Elizabeth Eastlake and Sir Austen Henry Layard maintained a long correspondence, covering nearly half a century. They were great friends and connected through their joint love of art, their interest in the National Gallery, and mutual acquaintances. The correspondence reflects these interests, as well as providing further insights in to her domestic matters and opinions on political events and world affairs. The letters here are of Eastlake to Layard. The replies from Layard can be located elsewhere in the John Murray Archive (MSS.42336-42340).