Page:Life of Octavia Hill as told in her letters.djvu/251

 now or never; and indeed I am not fit to write to a Christian. Here I am, head and ears deep in notices about dustmen, requests for lawyers to send accounts, etc., etc.; and yet I am so glad to say a few words to you, even if they're not of the brightest; and that they can't be, for I've just come in from a round of visits to the nine houses ; and somehow it's been a day of small worries about all sorts of repairs, and things of that kind. I was thinking when I came in that really it would be a small cost in real value to pay any sum, however tremendous, to get rid of this annoying small perpetual care, if the work could be done as well; but then it couldn't: it is only when the detail is really managed on as great principles as the whole plan, that a work becomes really good. And so, I suppose, being really the school of braining the tenants most effectually, I must still keep it, and hope that it will not finally make one either mean, or small or bitter. ... I think the playground is going very well now. Did I tell you we have opened it during school hours as a drying ground? Oh, Florence, the court is so improved! I think you would be so pleased. We have broken out windows on all the staircases, and cleaned all the rooms, and put in a large clean cistern; and oh! it is so fresh and neat compared with what it was. Do you hear about our Girls' Home? I hope it will soon be started. God bless you, dear child!

... I have asked Miranda to send you a copy of "All the Year Round" in which there is a short article on the Playground. It seems Ruskin read an extract