GE to Charles Bray, London, 17 April [1852]
Title
GE to Charles Bray, London, 17 April [1852]
Title
GE to Charles Bray, London, 17 April [1852]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Charles Bray
Date(s)
- 1852-04-17
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Charles Bray, London, 17 April [1852]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1852. Extract published: Cross, 1, 275.
Strand | April 17.
Dear Friend
I send you your share of Geo. Combe's missive. Mine contains a sequel to the mesmeric case which is very interesting and which I will send you when I have done with it.
A very kind letter is come from James Martineau this morning. shewing his thorough willingness to write for us, and his appreciation of the subject proposed to him, but one of his daughters is seriously ill and he cannot pledge himself to prepare anything by July. 53
There was an article on the Bookselling affair in the Times of yesterday 54 which must be the knell of the Association. Dickens is to preside at a meeting in this house on the subject some day next week. Mr.
Chapman called on him yesterday with Bentley, 55 and found him very straight-forward and agreeable. Splendid library, of course, with soft carpet, couches etc. such as become a sympathizer with the suffering classes. How can we sufficiently pity the needy unless we know fully the blessings of plenty?
I am longing for the arrival of my wardrobe, for my clothes are all helter-skelter. Pray keep an account of all the expenses, Mr. Simms 56 and the carpenters etc.
The one source of my low spirits was the parting with you in the midst of such bad news about everything, and the thought I can do nothing but cry when sorrows come. However, I came home and went to sleep from sheer want of spirit to do anything else, and Providence in an hour or two took pity on me and sent Herbert Spencer to ask me to go to the Lyceum and see [The Chain of Events.] 57 It is a very long chain and drags rather heavily. No sparkle, but a sort of Dickens-like sentimentality all through -- in short, I think it might please you. As a series of tableaux I never saw anything equal to it. But to my mind it is execrable moral taste to have a storm and shipwreck with all its horrors on the stage. I could only scream and cover my eyes. It was revolting to hear the cheers and clapping of the audience. But perhaps all that was pure philosophy, and they were so thoroughly imbued with your beloved optimism 58 that they felt more than ever reconciled to the scheme of things.
I am sorry to have lost these few days with you, but not sorry to have come, for there are various things to be done which I am more satisfied to have the doing of.
Of course this letter is for all. My blessings on you all.
Your affectionate
Marian.
The opinions on the various articles in the Review are, as before, ridiculously various. The Economist calls the article on Quakerism "admirably written." Greg says the article on India is "very masterly": while he calls Mazzini's "sad stuff" -- "mere verbiage." 59
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1852. Extract published: Cross, 1, 275.
Strand | April 17.
Dear Friend
I send you your share of Geo. Combe's missive. Mine contains a sequel to the mesmeric case which is very interesting and which I will send you when I have done with it.
A very kind letter is come from James Martineau this morning. shewing his thorough willingness to write for us, and his appreciation of the subject proposed to him, but one of his daughters is seriously ill and he cannot pledge himself to prepare anything by July. 53
There was an article on the Bookselling affair in the Times of yesterday 54 which must be the knell of the Association. Dickens is to preside at a meeting in this house on the subject some day next week. Mr.
Chapman called on him yesterday with Bentley, 55 and found him very straight-forward and agreeable. Splendid library, of course, with soft carpet, couches etc. such as become a sympathizer with the suffering classes. How can we sufficiently pity the needy unless we know fully the blessings of plenty?
I am longing for the arrival of my wardrobe, for my clothes are all helter-skelter. Pray keep an account of all the expenses, Mr. Simms 56 and the carpenters etc.
The one source of my low spirits was the parting with you in the midst of such bad news about everything, and the thought I can do nothing but cry when sorrows come. However, I came home and went to sleep from sheer want of spirit to do anything else, and Providence in an hour or two took pity on me and sent Herbert Spencer to ask me to go to the Lyceum and see [The Chain of Events.] 57 It is a very long chain and drags rather heavily. No sparkle, but a sort of Dickens-like sentimentality all through -- in short, I think it might please you. As a series of tableaux I never saw anything equal to it. But to my mind it is execrable moral taste to have a storm and shipwreck with all its horrors on the stage. I could only scream and cover my eyes. It was revolting to hear the cheers and clapping of the audience. But perhaps all that was pure philosophy, and they were so thoroughly imbued with your beloved optimism 58 that they felt more than ever reconciled to the scheme of things.
I am sorry to have lost these few days with you, but not sorry to have come, for there are various things to be done which I am more satisfied to have the doing of.
Of course this letter is for all. My blessings on you all.
Your affectionate
Marian.
The opinions on the various articles in the Review are, as before, ridiculously various. The Economist calls the article on Quakerism "admirably written." Greg says the article on India is "very masterly": while he calls Mazzini's "sad stuff" -- "mere verbiage." 59
Signature
Marian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Charles Bray, London, 17 April [1852], 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/92142