Letter from Anna Mary Howitt, London, to Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon, 1847 December 29 : autograph manuscript signed.

Sharing that they have just read and loved Tennyson's new poem "the Princess" and asking for Barbara's opinion; feeling that "all true women must like it, for the sake of the beautiful noble conclusion henceforth" and because it is a poem on woman's education, woman's rights, woman's true being; describing how the Princess Ida reminded her of Barbara. Letter continues on January 2nd: Stating that she meant for this letter to reach Barbara on New Years Day; describing the miserable financial affairs and debts that her family continues to deal with; worrying that her parents' health will suffer due to work; noting that there is still so much to say but hopes to hear Barbara's opinion of "The Princess" soon, and noting that she is interested in reading a "strange Mesmeric" book (most likely referring to "The Principles of Nature, Her Divine Revelations, and a Voice to Mankind" written by the American medium, Andrew Jackson Davis, which was reviewed in Athenaeum on January 1, 1848).