <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsOgilvie">Mrs Ogilvie</persName> says you play on it
               wonderfully – It will be so nice to hear it again. – I shall expect your commissions
               by next mail – but it would always give more time if you sent them by the Trench mail
               previous. – The <measure type="currency">£50</measure> I shall keep – to replace what
                  <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#SpringfieldGeorge">Springfield</persName> had. –
               I don’t see how you even ever take paper in your charge - or so more with him than is
               now done. Indeed I am not afraid of him – I think he is rather afraid of me. – But
               the kind of worry he is to me you would never understand. – The “little sticks” over
               the way are keeping 5<hi rend="superscript">th</hi>: <choice>
                  <abbr>Nov</abbr>
                  <expan>November</expan>
               </choice> in grand style – crackers popping incessantly – What a long time it seems
               since our 5<hi rend="superscript">th</hi>
               <choice>
                  <abbr>Nov.</abbr>
                  <expan>November</expan>
               </choice> days! – I had a letter from <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockAlicia"
                  >Aunt Alicia</persName> today. <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WrightSylvia"
                  >Sylvia Wright</persName> is going out to</p>

            <!-- order of letters ends here, rest seems out of order. UCLADM27 appears to possibly be put here -->

            <p><placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Bombay">Bombay</placeName> to
                  <unclear>Syria</unclear> – doubtless with the hope of being married – <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockAunts">The Aunts</orgName> have been making her
               clothes – &amp; are very good to her – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockJane"
                  >Aunt Jane</persName> is living at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Cheltenham"
                  >Cheltenham</placeName> – keeping <persName>Richard</persName>'s house &amp; quite
               devoted to his children – When I go to <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Detmore"
                  >Detmore</placeName> at Christmas I shall walk in after them – but daren’t tell
               them beforehand – as there would be sure to be some row about <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Dobell">the Dobells</orgName>. – but if I walk in after
                  <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockJane">Aunt Jane</persName> quite
               promiscuous it will be all right. – The old <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wrights"
                  >Wrights</orgName> are going to settle at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Bath"
                  >Bath</placeName> – thought of a house in <placeName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#NorfolkBuildings">Norfolk Buildings</placeName>. – It’s
               curious how they &amp; <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockAunts">the
                  Aunts</orgName> have made it up – I wonder if they have an eye to “tin” – but it
               won’t do – the income just goes from aunt to aunt – as they survive – &amp; then it
               will come to you &amp; me. – At least so <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockEliza">Aunt Eliza</persName> gave me to understand
               once. But I think they are quite as likely to inter us both
                  <unclear>precariously</unclear>. – I was obliged to give up writing this morning -
               I went to sleep over it! O, if only this book were done! – I know I shall never write
               another – or not for many years. And I believe I could live quite comfortably without
               – letting <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Wildwood">Wildwood</placeName> in the
               summer to make up. – if when you come home you will take <rs type="person"
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockThomas">papa</rs>. But I don’t see how you can take
               when him in any other way that as I do – just paying his money once a month. It’s no
               use attempting to love with him or control him: – he will be as his own book to the
               end of the chapter. – I don’t see why you should scold me for being stingy over your
               money &amp; say “What’s the use of having a credit account” - &amp;c &amp;c – You
               know, all the money you send me goes to the 3 per cents direct: – all your expenses I
               pay myself: – to be sure the interest I receive of your capital helps</p>
            <p>to cover it – but still at the year’s end – if I reckoned, you would generally owe me
               something. I won’t spend any of your money unnecessarily – you will want it all by
               &amp; by. – especially if you think of settling. – And I shall want all mine - in
               order that I may live without writing or without being dependent upon you. – I don’t
               mean that we need stint ourselves of any reasonable luxuries – but still we have no
               business to throw away money - &amp; I don’t do it - however you scold – </p>
            <p>Friday - I have now just to finish &amp; post this with the Lloyds – of which you
               can’t get tomorrow’s. I always take every pains that you should get the latest –
                  <unclear>bendes</unclear> I thought <rs type="person"
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockThomas">papa</rs> sent you lots of papers – I shall
               get a Friday paper in <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HampsteadHeath"
                  >Hampstead</placeName> if I can – <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Lovell">The
                  Lovell</orgName> dinner last night was minus me – &amp; so will be <persName>Mr
                  Linton</persName>’s party - as I have got a second cold - &amp; am afraid of night
               air. Somehow I am not sure that I don’t enjoy my own company better than most
               people’s. I have a wonderful talent for solitude – at least unless I unless I can
               have people’s company that I specially care for - which are few indeed. – It’s quite
               curious <hi rend="underline">how</hi> few - considering your accusations of old about
               my liking every body. – I shall hope to hear of <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Ogilvie">the Ogilvies</orgName> soon - they were to let me
               know when they came home. – &amp; then I shall go out there to dine &amp; sleep. – I
               do hope that letter will say that you are better of your sanas – &amp; generally
               jolly </p>
            <p>Goodbye <rs type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockBen">my boy</rs> – </p>
            <p>Ever your <choice>
                  <abbr>affec</abbr>
                  <expan>affectionate</expan>
               </choice></p>
            <p><rs type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Sister</rs>.</p>

            <!-- end of UCLADM27 -->

            <p><unclear>Verselli</unclear> is a clever man but after all with a sprain the only
               thing is rest &amp; nature. – It would be dreadful if anything made you lame – for
               long together: - I’ve seen enough of that this year &amp; the misery of it – to me
               that is strong &amp; active. – Oh do be careful – <hi rend="underline">at first</hi>
               I have nothing to tell – indeed since I wrote last night it wasn’t likely. – My
                  <unclear>hey rector</unclear> has been the stock brokers who – I wrote to consult
               about how I should invest my legacy – &amp; he advises guaranteed rectory shares 4 ½
               per cent quite same. <measure type="currency">£500</measure> in the
                  <unclear>Cheeten</unclear> &amp; <unclear>Holyhead</unclear> &amp; <measure
                  type="currency">£400</measure> in the <unclear>Wilts</unclear> &amp; Somerset –
               both guaranteed by the Lender &amp; <unclear>North Western</unclear> &amp; the Great
               Western. – I thought this broker who is the same I have gone to these 12 years –
               would be a safer <unclear>plan</unclear> to apply to than any “friend”. &amp; it was
               kind of him to take the trouble to come out to <placeName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HampsteadHeath">Hampstead</placeName> about it – honest
               man – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellGeorge">Mr Lovell</persName> knows him.
               So poor <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellMinna">Minna’s</persName>
               <unclear>drate</unclear> will give me <measure type="currency">£41</measure>
               additional for Ana - &amp; on the strength of it I am going to furnish the
               drawing-room. Tho’ the only new thing I shall want will be a carpet – I have
               gradually got together everything else. – except perhaps a chair. – certainly I have
               the family of accumulating &amp; keeping odds &amp; ends – they always come in
               somehow. I travelled over <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Scotland"
                  >Scotland</placeName> – with <persName>"Mr Mulock</persName> – <unclear>Port
                  Philip on my own</unclear> to the great perplexity of my friends.
                  <unclear>First</unclear> thought at first sight that it was you come home – &amp;
               that you would appear round a corner. She &amp; <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MottAlbert">Albert</persName> were so very pleased at
               everything I could tell them about you &amp; they fully expect you as soon as ever
               you reappear in <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#England">England</placeName>. – I
               am going to dine at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ValeLodge">Vale
                  Lodge</placeName> – &amp; shall take you this – &amp; tell upon what <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#LovellGeorge">Mr Lovell</persName> thinks of them - you
               will approve of professional criticism, – much more than mine. – </p>
            <p>Sunday night. 22. They could not have been admired more. The portraits of the
               locomotives especially. I have</p>
            <p>myself a great weakness for <unclear>Peguemine</unclear>. And the
                  <unclear>tunnel</unclear> completed - &amp; the iron girders you walked across. –
               The <unclear>aloc</unclear> also excited enthusiasm. – On the whole these have been
               the most admired batch of <choice>
                  <abbr>Phos</abbr>
                  <expan>Photographs</expan>
               </choice> you ever sent. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WilsonHugh">Mr Hugh
                  Wilson</persName> writes me that he can’t send anything by Trench mail – so you
               must wait another fortnight for your mags. You will however get plenty of newspapers
               from <rs type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MulockThomas">papa</rs>. – Your Lloyds
               have been sent regularly. – <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#WilsonHugh">Mr Hugh
                  Wilson</persName> hopes politely that you will soon recover from your sprain – so
               I am afraid the doctor’s report of it was rather serious. I shall be very anxious for
               next mail &amp; <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrOgilvie">Mr Ogilvie</persName>. –
               As soon as the <orgName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Ogilvie">Ogilvies</orgName> are back
               at <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Richmond">Richmond</placeName> I shall ask them
               here. – I feel very anxious to see them: it was so provoking they left just as I came
               home. However it is only curiosity deferred – they will “keep”. – &amp; I shall have
               the drawing room finished &amp; pretty – &amp; two pretty bed-rooms to put them in.
                  <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MrsEarl">Mrs Earl</persName> declined papering
               the drawing-room – but as it will cost little more than <measure type="currency"
                  >£2</measure> – I mean to do it myself. – My pretty house is my one luxury &amp;
               delight &amp; I don’t see why I shouldn’t treat myself to it. It will be very pretty.
               – from top to bottom – I wonder what you will say to it. How I wish you were at home
               to enjoy it - that is if you <hi rend="underline">did</hi> enjoy it. – but I doubt if
               you would. – However when you grow happy &amp; prosperous things may be different. Oh
               my boy – if I could only see you happy &amp; settled! – You will find some changes in
                  <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HampsteadHeath">Hampstead</placeName> – the
               Baptist Chapel on <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HeathStreet">Heath <hi
                     rend="superscript">St</hi></placeName> – &amp; a hoofering ice-establishment by
               Jack Straws – That’s all! I doubt if there is any change in Sister – except that
               people are beginning to discover how tremendously “young” I look for my age! – Which
               implies I am really getting old. But I don’t care. – Today I had tea at the <orgName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#Marston">Marstons</orgName>. <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MarstonNelly">Nelly</persName> looks quite strong &amp;
               well – the rest as usual. <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#MarstonEleanor">Mrs
                  Marston</persName> told me she really had made up her mind next year they <hi
                  rend="underline">must</hi> go &amp; live abroad: – a great mercy. <persName
                  ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#HillRowland">Rowland</persName> is married – a terrible
               loss. – Now goodbye – do mind &amp; not use your uncle too
               <unclear>soon</unclear>.</p>
            <closer>
               <salute>Ever as <choice>
                     <abbr>affec</abbr>
                     <expan>affectionate</expan>
                  </choice> sister</salute>
               <lb/>
               <lb/>
               <signed>
                  <persName/>
                  <!-- This letter was not signed -->
               </signed>
               <lb/>
            </closer>
            <postscript>
               <p/>
            </postscript>
         </div>
      </body>
   </text>
</TEI>
Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Benjamin Mulock, November 3 Dinah Mulock Craik Karen Bourrier Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive University of Calgary Karen Bourrier Transcription July 2020 by Kiana Wong Proofing of transcription August 2020 by Sonia Jarmula TEI encoding July 2020 by Kiana Wong Proofing of TEI encoding August 2020 by Sonia Jarmula First digital edition in TEI, date: July 2020. P5. Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2020

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, November 3 Box 1, Folder 8

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.

Nov. November 3rd My dearest boy

I go back to the old habit of writing between breakfast & church-time though it's such a shiver I can hardly steady my hand - After a regular Indian summer October – as mild as June – it has suddenly so cold even I can hardly stand it – such wind frost – & snow. – I’m sorry for the Ogilvies – Whom I have not heard of – & conclude they are still taking their Cornish tour. Poor Miss Emily will be perfectly perished. She said she hated cold. – For your letter – which came yesterday – of course I expected a scolding about the magazine – but it wasn’t a question of shillings at all – it was a question of time. – Nothing short of an express train between Liverpool & Manchester London would have done it at the time I discovered Robert Bowes’ absence. – It was one of those inevitable things which people have to put up with – & I’m sure you haven’t had many such since you left. The way I make all my arrangements dependent on mails has become so settled – that it will be quite funny when that state of things is over. You will know by now that you stay another year – perhaps you will not be sorry – spite of ants – & sanas – how dreadful those sanas must be – is there no way of avoiding them? – They must originate in “beasties" getting into the flesh. – It’s very bad – because it must hinder you taking exercise – the very worst thing possible. Marian was in here when your letter came – so I read it to her. She came to ask what your savage message had been – so I hunted out the old letter & read it to her. – She defended herself vigourously vigorously . – but I believe she is going to write herself – so

I need not say more. – I should like to know what are your “divers reasons" for coming to England – & whether you have any new hope about “settling” – which of course you won’t tell me. – but will probably rush on your settling in a blind way – & more misery will come. – Now my boy – don’t! – Just do the thing quietly deliberately & perseveringly – make sure of your ground – your love is worth having – & many a girl would get desperately fond of you. – But with MinnaMarian – or Frances you never will have the slightest chance – so don’t hope it. With the Dobells you might – I can’t say – but still I doubt – You might try & see if Alice or Nora liked you or you them. – But my strong impression putting everything together – seeing how very much you must have been thrown together, & how extremely Mrs Ogilvie likes & respects you, that in spite of all you say, there must have been some small sort of “kindness” between you & Emily Bron. – If there ever was, or there is the least likelihood of you liking her, or her liking you – you had better tell me outright – & then I shall know my ground – & get into no muddle. I am greatly inclined to like the lassie – but I’ll not take to her if there’s any chance of her having been fond of you & you not returning it or vice versa. – When there’s any doubt young people can’t be kept too much out of one another’s way. – You see I am talking in a strange matter-of-fact about your chances of marrying – but your first romantic days are gone by – you have been in love – in a sort of way – three times. – the next will hardly be falling in love – but the deliberate choice of a man who needs a wife & ought quietly to look out for the woman who is most likely to love him & make him happy. – Which choice would grow into a far deeper attachment than you have

ever yet had. – Think seriously about it. You are in a position to marry – it is quite time you did – Only mind who you choose – & mind you set about it carefully – I think, spite of all you say, & though I know you will indignantly scout the idea, that you would do better to tell your sister first. – If you had told me about the others – I am sure I could have saved you a great deal of misery – but when people just go muddling on in the dark they are sure to make mistakes & do all sorts of wrong things as doubtless I have done. – I can’t see anything either silly or wrong in a man saying to either his mother or his sister – neither being quite a fool – “I have a liking for such & such a girl – what do you think about her & of my chance of getting her?” – And whatever you may say – women are far better judges of women than ever men can be. – This is a long “preaching” – & I daresay it will be all thrown away – but I take the chance. – Afternoon – I may as well go on – having a solitary afternoon – save for a call from Henry Fisk – who talks as fine as ever – & has a moustache tre-mendous – But he is an honest fellow – & works hard for his wife and child: at teaching – painting at leisure pictures that seldom sell – He told me he had had no holiday for three years. – George Craik & Mrs Craik – left me on Thursday – it was a doleful parting – after living together for nearly ten months – The day before he walked up to Hampstead – with his artificial leg – a stick & my arm – which was a great achievement. – I had a “tea-&-turn out” – on Tuesday – 25 in all – they filled the drawing room – & were very lively – Marstons SingletonsLovellsJames’sLintonsHerford

Harvey Smith &c. – Harvey told me his mother was getting quite well – he has taken her home – or rather to a boarding-house – & she goes to see Carry & Julia every day. Ellen is at BrightonHarvey looks bright & cheerful – He is a good lad – The other day I went with George to Mayall’s to get his photograph – a carte de visite – which Mayall executed with great gusto & success. – He was very benign & enquired most tenderly after “Ben”. His wife’s father is just dead. – John is working close – so close that the fumes of ether have made him ill – & he has been for weeks at a water-cure – He looks very ghostly – with his black hair very wild & long. Mr Collins is the same as ever – & asked after you. – I told Mayall you were prospering wonderfully – at which he looked just a little disappointed & said he was delighted to hear it! – he is a dreadful old humbug – that’s sure. He remarked how well I was looking! – I having a wretched bad cold so that I could hardly keep my eyes open – & begged me to come another day for a large Pho Photograph . – which I shan’t. – For the applications I get for my likeness in all shapes are quite dreadful – the affectionate Public must just wait till I’m dead. – The other day I was at the Lane’s at Ladbrook Park – they are doing capitally – a house constantly full – sometimes they sit down 80 to dinner. The boys are growing up – & Lady Drysdale

looks no older – & is as active & kind as ever. Minna & Marian go a good deal to Sudbrook. – the rectory now extends from Pond St to Richmond – so there’s no difficulty. – My next excursion will be to see the Ogilvies there. – Frances & Jane walked in last Sunday – which they have got rather a habit of doing. They are both remarkably well & merry. – They have taken a house on Mornington Road, & are now busy “settling” – Living – for how long? – they seem never to stay long anywhere. Their erratic habits have become quite a proverb. – Laura Herford has finished her drawing for the medal – & now waits to see if she has got it. If she does – whatever will the Academy say! – But I wonder how she likes sitting & walking among the rest as “a man & a brother.” I couldn’t endure it. – All the art in the world would not make up for the dreadful unfeminizing of it –

Tuesday night – This was interrupted by Minna coming in – she stayed & had tea with me – & then Laura came in & finished the evening. – so my Sunday was not solitary as I expected – Yesterday I paid various calls – a Mrs Coventry Patmore who lives next to the Bull & Bush – & who seems a nice woman – but so very unlike Honoria – She is in a consumption though – poor thing. – I then went on & called on Miss Tennyson who had called on me – not, she observed because I was “noted” – but because she understood I was “nice.” – A queer little ugly, sharp old-maidish woman she is – I wasn’t very disinterested in returning her

call – as it was simply because she was Tennyson’s sister. She informed me that “Alfred” had been there the day before – as I hope I may catch him some day. – Today I went a long walk with Marian – & we settled a musical party that I am to give next week – the usual tea-& turn-out – with part-singing. We counted about 18 – if they all say they will certainly sing the ceiling off the drawing-room. – Minna also came after me today – I suppose they think I am dull after the Craik’s leaving – which is not untrue as one can’t have lived a domestic life for ten months without missing it when one goes back to solitude. – I go out 3 evenings this week – to the Harpers, Lintons – & Lovells – but I’m not sure that I don’t enjoy my evenings at home best. The piano is in beautiful tune – & sounds so much better in the drawing-room – By the bye – you don’t give up Concertina – Mrs Ogilvie says you play on it wonderfully – It will be so nice to hear it again. – I shall expect your commissions by next mail – but it would always give more time if you sent them by the Trench mail previous. – The £50 I shall keep – to replace what Springfield had. – I don’t see how you even ever take paper in your charge - or so more with him than is now done. Indeed I am not afraid of him – I think he is rather afraid of me. – But the kind of worry he is to me you would never understand. – The “little sticks” over the way are keeping 5th: Nov November in grand style – crackers popping incessantly – What a long time it seems since our 5th Nov. November days! – I had a letter from Aunt Alicia today. Sylvia Wright is going out to

Bombay to Syria – doubtless with the hope of being married – The Aunts have been making her clothes – & are very good to her – Aunt Jane is living at Cheltenham – keeping Richard's house & quite devoted to his children – When I go to Detmore at Christmas I shall walk in after them – but daren’t tell them beforehand – as there would be sure to be some row about the Dobells. – but if I walk in after Aunt Jane quite promiscuous it will be all right. – The old Wrights are going to settle at Bath – thought of a house in Norfolk Buildings. – It’s curious how they & the Aunts have made it up – I wonder if they have an eye to “tin” – but it won’t do – the income just goes from aunt to aunt – as they survive – & then it will come to you & me. – At least so Aunt Eliza gave me to understand once. But I think they are quite as likely to inter us both precariously. – I was obliged to give up writing this morning - I went to sleep over it! O, if only this book were done! – I know I shall never write another – or not for many years. And I believe I could live quite comfortably without – letting Wildwood in the summer to make up. – if when you come home you will take papa. But I don’t see how you can take when him in any other way that as I do – just paying his money once a month. It’s no use attempting to love with him or control him: – he will be as his own book to the end of the chapter. – I don’t see why you should scold me for being stingy over your money & say “What’s the use of having a credit account” - &c &c – You know, all the money you send me goes to the 3 per cents direct: – all your expenses I pay myself: – to be sure the interest I receive of your capital helps

to cover it – but still at the year’s end – if I reckoned, you would generally owe me something. I won’t spend any of your money unnecessarily – you will want it all by & by. – especially if you think of settling. – And I shall want all mine - in order that I may live without writing or without being dependent upon you. – I don’t mean that we need stint ourselves of any reasonable luxuries – but still we have no business to throw away money - & I don’t do it - however you scold –

Friday - I have now just to finish & post this with the Lloyds – of which you can’t get tomorrow’s. I always take every pains that you should get the latest – bendes I thought papa sent you lots of papers – I shall get a Friday paper in Hampstead if I can – The Lovell dinner last night was minus me – & so will be Mr Linton’s party - as I have got a second cold - & am afraid of night air. Somehow I am not sure that I don’t enjoy my own company better than most people’s. I have a wonderful talent for solitude – at least unless I unless I can have people’s company that I specially care for - which are few indeed. – It’s quite curious how few - considering your accusations of old about my liking every body. – I shall hope to hear of the Ogilvies soon - they were to let me know when they came home. – & then I shall go out there to dine & sleep. – I do hope that letter will say that you are better of your sanas – & generally jolly

Goodbye my boy

Ever your affec affectionate

Sister.

Verselli is a clever man but after all with a sprain the only thing is rest & nature. – It would be dreadful if anything made you lame – for long together: - I’ve seen enough of that this year & the misery of it – to me that is strong & active. – Oh do be careful – at first I have nothing to tell – indeed since I wrote last night it wasn’t likely. – My hey rector has been the stock brokers who – I wrote to consult about how I should invest my legacy – & he advises guaranteed rectory shares 4 ½ per cent quite same. £500 in the Cheeten & Holyhead & £400 in the Wilts & Somerset – both guaranteed by the Lender & North Western & the Great Western. – I thought this broker who is the same I have gone to these 12 years – would be a safer plan to apply to than any “friend”. & it was kind of him to take the trouble to come out to Hampstead about it – honest man – Mr Lovell knows him. So poor Minna’s drate will give me £41 additional for Ana - & on the strength of it I am going to furnish the drawing-room. Tho’ the only new thing I shall want will be a carpet – I have gradually got together everything else. – except perhaps a chair. – certainly I have the family of accumulating & keeping odds & ends – they always come in somehow. I travelled over Scotland – with "Mr MulockPort Philip on my own to the great perplexity of my friends. First thought at first sight that it was you come home – & that you would appear round a corner. She & Albert were so very pleased at everything I could tell them about you & they fully expect you as soon as ever you reappear in England. – I am going to dine at Vale Lodge – & shall take you this – & tell upon what Mr Lovell thinks of them - you will approve of professional criticism, – much more than mine. –

Sunday night. 22. They could not have been admired more. The portraits of the locomotives especially. I have

myself a great weakness for Peguemine. And the tunnel completed - & the iron girders you walked across. – The aloc also excited enthusiasm. – On the whole these have been the most admired batch of Phos Photographs you ever sent. – Mr Hugh Wilson writes me that he can’t send anything by Trench mail – so you must wait another fortnight for your mags. You will however get plenty of newspapers from papa. – Your Lloyds have been sent regularly. – Mr Hugh Wilson hopes politely that you will soon recover from your sprain – so I am afraid the doctor’s report of it was rather serious. I shall be very anxious for next mail & Mr Ogilvie. – As soon as the Ogilvies are back at Richmond I shall ask them here. – I feel very anxious to see them: it was so provoking they left just as I came home. However it is only curiosity deferred – they will “keep”. – & I shall have the drawing room finished & pretty – & two pretty bed-rooms to put them in. Mrs Earl declined papering the drawing-room – but as it will cost little more than £2 – I mean to do it myself. – My pretty house is my one luxury & delight & I don’t see why I shouldn’t treat myself to it. It will be very pretty. – from top to bottom – I wonder what you will say to it. How I wish you were at home to enjoy it - that is if you did enjoy it. – but I doubt if you would. – However when you grow happy & prosperous things may be different. Oh my boy – if I could only see you happy & settled! – You will find some changes in Hampstead – the Baptist Chapel on Heath St – & a hoofering ice-establishment by Jack Straws – That’s all! I doubt if there is any change in Sister – except that people are beginning to discover how tremendously “young” I look for my age! – Which implies I am really getting old. But I don’t care. – Today I had tea at the Marstons. Nelly looks quite strong & well – the rest as usual. Mrs Marston told me she really had made up her mind next year they must go & live abroad: – a great mercy. Rowland is married – a terrible loss. – Now goodbye – do mind & not use your uncle too soon.

Ever as affec affectionate sister

Toolbox

Themes:

Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Benjamin Mulock, November 3 Dinah Mulock Craik Karen Bourrier Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive University of Calgary Karen Bourrier Transcription July 2020 by Kiana Wong Proofing of transcription August 2020 by Sonia Jarmula TEI encoding July 2020 by Kiana Wong Proofing of TEI encoding August 2020 by Sonia Jarmula First digital edition in TEI, date: July 2020. P5. Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2020

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, November 3 Box 1, Folder 8

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.

Nov. November 3rd My dearest boy

I go back to the old habit of writing between breakfast & church-time though it's such a shiver I can hardly steady my hand - After a regular Indian summer October – as mild as June – it has suddenly so cold even I can hardly stand it – such wind frost – & snow. – I’m sorry for the Ogilvies – Whom I have not heard of – & conclude they are still taking their Cornish tour. Poor Miss Emily will be perfectly perished. She said she hated cold. – For your letter – which came yesterday – of course I expected a scolding about the magazine – but it wasn’t a question of shillings at all – it was a question of time. – Nothing short of an express train between Liverpool & Manchester London would have done it at the time I discovered Robert Bowes’ absence. – It was one of those inevitable things which people have to put up with – & I’m sure you haven’t had many such since you left. The way I make all my arrangements dependent on mails has become so settled – that it will be quite funny when that state of things is over. You will know by now that you stay another year – perhaps you will not be sorry – spite of ants – & sanas – how dreadful those sanas must be – is there no way of avoiding them? – They must originate in “beasties" getting into the flesh. – It’s very bad – because it must hinder you taking exercise – the very worst thing possible. Marian was in here when your letter came – so I read it to her. She came to ask what your savage message had been – so I hunted out the old letter & read it to her. – She defended herself vigourously vigorously . – but I believe she is going to write herself – so

I need not say more. – I should like to know what are your “divers reasons" for coming to England – & whether you have any new hope about “settling” – which of course you won’t tell me. – but will probably rush on your settling in a blind way – & more misery will come. – Now my boy – don’t! – Just do the thing quietly deliberately & perseveringly – make sure of your ground – your love is worth having – & many a girl would get desperately fond of you. – But with MinnaMarian – or Frances you never will have the slightest chance – so don’t hope it. With the Dobells you might – I can’t say – but still I doubt – You might try & see if Alice or Nora liked you or you them. – But my strong impression putting everything together – seeing how very much you must have been thrown together, & how extremely Mrs Ogilvie likes & respects you, that in spite of all you say, there must have been some small sort of “kindness” between you & Emily Bron. – If there ever was, or there is the least likelihood of you liking her, or her liking you – you had better tell me outright – & then I shall know my ground – & get into no muddle. I am greatly inclined to like the lassie – but I’ll not take to her if there’s any chance of her having been fond of you & you not returning it or vice versa. – When there’s any doubt young people can’t be kept too much out of one another’s way. – You see I am talking in a strange matter-of-fact about your chances of marrying – but your first romantic days are gone by – you have been in love – in a sort of way – three times. – the next will hardly be falling in love – but the deliberate choice of a man who needs a wife & ought quietly to look out for the woman who is most likely to love him & make him happy. – Which choice would grow into a far deeper attachment than you have

ever yet had. – Think seriously about it. You are in a position to marry – it is quite time you did – Only mind who you choose – & mind you set about it carefully – I think, spite of all you say, & though I know you will indignantly scout the idea, that you would do better to tell your sister first. – If you had told me about the others – I am sure I could have saved you a great deal of misery – but when people just go muddling on in the dark they are sure to make mistakes & do all sorts of wrong things as doubtless I have done. – I can’t see anything either silly or wrong in a man saying to either his mother or his sister – neither being quite a fool – “I have a liking for such & such a girl – what do you think about her & of my chance of getting her?” – And whatever you may say – women are far better judges of women than ever men can be. – This is a long “preaching” – & I daresay it will be all thrown away – but I take the chance. – Afternoon – I may as well go on – having a solitary afternoon – save for a call from Henry Fisk – who talks as fine as ever – & has a moustache tre-mendous – But he is an honest fellow – & works hard for his wife and child: at teaching – painting at leisure pictures that seldom sell – He told me he had had no holiday for three years. – George Craik & Mrs Craik – left me on Thursday – it was a doleful parting – after living together for nearly ten months – The day before he walked up to Hampstead – with his artificial leg – a stick & my arm – which was a great achievement. – I had a “tea-&-turn out” – on Tuesday – 25 in all – they filled the drawing room – & were very lively – Marstons SingletonsLovellsJames’sLintonsHerford

Harvey Smith &c. – Harvey told me his mother was getting quite well – he has taken her home – or rather to a boarding-house – & she goes to see Carry & Julia every day. Ellen is at BrightonHarvey looks bright & cheerful – He is a good lad – The other day I went with George to Mayall’s to get his photograph – a carte de visite – which Mayall executed with great gusto & success. – He was very benign & enquired most tenderly after “Ben”. His wife’s father is just dead. – John is working close – so close that the fumes of ether have made him ill – & he has been for weeks at a water-cure – He looks very ghostly – with his black hair very wild & long. Mr Collins is the same as ever – & asked after you. – I told Mayall you were prospering wonderfully – at which he looked just a little disappointed & said he was delighted to hear it! – he is a dreadful old humbug – that’s sure. He remarked how well I was looking! – I having a wretched bad cold so that I could hardly keep my eyes open – & begged me to come another day for a large Pho Photograph . – which I shan’t. – For the applications I get for my likeness in all shapes are quite dreadful – the affectionate Public must just wait till I’m dead. – The other day I was at the Lane’s at Ladbrook Park – they are doing capitally – a house constantly full – sometimes they sit down 80 to dinner. The boys are growing up – & Lady Drysdale

looks no older – & is as active & kind as ever. Minna & Marian go a good deal to Sudbrook. – the rectory now extends from Pond St to Richmond – so there’s no difficulty. – My next excursion will be to see the Ogilvies there. – Frances & Jane walked in last Sunday – which they have got rather a habit of doing. They are both remarkably well & merry. – They have taken a house on Mornington Road, & are now busy “settling” – Living – for how long? – they seem never to stay long anywhere. Their erratic habits have become quite a proverb. – Laura Herford has finished her drawing for the medal – & now waits to see if she has got it. If she does – whatever will the Academy say! – But I wonder how she likes sitting & walking among the rest as “a man & a brother.” I couldn’t endure it. – All the art in the world would not make up for the dreadful unfeminizing of it –

Tuesday night – This was interrupted by Minna coming in – she stayed & had tea with me – & then Laura came in & finished the evening. – so my Sunday was not solitary as I expected – Yesterday I paid various calls – a Mrs Coventry Patmore who lives next to the Bull & Bush – & who seems a nice woman – but so very unlike Honoria – She is in a consumption though – poor thing. – I then went on & called on Miss Tennyson who had called on me – not, she observed because I was “noted” – but because she understood I was “nice.” – A queer little ugly, sharp old-maidish woman she is – I wasn’t very disinterested in returning her

call – as it was simply because she was Tennyson’s sister. She informed me that “Alfred” had been there the day before – as I hope I may catch him some day. – Today I went a long walk with Marian – & we settled a musical party that I am to give next week – the usual tea-& turn-out – with part-singing. We counted about 18 – if they all say they will certainly sing the ceiling off the drawing-room. – Minna also came after me today – I suppose they think I am dull after the Craik’s leaving – which is not untrue as one can’t have lived a domestic life for ten months without missing it when one goes back to solitude. – I go out 3 evenings this week – to the Harpers, Lintons – & Lovells – but I’m not sure that I don’t enjoy my evenings at home best. The piano is in beautiful tune – & sounds so much better in the drawing-room – By the bye – you don’t give up Concertina – Mrs Ogilvie says you play on it wonderfully – It will be so nice to hear it again. – I shall expect your commissions by next mail – but it would always give more time if you sent them by the Trench mail previous. – The £50 I shall keep – to replace what Springfield had. – I don’t see how you even ever take paper in your charge - or so more with him than is now done. Indeed I am not afraid of him – I think he is rather afraid of me. – But the kind of worry he is to me you would never understand. – The “little sticks” over the way are keeping 5th: Nov November in grand style – crackers popping incessantly – What a long time it seems since our 5th Nov. November days! – I had a letter from Aunt Alicia today. Sylvia Wright is going out to

Bombay to Syria – doubtless with the hope of being married – The Aunts have been making her clothes – & are very good to her – Aunt Jane is living at Cheltenham – keeping Richard's house & quite devoted to his children – When I go to Detmore at Christmas I shall walk in after them – but daren’t tell them beforehand – as there would be sure to be some row about the Dobells. – but if I walk in after Aunt Jane quite promiscuous it will be all right. – The old Wrights are going to settle at Bath – thought of a house in Norfolk Buildings. – It’s curious how they & the Aunts have made it up – I wonder if they have an eye to “tin” – but it won’t do – the income just goes from aunt to aunt – as they survive – & then it will come to you & me. – At least so Aunt Eliza gave me to understand once. But I think they are quite as likely to inter us both precariously. – I was obliged to give up writing this morning - I went to sleep over it! O, if only this book were done! – I know I shall never write another – or not for many years. And I believe I could live quite comfortably without – letting Wildwood in the summer to make up. – if when you come home you will take papa. But I don’t see how you can take when him in any other way that as I do – just paying his money once a month. It’s no use attempting to love with him or control him: – he will be as his own book to the end of the chapter. – I don’t see why you should scold me for being stingy over your money & say “What’s the use of having a credit account” - &c &c – You know, all the money you send me goes to the 3 per cents direct: – all your expenses I pay myself: – to be sure the interest I receive of your capital helps

to cover it – but still at the year’s end – if I reckoned, you would generally owe me something. I won’t spend any of your money unnecessarily – you will want it all by & by. – especially if you think of settling. – And I shall want all mine - in order that I may live without writing or without being dependent upon you. – I don’t mean that we need stint ourselves of any reasonable luxuries – but still we have no business to throw away money - & I don’t do it - however you scold –

Friday - I have now just to finish & post this with the Lloyds – of which you can’t get tomorrow’s. I always take every pains that you should get the latest – bendes I thought papa sent you lots of papers – I shall get a Friday paper in Hampstead if I can – The Lovell dinner last night was minus me – & so will be Mr Linton’s party - as I have got a second cold - & am afraid of night air. Somehow I am not sure that I don’t enjoy my own company better than most people’s. I have a wonderful talent for solitude – at least unless I unless I can have people’s company that I specially care for - which are few indeed. – It’s quite curious how few - considering your accusations of old about my liking every body. – I shall hope to hear of the Ogilvies soon - they were to let me know when they came home. – & then I shall go out there to dine & sleep. – I do hope that letter will say that you are better of your sanas – & generally jolly

Goodbye my boy

Ever your affec affectionate

Sister.

Verselli is a clever man but after all with a sprain the only thing is rest & nature. – It would be dreadful if anything made you lame – for long together: - I’ve seen enough of that this year & the misery of it – to me that is strong & active. – Oh do be careful – at first I have nothing to tell – indeed since I wrote last night it wasn’t likely. – My hey rector has been the stock brokers who – I wrote to consult about how I should invest my legacy – & he advises guaranteed rectory shares 4 ½ per cent quite same. £500 in the Cheeten & Holyhead & £400 in the Wilts & Somerset – both guaranteed by the Lender & North Western & the Great Western. – I thought this broker who is the same I have gone to these 12 years – would be a safer plan to apply to than any “friend”. & it was kind of him to take the trouble to come out to Hampstead about it – honest man – Mr Lovell knows him. So poor Minna’s drate will give me £41 additional for Ana - & on the strength of it I am going to furnish the drawing-room. Tho’ the only new thing I shall want will be a carpet – I have gradually got together everything else. – except perhaps a chair. – certainly I have the family of accumulating & keeping odds & ends – they always come in somehow. I travelled over Scotland – with "Mr MulockPort Philip on my own to the great perplexity of my friends. First thought at first sight that it was you come home – & that you would appear round a corner. She & Albert were so very pleased at everything I could tell them about you & they fully expect you as soon as ever you reappear in England. – I am going to dine at Vale Lodge – & shall take you this – & tell upon what Mr Lovell thinks of them - you will approve of professional criticism, – much more than mine. –

Sunday night. 22. They could not have been admired more. The portraits of the locomotives especially. I have

myself a great weakness for Peguemine. And the tunnel completed - & the iron girders you walked across. – The aloc also excited enthusiasm. – On the whole these have been the most admired batch of Phos Photographs you ever sent. – Mr Hugh Wilson writes me that he can’t send anything by Trench mail – so you must wait another fortnight for your mags. You will however get plenty of newspapers from papa. – Your Lloyds have been sent regularly. – Mr Hugh Wilson hopes politely that you will soon recover from your sprain – so I am afraid the doctor’s report of it was rather serious. I shall be very anxious for next mail & Mr Ogilvie. – As soon as the Ogilvies are back at Richmond I shall ask them here. – I feel very anxious to see them: it was so provoking they left just as I came home. However it is only curiosity deferred – they will “keep”. – & I shall have the drawing room finished & pretty – & two pretty bed-rooms to put them in. Mrs Earl declined papering the drawing-room – but as it will cost little more than £2 – I mean to do it myself. – My pretty house is my one luxury & delight & I don’t see why I shouldn’t treat myself to it. It will be very pretty. – from top to bottom – I wonder what you will say to it. How I wish you were at home to enjoy it - that is if you did enjoy it. – but I doubt if you would. – However when you grow happy & prosperous things may be different. Oh my boy – if I could only see you happy & settled! – You will find some changes in Hampstead – the Baptist Chapel on Heath St – & a hoofering ice-establishment by Jack Straws – That’s all! I doubt if there is any change in Sister – except that people are beginning to discover how tremendously “young” I look for my age! – Which implies I am really getting old. But I don’t care. – Today I had tea at the Marstons. Nelly looks quite strong & well – the rest as usual. Mrs Marston told me she really had made up her mind next year they must go & live abroad: – a great mercy. Rowland is married – a terrible loss. – Now goodbye – do mind & not use your uncle too soon.

Ever as affec affectionate sister