The main concern of this project is to format the letters and annotations in as non-intrusive a way as possible. The letters are transcribed, but, where possible, they are also photographically reproduced. The letters appear in chronological order; where the date is uncertain, the context dictates placement. Each letter is numbered (1-37) in bold at the top of the headnote.

Each letter contains a headnote in which can be found the number of the letter, the source (reference number), the recipient, the sender, and the date (where date is ambiguous, all possibilities are included). Where relevant, the headnote will remark on other information such as post-delivery comments written by the recipient, seals, letterheads, envelopes, etc. Comments in square brackets are editorial notes.

The letters themselves are divided into boxes which represent the pages of the original. The order follows left to right on the top, then left to right on the bottom:

1	2
3	4

Because reproductions of each letter are usually provided, the spacing in the transcriptions are not always perfectly accurate. Line and page breaks are as they appear in the original, but all lines are left-justified.

Most of the missives in this collection are quick notes, analogous to phone calls or emails today. As such, they were likely delivered by servant, not sent through the post, and so usually do not bear post marks or envelopes of any kind. As such, it is usually difficult to say from where letters and notes are coming. The context of the letters usually makes clear from where family members are writing.

Each name, topic, and place of importance is annotated. The subjects and annotations are linked each time they appear in a letter, and each time they appear in a different form (e.g. Benjamin Disraeli, Dis, Dizzy, D or Sarah Disraeli, Sa, Our Dear Sister, etc.). In order to avoid confusion, a linked subject, in all its forms throughout the site, will change colour (blue to purple) after it has been read.

There has been no silent correction of spelling or punctuation. Where abbreviations are used, missing letters are supplied in square brackets.

Due to the nature of the hypertext format, which underlines links, words or phrases underlined in the letters are transcribed in italics.

An asterix in square brackets, [*], indicates a word which is illegible in the original. A question mark in square brackets, [?], will follow any information about which some doubt remains.