Charles Lee Lewes to Agnes Lewes, Hofwyl, 10 January 1858
Title
Charles Lee Lewes to Agnes Lewes, Hofwyl, 10 January 1858
Title
Charles Lee Lewes to Agnes Lewes, Hofwyl, 10 January 1858
Sender
Charles Lee Lewes
Recipient
Agnes Lewes
Date(s)
- 1858-01-10
Place
Hofwyl
Letter Content
Charles Lee Lewes to Agnes Lewes, Hofwyl, 10 January 1858
MS: Yale.
Hofwyl 10th January 1858.
Dear Mamma,
I have not written to you for a long time in expectation of receiving a letter from you. Since September I have received only 2 letters from you and this is the 5th or sixth that I send to you. September 27th I wrote Nursie but having received no answer I did not write again. I have asked the postman how it was that so many letters were lost and he said that he did not know. That all letters that came from Bern were sent to Hofwyl without fail, and those that were sent from Hofwyl and that he received went punctually to Bern. He did not know how to account for it, unless there were lost in the railway or on the sea. Bertie received a letter from Lizzie 361 today, in which there was mention of a Christmas present for us three which she supposed we had got already. If it was an order for money the letter was lost. If it was a packet, which I hope it was not, it must also have been lost. As regards sending packages, I hope that if Papa or Grandmamma or anybody else wants to send us any packages, you will prevent them, for it costs much to much. If we want any thing we must buy it in Bern or go without it, and with the money we have received from home and the pocket money we can buy what we want. If Thornie wants books he must wait for them till Papa comes again, and Bertie and I don't want anything but what could be got at Bern. I find that writing cases as good as the English ones can be got in Bern for less money so that if Bertie wants so much a writing case he can get one at Bern. What with the 10 francs I received in the summer and my birthday ten francs, I had at Christmas 20 francs and a few over from pocket money which I never use entirely in the month, I bought for 15 Francs presents for the boys and two of the masters, and Dr. M'fcller has still got 5 francs for me. Bertie only had 7 francs when he came and that soon went in rabbits with which he soon got disgusted. Thornie at the end of the month has never got a sou for he spends the pocket money on grub. To me it does not matter having lost the present whatever it was, except that I thank Grandmamma very much for her kindness. She is only rather too kind, for the money she sends I'm afraid does not do much good to us boys. However I don't in the least mean she should not at least send Thornie and Bertie (if that was her intention) presents and me also for I can I daresay find some use for the money at some time or other. But now let us drop the money subject.
Thornie received a letter from Mrs. O. Jones the other day in which she told us of the death of her brother Mr. Wild. 362 Mrs. M. has got an aunt of that name, Aunt Julia as she is called. One of her sons Edward Wild is an officer in India. A little time ago he was in the list of the dead, Mrs. M. wore mourning for him as of course did his mother, some time afterwards they received the news that the officer Mr. Wild reported to be dead was still alive. It was at Lucknow he was said to have fallen. Since then no news has been heard respecting him. Mr. and Mrs. M. family all speak English amongst themselves for Mr. M'fcl[ler]'s family although not English has lived most of the time in India. Aunt Julia's husband was a captain or colonel I don't know which in the Indian army, and now her son is an ensign I think.
During the whole of last week we have been skating. We had a few days ago a pretty heavy fall of snow but on the road and trees a very little more, but on the ice and fields there's still a good deal. We have been making roads on the ice like last year. The Christmas holidays this year were rather dull, for we could not skate nor sledge, but now we are making up for lost time. This year like last year I saw the old year out and the new one in. All the boys were awoken at twelve o'clock and we began singing. In a few minutes some of the masters came in and the boys from the other bedroom, and then began the fun. Such bolstering, and hollaring, and laughing and singing, we woke every body in the house up. Louis the great Brasilian who Papa knows would not get out of bed. Wir wollen den Louis ein wenig qu'e4len, said Mr. Falckerheimer and so we all set on him. A quantity of featherbeds were thrown on him and I don't know what all. Then Thornie finding it dull went to bed, but was instantly attacked by the others. In a minute poor Thornie's bed was torn off and he went crying into a corner of the room. We then made a procession, then sang some more songs and at a little after 1 o'clock got into bed again. I will tell you for a conclusion that I did not take the disagreeable station of watcher this year as I did last but I slept till 12 o'clock. I hope to hear soon from you and remain
Your affectionate Son
Charles Lewes.
MS: Yale.
Hofwyl 10th January 1858.
Dear Mamma,
I have not written to you for a long time in expectation of receiving a letter from you. Since September I have received only 2 letters from you and this is the 5th or sixth that I send to you. September 27th I wrote Nursie but having received no answer I did not write again. I have asked the postman how it was that so many letters were lost and he said that he did not know. That all letters that came from Bern were sent to Hofwyl without fail, and those that were sent from Hofwyl and that he received went punctually to Bern. He did not know how to account for it, unless there were lost in the railway or on the sea. Bertie received a letter from Lizzie 361 today, in which there was mention of a Christmas present for us three which she supposed we had got already. If it was an order for money the letter was lost. If it was a packet, which I hope it was not, it must also have been lost. As regards sending packages, I hope that if Papa or Grandmamma or anybody else wants to send us any packages, you will prevent them, for it costs much to much. If we want any thing we must buy it in Bern or go without it, and with the money we have received from home and the pocket money we can buy what we want. If Thornie wants books he must wait for them till Papa comes again, and Bertie and I don't want anything but what could be got at Bern. I find that writing cases as good as the English ones can be got in Bern for less money so that if Bertie wants so much a writing case he can get one at Bern. What with the 10 francs I received in the summer and my birthday ten francs, I had at Christmas 20 francs and a few over from pocket money which I never use entirely in the month, I bought for 15 Francs presents for the boys and two of the masters, and Dr. M'fcller has still got 5 francs for me. Bertie only had 7 francs when he came and that soon went in rabbits with which he soon got disgusted. Thornie at the end of the month has never got a sou for he spends the pocket money on grub. To me it does not matter having lost the present whatever it was, except that I thank Grandmamma very much for her kindness. She is only rather too kind, for the money she sends I'm afraid does not do much good to us boys. However I don't in the least mean she should not at least send Thornie and Bertie (if that was her intention) presents and me also for I can I daresay find some use for the money at some time or other. But now let us drop the money subject.
Thornie received a letter from Mrs. O. Jones the other day in which she told us of the death of her brother Mr. Wild. 362 Mrs. M. has got an aunt of that name, Aunt Julia as she is called. One of her sons Edward Wild is an officer in India. A little time ago he was in the list of the dead, Mrs. M. wore mourning for him as of course did his mother, some time afterwards they received the news that the officer Mr. Wild reported to be dead was still alive. It was at Lucknow he was said to have fallen. Since then no news has been heard respecting him. Mr. and Mrs. M. family all speak English amongst themselves for Mr. M'fcl[ler]'s family although not English has lived most of the time in India. Aunt Julia's husband was a captain or colonel I don't know which in the Indian army, and now her son is an ensign I think.
During the whole of last week we have been skating. We had a few days ago a pretty heavy fall of snow but on the road and trees a very little more, but on the ice and fields there's still a good deal. We have been making roads on the ice like last year. The Christmas holidays this year were rather dull, for we could not skate nor sledge, but now we are making up for lost time. This year like last year I saw the old year out and the new one in. All the boys were awoken at twelve o'clock and we began singing. In a few minutes some of the masters came in and the boys from the other bedroom, and then began the fun. Such bolstering, and hollaring, and laughing and singing, we woke every body in the house up. Louis the great Brasilian who Papa knows would not get out of bed. Wir wollen den Louis ein wenig qu'e4len, said Mr. Falckerheimer and so we all set on him. A quantity of featherbeds were thrown on him and I don't know what all. Then Thornie finding it dull went to bed, but was instantly attacked by the others. In a minute poor Thornie's bed was torn off and he went crying into a corner of the room. We then made a procession, then sang some more songs and at a little after 1 o'clock got into bed again. I will tell you for a conclusion that I did not take the disagreeable station of watcher this year as I did last but I slept till 12 o'clock. I hope to hear soon from you and remain
Your affectionate Son
Charles Lewes.
Signature
Charles Lewes.
Citation
Charles Lee Lewes, Charles Lee Lewes to Agnes Lewes, Hofwyl, 10 January 1858, 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/91750