26 July 1869 – 1 August 1869

Longman (by Tom Taylor's advice) asks me to write verses to a set of fairy draw- ings by Doyle. A job of this kind likes me not, yet I accepted the offer, and have found some pleasure in trying, chiefly during rambles in the Forest, to bring the unconnected designs within the compass of a little story in dialogue, with some lyrics interspersed. Both artist and publisher have left me entirely to myself in the matter, and it remains to be seen how they will like ' Prince Brightkin,' whom I have posted to-day to Paternoster Row. Garden Party at the Tomlinsons, small ; Miss P., Admiral Castle, Mrs. Telfer — who tells me something of her history. We were talking of wild flowers ; she said, ' the English wild flowers are beautiful, but I never saw any in the world so lovely and profuse as those of Siberia.' ' Siberia ! ' said I. Then she told me that her Father was a young Russian Officer who, for his liberal opinions, was banished to Siberia by the Emperor Nicholas. He was not imprisoned but restricted to certain limits of habitation, and his corre- spondence had to pass through official hands. Before leaving St. Petersburg he was permitted to marry a young lady to whom he was engaged, and she accom- panied him into exile. Their daughter (now Mrs. Telfer, qui park) was born near Irkutsk ; they after- wards lived at Tobolsk, and thus in her childhood she was among the enchanting wild flowers of the Siberian Springs, ' My Mother used to say they were the happiest years of her life.'' They were years of youth, love, enthusiasm, and the bright hope of one day returning to their country. They did return ; but those years of exile seemed in the light of memory sweeter than all others. ' I can understand,' said I, ' why you love the Siberian wild flowers.' ' But they really are the most beautiful in the world,' said she.