| Description | Dated 31 August, 15 September [1850], 23 September and 6 December, [?1851], and 9 April [18]56
The first two letters were written from [Laund House] Bolton [Abbey] near Skipton [North Yorkshire] where Harriet Martineau spent 10 weeks in the summer of 1850.The letter of 31 August indicated that she intended to be in Yorkshire until 26 September; the subsequent letter of 15 September states that she expected to be home by 10 October. The remaining three letters were sent from [The Knoll] Ambleside [Westmorland]. The first two letters are impersonally addressed to 'Sir' or 'My dear Sir'; the other three are addressed 'Dear Mr Allen'.
These are friendly letters in which Harriet Martineau offers advice and support to her correspondent 'with the intellectual cultivation' which he desired 'so earnestly and so virtuously'. She makes recommendations about books to read, invites him to visit to talk with her, advises him about his health and sympathises about his long working hours. The letter dated 23 September is devoted to a sympathetic discussion of a relationship with a woman which Mr Allen had reported to her. There are references to Mr Allen's family, including his mother, sister and a 'Blue Coat' brother.
Harriet Martineau also confides in her correspondent. For example, in the letter of 6 December [1851], she tells him that Mr [Charles] Dickens has engaged her to 'do a series of those Manufacture papers' for "Household Words", that she will be going to Birmingham at Christmas and that she has let her house for the month of her absence to the family of Cha[rle]s Arnold of Rugby. She also asks for his help in tracing a copy of Knight's, 'The Land we live in' which contains an account of Norwich which her biographer has requested. |