Use and Abuse

Use and Abuse

Skene, Felicia

London: Rivington, 1849

HathiTrust

1849

George Eliot to Mrs. Charles Bray, 20 September 1849. “Then there are the Forbeses -- Mr. Forbes with a fine moral and intellectual head but spoiled by immense pride and vanity, which betray themselves in his thin affected-looking lips at the first glance. Miss Forbes, for whose health they are travelling, is a good creature. They are very evangelical. [Three words deleted.] Miss Forbes tells me that the first day she sat by my side at dinner she looked at me and thought to herself, "That is a grave lady. I do not think I shall like her much" -- but as soon as I spoke to her and she looked into my eyes she felt she could love me. Then she lent me a book written by her cousin – a religious novel "Use and Abuse" -- (by Miss Skene now living at Leamington) -- in which there is a fearful infidel who will not believe and hates all who do etc. etc. Then she invited me to walk with her and came to talk in my room -- then invited me to go to the Oratoire with them -- till I began to be uncomfortable under the idea that they fancied I was evangelical and that I was gaining their affection under false pretenses -- so I told Miss Forbes that I was going to sacrifice her good opinion and confess my heresies. I quite expected from their manner and character that they would forsake me in horror, but they are as kind as ever. They never go into the salon in the evening, and I have almost forsaken it, spending the evening frequently in Mde. de Ludwigsdorff's room, where we have some delightful tea. The tea of the house here is execrable -- or rather as Mrs. Wood says, "How glad we should be it has no taste at all – it might have a very bad one."” GEL 1: 308-9

Skene, Felicia, Use and Abuse, George Eliot's Reading, George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/57192

https://georgeeliotarchive.org/files/original/4ab1799d8aa0ba55a45516807cf4354d.pdf