Dear Subscriber,

Happy New Year!  After quite a bit of chill and bluster in December, today is a relatively pleasant, balmy day - anything in the 50's now feels like a heat wave!  Us codgers actually did make it to midnight last night, but didn't bother to turn on the TV. 

Today is the day I officially leave the 50's behind.  Not the nostalgia of the 1950's, but my own 50's - yep, it's my B-day.  And my New Year's resolution is simple: This is the year that VictorianVoices.net gets its official relaunch, with thousands of "new" articles and a (relatively) new look.  I promise.  Really.  It's going to happen!  (I've said that to myself for several years now; this time I'm saying it to the world.  This is the year!)  It's gonna be amazing!

And then maybe I will stop dreaming in HTML... 

Now here's what we have for you in January:

• Journeyings of the Judges (The Strand, 1895) The travels of a British court circuit judge were filled with pomp and circumstance, ancient rituals - and a personal retinue that often included one's own cook.
• Simple Souffles (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1895) A selection of delicious desserts, with a look at the Queen's kitchen in Windsor Castle.
• Economical Savoury Souffles (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1896) Delicious souffles of oysters, veal and ham, cheese, and even "scrap potatoes."
• Daisy Work (The Girl's Own Paper, 1894) A simple and attractive embroidery stitch that is useful for filling large areas.
• Threescore Years and Ten (The Strand, 1903) A grandfather reminiscences about the early Victorian era.
• Some Curious Inventions (The Strand, 1891) A four-poster bed that can be converted into a shower bath; personal balloon chairs to avert sea-sickness; an electric hat designed to cure headaches; a cloak that doubles as a tent; and many other interesting ideas that never made it much farther than the patent office.
• Stage Coaches (Harpers, 1876)A look at the stage coach, past and present, in England and America.
• Notes by an Artist Naturalist (The Girl's Own Paper, 1892-94) The start of a beautifully illustrated monthly series by artist Fred Miller on the flora, fauna and lore of the season.
• How Landowners Are Made (Windsor Magazine, 1900) Land speculation and lavishly named property developments aren't just a modern invention!
• The Crow (Demorest, 1879) A charming look at an often (and unjustly) despised bird.
• Answering Letters (The Girl's Own Paper, 1885) "Of all the minor social civilities, not one, perhaps, is so much neglected as the simple courtesy of answering letters..." Today, we would say the same of e-mails!
• Old Natural History Notions (Stories of History, 1891) Some curious glimpses of how our ancestors viewed the natural world.
• Picture Feature: Tables of All Ages (The Strand, 1893)
  

Visit http://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/issues/VT-1901.shtml to download  this issue!

Or download it directly from DropBox:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jn1y4ms90hetft7/VT-1901.pdf?dl=0

DON'T MISS VICTORIAN TIMES QUARTERLY #18!

The latest volume of Victorian Times Quarterly is now available on Amazon, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.ca.

Victorian Times Quarterly #18 includes the contents of the October, November and December 2018 issues of Victorian Times.  This issue brings you the conclusion of "Aunt Mehitabel's" visit to post-Civil War Washington, along with glimpses of such rarities as the sea serpent, some whimsical guesses about the future of fashion, curious foot gear of the ages, and a man who creates artwork from orange peels!  This, of course, also brings you our complete 2018 Christmas issue, which offers tips on entertaining and decorating, a look at holidays throughout the world, and a lovely special art feature depicting "the children's Christmas" as envisioned by the leading black-and-white artists and illustrators of the age.  (Plus, don't miss our lovely holiday fiction piece, "A Glut of Turkeys.")  This volume has loads of fantastic art!

To find out more and access the ordering links, please visit http://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/VTQ/VTQ18.shtml

May 2019 be filled with joy and blessings!

Your Intrepid Editor,
Moira Allen

editors@writing-world.com