Meriel, Lucy, Lavinia and May, the daughters of George, fourth Lord Lyttelton, were the nieces of the Prime Minister William Gladstone. Their letters and diaries make it possible for us to know them in extraordinary detail: at home at Hagley Hall in Worcestershire and in fashionable London society; at country houses and on tours of the Continent; in the schoolroom and embarking on courtship and marriage; in happiness and in adversity. Despite having eight very successful brothers, the girls emerge in their own right as strong characters. VICTORIAN GIRLS is a remarkable portrait of a family. It is impossible not to feel personally involved in their lives. 'A delightful picture of a cultivated and affectionate home circle' Times Literary Supplement