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 & Clarence – Albert & 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 Richards – Annie 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 damsel –
Mr. 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 – Clarence – Marian, 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
Adams – Miss
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, Cy – Laura
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' Burns – The
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 Cottage
– Niton – 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 Herford – Clarence – Annie 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 Brodribb – John 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
