BLACKWELL FAMILY ELIZABETH BLACKWELL GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE From Belloc, BernieLa Celle. Sept 11th. 1872. [*Beeloc*] My Dear Friends, Anna & Elizabeth, I have had no courage to write hitherto; I went to London for a week, to my mother; & have now been home 9 days. Mrs. Knox & her little girl are here. My dears, I thought at first this blow would wrench my body & soul asunder. To lose the great love & the great duty, in a few hours, when I had the blindest confidence that both would be my lonely portion up to old age, set the whole world reeling. But the little childrenmust be lived for. As to our mutual influence, Louis was better than I am; more resigned to the will of God, & of a much simpler moral nature. He knew quite well the extent of the injury which had checked him in mid career, and the sweet unselfish resignation with which he bore the consequences were a constant lesson - This, dear, is the Truth of our relationship; tho' every body looks at the other side. Perhaps he will be more useful to his children in the spiritual life than he could have been in this world; I suppose God means it so. The dead sense of loss in the home life is something terrible; & all over the village the women look at the little children so pitifully. I shall be in Westminster in November, My mother wants me to come to her; but I could not get resolution to break up the little home at once. I think one must take hold of the pricks. Ever, I am, yours lovingly Bessie Parkes BellocShirdon Grange Arundel My Dearst Elizabeth, I enclose a letter frm my cousin and grd.daughter, Madame Legrand, nee Caroline Priestley; - a French branch of the family - You see you have a real disciple in her. She is about 35 to 49, with a girl & Windermere Sept 15 '72 Dear Elizabeth - this from Bessie - I can quite believe it has been a tremendous blow; for she certainly loved him very sincerely. I can only hope she may, in a few years, marry again. I've had one or two fine sunsets but low tides & dull weather have been the rule since you left On Wed next is the highest tide of this year except the one on Oct 3, wh I find people are looking forward to with great interest. It will come up to our hillock, & change the face of the beach for a year. Beach in bad form streams everywhere; & wet & dry spots seem to have changed places. I hope M is safe on terra [*firma. I think the sea must have been smooth. Love to Kitty - thanks for the money yrs affy Alice The Hardwicks express great pleasure at the prospect of seeing you.]boy, still under 15. I shall answer immediately, giving your address. They are strict Protestants, belonging to the natoire, & very wealthy. And [?], dear Friend, I have been on the point of writing to you again & again, about Barbara. How is she? I had a card from Mr Ayston who said Dr Thompson had been sent for. I amvery anxious about her. I myself am not strong ; suffering more or less in the head. Marie very well. Send me a line, if only on a post card. Love to Kitty. Ever your loving and unforgetting friend. Bessie R Belloe