Charles Bray to George Combe, Coventry, 24 October 1854
Title
Charles Bray to George Combe, Coventry, 24 October 1854
Title
Charles Bray to George Combe, Coventry, 24 October 1854
Sender
Charles Bray
Recipient
George Combe
Date(s)
- 1854-10-24
Place
Coventry
Letter Content
Charles Bray to George Combe, Coventry, 24 October 1854
MS: National Library of Scotland. Endorsed: Coventry 24 Oct. 1854 | Charles Bray | @ | Miss Evans & Mr. | Lewes
Coventry October 24th/54.
My dear Mr. Combe,
The day after I wrote to Miss Evans, I received a letter from her with reference to her monetary affairs. There is a passage or two in it, that our people say I had better send to you. She says "It is possible that you may have heard a report prevalent in London that Mr. Lewes has [run away from his wife and family.] Since he left England he has been in constant correspondence with his wife; she has all the money due to him in London; and his children are his constant thought and anxiety. His conduct as a husband has been not only irreproachable, but generous and self-sacrificing to a degree far beyond any standard fixed by the world." Of herself she says, "Of course many silly myths are already afloat about me, in addition to the truth, which of itself would be thought matter for scandal. If you hear of anything which I have said, done or written in relation to Mr. Lewes beyond the simple fact, 232 do me the justice to believe that it is false. x x x The only influence I should ever dream of exercising over him as to his conduct towards his wife and children is that of stimulating his conscientious care for them, if it needed any stimulant." This would entirely discredit the Miss Martineau story -- besides she expressly says that Mr. Chapman and myself are the only persons to whom she has ever spoken of her relation to Lewes. There is an article of hers in the last Westminster on French Women, which I think would please you much, as having the "physiological basis." It is very clever and contains the only true and just distinction between the sexes I have ever seen. I am very glad to hear that you are better and that Mrs. Combe is mending. Believe me
Ever yours sincerely,
Charles Bray.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Endorsed: Coventry 24 Oct. 1854 | Charles Bray | @ | Miss Evans & Mr. | Lewes
Coventry October 24th/54.
My dear Mr. Combe,
The day after I wrote to Miss Evans, I received a letter from her with reference to her monetary affairs. There is a passage or two in it, that our people say I had better send to you. She says "It is possible that you may have heard a report prevalent in London that Mr. Lewes has [run away from his wife and family.] Since he left England he has been in constant correspondence with his wife; she has all the money due to him in London; and his children are his constant thought and anxiety. His conduct as a husband has been not only irreproachable, but generous and self-sacrificing to a degree far beyond any standard fixed by the world." Of herself she says, "Of course many silly myths are already afloat about me, in addition to the truth, which of itself would be thought matter for scandal. If you hear of anything which I have said, done or written in relation to Mr. Lewes beyond the simple fact, 232 do me the justice to believe that it is false. x x x The only influence I should ever dream of exercising over him as to his conduct towards his wife and children is that of stimulating his conscientious care for them, if it needed any stimulant." This would entirely discredit the Miss Martineau story -- besides she expressly says that Mr. Chapman and myself are the only persons to whom she has ever spoken of her relation to Lewes. There is an article of hers in the last Westminster on French Women, which I think would please you much, as having the "physiological basis." It is very clever and contains the only true and just distinction between the sexes I have ever seen. I am very glad to hear that you are better and that Mrs. Combe is mending. Believe me
Ever yours sincerely,
Charles Bray.
Signature
Charles Bray.
Citation
Charles Bray, Charles Bray to George Combe, Coventry, 24 October 1854, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/91735