10 January [1858?] Springfield House nr Edinburgh My dear brother Since the Session commenced I have been so completely engrossed with studies that I laid aside all correspondence which is now my first duty to resume during this week of holidays. Today our teachers bade us all an affectionate goodbye until such time as we should meet again on the 5th of Jany. I felt more sad than others with this interruption to our studies. Others of the young ladies hailed it with delight looking forward to going home to enjoy the pleasures of the Christmas season which