The Epicurean: A Tale

The Epicurean: A Tale

Moore, Thomas

Philidelphia: Olive Branch Book Store, 1827

Internet Archive

1827

George Eliot to Martha Jackson, 14 January 1840. "I read about a week ago Moore's ‘Prosaic Epicurean,’ and was so epicurean myself as to make a single meal of the philosopher, preserved as he is in spirits after Moore's patent. I was enchanted as completely as if I had been in the clutches of the Egyptian Priests. Enough of nonsense. I am right glad to read of your enjoyments, past, present, and prospective, and of your determination to study, though, by the bye, it is hardly fair of you to trench on my field; I shall have you publishing metaphysics before my work is ready, a result of the superior development of a certain region of your brain over that of my poor snailship. I begin to despair of mending my ways, but there is a moral in all things, and that of my letter is very clearly "Begin well" and trust not the false adage "All is well that ends well." Well, my dear Martha, two serious thoughts I have lingered over to-day; two which, albeit obvious to all, can never be too trite to repeat. I have reflected on the duty of perfect contentment with such things as we have, whether gifts of nature or fortune, to use current but rather heathenish language, of the frequent injunctions concerning it, and ensamples of it in Scripture, and the blessedness, the calm sunshine it sheds on the soul. To my restless, ambitious spirit it seems of very difficult exercise -- but so are all graces to the natural man. We must stretch out the hand for this and all other spiritual wealth to Him from whom cometh every good gift. . . ." GEL 1: 36-7

Moore, Thomas, The Epicurean: A Tale, George Eliot's Reading, George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/57791

https://georgeeliotarchive.org/files/original/fb1348275e87503f2494b5ae21df1713.pdf