What propriety is possible with women whose heads are filled with nothing but men? Can charity improve flawed character?

Dear Mr. Clemens,

I have it on very good authority that the reputations of some of the supposed ladies, who are members of the The Ladies’ Society for the Care of the Widows and Orphans of Fallen Heroes and the Children of Wounded Veterans would not bear close scrutiny. Her Grace of H, whose generosity is well known is being taken advantage of by females as scandalous as that jade, Miss M. P. C. It is all well and good for Her Grace to sponsor the woman’s employment as almoner at the Benevolent Paupers of the Apostles Hospital, where Miss C will only encounter persons of as low an order as herself. But to foist her upon society as part of the group organizing Her Grace’s latest charity ball is by far too much. Bad enough that the good folk of the ton must tolerate, those sisters, Misses M. and J. G. because of their relationship to the M of A. Now Her Grace is elevating a woman of Miss C.’s repute to the heights of society by association with the likes of  Lady T. M., sister to the reculsive Duke of E , who is involved in this charitable effort. Her ladyship is young and can be forgiven a small error in judgement. However, Her Grace cannot have considered the impact that associating with such dubious women will have on an impressionable and high-spirited young lady such as the Duke of E’s sister. Since Her Grace is always most kind and generous, her continued support of the likes of Miss C can only be a detriment to any charitable effort. What will come of those efforts of Her Grace when Miss C shows her true colors and steals every penny, like the dishonorable strumpet she is. I beg of you sir, and your good readers, encourage Her Grace of H. not to tolerate any association with Miss C. on the part of any members of the The Ladies’ Society for the Care of the Widows and Orphans of Fallen Heroes and the Children of Wounded Veterans.

With kind regards and concern for the welfare of our young ladies,

D. Cummins.

Dear Readers,

We publish this letter in the interests of fair play and welcome any epistles countering the concerns of its author. We cannot help but wonder if the concerned “D. Cummins.” might be a relative of the Miss C. mentioned in the letter. Perhaps a relative who has benefitted from the young woman’s difficulties and would prefer to see her banished from society rather than reformed. We are well acquainted with Her Grace of H’s kindness and wisdom. She is an unlikely dupe, so we welcome any response either in support or in opposition to the concerns noted in the letter above.

Sincerely

S. Clemens, Editor and Publisher

Learn more about the ‘scandalous’ Miss C. and other protege’s of the Duchess of Haverford in the Bluestocking Belles’ boxset Fire & Frost.

The ladies of London, led by the indomitable Duchess of Haverford plot a campaign to feed the hungry, care for the fallen—and bring the neglectful Parliament to heel. Their campaign involves strategy, persuasion, and a wee bit of fun. Pamphlets are all well and good, but auctioning a lady’s company along with her basket of delicious treats is bound to get more attention. When the Thames freezes over, the ladies take to the ice at the Frost Fair. With handsome gentlemen at hand, what could be better for their purposes than a little Fire & Frost?