“With all kind regards,
“Believe me, yours most truly,
“Frances M. Buss.
“To Miss Gurney.”
But this comes some months later. In the mean time, Mrs. Grey had to buy the experience that afterwards led to the formation of the new company. The Journal-letter of November 18, 1871, alludes to the inaugural meeting of the Women’s Education Union—
“Nov. 18, 1871.
“Mrs. Grey’s meeting was well attended yesterday, but oddly enough not one word was said of our schools. This does not matter much, however.
“Mr. Forster’s suggestion is admirable, and ought to be carried into execution at once. I think Mrs. Grey would make the appeal; at all events, I will ask her this evening. For the Camden School only, however, for women, we want about £5000.
“It will not do to include the other at present. Miss Gurney has begun her paper, but I am not very clear about it. I was so worried by visitors on Wednesday, when she came, that she and I got only half an hour together, as she had to rush off to Mrs. Grey’s committee.
“If only an agency could be started, with which I was not ostensibly connected, what a comfort it would be! But just now the applications for governesses are overwhelming, and they entail correspondence which is not compatible with the inner school-work, which I ought to do. But at present I see no outlet. I never have leisure to prepare any lessons at all, and it is only this week I have even been able to give an account of my holiday trip to Sweden—among the pupils. Denmark is waiting still; it is necessary to digest one’s materials, to draw up heads, etc., and these require leisure.