SD1890. Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell to Maria James

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 22, 265 (in part).

Knutsford

Decr 3rd [1855]

My dear Mrs James.

We were so sorry to miss Mr James last week! … I have had an immense number of letters to look over, and make notes from, of poor Miss Brontë’s lately, and that has seemed to take up all my writing time; or I should sooner have acknowledged the receipt of a note from you, written about the time Mrs Browning was in London, and repeating a wish which she had expressed to see me. I heartily reciprocated that wish; but with two hundred miles of distance to separate us, and neither of us willing to undertake so long a journey it could not be. …

Yours affectionately

E. C. Gaskell

Address: Mrs James / 5 Abercrombie terrace, / Liverpool.

Publication: Further Letters of Mrs. Gaskell, ed. John Chapple & Alan Shelston (Manchester, 2000), pp. 148–150).

Manuscript: Fales Library and Pierpont Morgan Library.

___________________