GE to Charles Lee Lewes, London, 9 May 1862
Title
GE to Charles Lee Lewes, London, 9 May 1862
Title
GE to Charles Lee Lewes, London, 9 May 1862
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Charles Lee Lewes
Date(s)
- 1862-05-09
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Charles Lee Lewes, London, 9 May 1862
MS: Yale. Published: Paterson, pp. 103-105.
Blandford Square | May 9. 1862.
Dearest Boy
When Pater read your letter aloud to me I said as Jacques did to the pretty music, "More, give me more!" 58 I wanted to know everything up to the minute you wrote. However, it was a great comfort to know that you had arrived without mishap, beyond the blisters which spoiled your beauty. Pater and I came home on Tuesday, rather sad at quitting the fields and commons, but still glad to think that we should have all our books about us and get the peculiar inspiration that belongs to one's own chair and writing table. I thought I looked very splendid in the glass the second day, but I am getting dowdy again, I fear. Pater, on the contrary, seems more jaunty and energetic than ever today, in spite of the rainy weather that has succeeded our brilliant time at Dorking.
We went to our Philharmonic concert on Wednesday evening, and came away at the end of the first part after hearing Spohr's Concerto in E played by Joachim, the Jupiter Symphony, and two duets sung by the Sisters Marchisio, 59 whose voices struck us as very fine, though one hardly cares about hearing them again. On Thursday we had a long business-visit from Mr. Smith, about which I leave Pater to tell you or not, as he likes; and today again, after paddling through the dirty streets in search of shirts and a tea-urn, my time has been taken up by calls from our good friend Mr. Spencer and from Miss Marshall. Besides that, we have transformed the drawing room, closing one door and placing the piano across it, so as to leave the back drawing room open, and we like the change very much. Pater and I both think the piano sounds better, but perhaps that is only because we had thought too disrespectfully of it in our absence. Nevertheless my dislike of the touch is confirmed: it is a piano on which it is impossible to play delicately.
Pater wrote yesterday to Mr. Burton 60 to tell him how much he admired the pictures, and today we have had a letter from him in reply: when he received Pater's he was reading the memoirs of Spinoza by that dear little man and great author 61 -- a pretty coincidence, was it not? We received a packet addressed in Mrs. Bodichon's handwriting the other day, but there is no sign at present of her being in Blandford Square. I think I have emptied my budget of incidents now, and must fall back upon sentiment or admonition, as is the way with us poor novel writers. And by way of sentiment, I will tell you that when anything pleasant happens while you are away, I feel that the joy is not quite complete until our "grub" knows it -- grubs being notoriously sympathetic animals. For admonition -- enjoy yourself very much and pack as much health and fresh thought within you as possible, to last till the next holiday. Grace and Amelia were particularly glad to hear that you had only blistered your face, and not lost your money.
Don't think Mutter is not happy because she has written you a dull letter. She is very much interested in her book-writing, and feels herself quite bathed in blessings -- always reckoning one of them to be her boy -- who will grow so good, so good -- better than any of her books. [Two words deleted.] Pater will fill up the sheet and make amends for my deficiencies.
MS: Yale. Published: Paterson, pp. 103-105.
Blandford Square | May 9. 1862.
Dearest Boy
When Pater read your letter aloud to me I said as Jacques did to the pretty music, "More, give me more!" 58 I wanted to know everything up to the minute you wrote. However, it was a great comfort to know that you had arrived without mishap, beyond the blisters which spoiled your beauty. Pater and I came home on Tuesday, rather sad at quitting the fields and commons, but still glad to think that we should have all our books about us and get the peculiar inspiration that belongs to one's own chair and writing table. I thought I looked very splendid in the glass the second day, but I am getting dowdy again, I fear. Pater, on the contrary, seems more jaunty and energetic than ever today, in spite of the rainy weather that has succeeded our brilliant time at Dorking.
We went to our Philharmonic concert on Wednesday evening, and came away at the end of the first part after hearing Spohr's Concerto in E played by Joachim, the Jupiter Symphony, and two duets sung by the Sisters Marchisio, 59 whose voices struck us as very fine, though one hardly cares about hearing them again. On Thursday we had a long business-visit from Mr. Smith, about which I leave Pater to tell you or not, as he likes; and today again, after paddling through the dirty streets in search of shirts and a tea-urn, my time has been taken up by calls from our good friend Mr. Spencer and from Miss Marshall. Besides that, we have transformed the drawing room, closing one door and placing the piano across it, so as to leave the back drawing room open, and we like the change very much. Pater and I both think the piano sounds better, but perhaps that is only because we had thought too disrespectfully of it in our absence. Nevertheless my dislike of the touch is confirmed: it is a piano on which it is impossible to play delicately.
Pater wrote yesterday to Mr. Burton 60 to tell him how much he admired the pictures, and today we have had a letter from him in reply: when he received Pater's he was reading the memoirs of Spinoza by that dear little man and great author 61 -- a pretty coincidence, was it not? We received a packet addressed in Mrs. Bodichon's handwriting the other day, but there is no sign at present of her being in Blandford Square. I think I have emptied my budget of incidents now, and must fall back upon sentiment or admonition, as is the way with us poor novel writers. And by way of sentiment, I will tell you that when anything pleasant happens while you are away, I feel that the joy is not quite complete until our "grub" knows it -- grubs being notoriously sympathetic animals. For admonition -- enjoy yourself very much and pack as much health and fresh thought within you as possible, to last till the next holiday. Grace and Amelia were particularly glad to hear that you had only blistered your face, and not lost your money.
Don't think Mutter is not happy because she has written you a dull letter. She is very much interested in her book-writing, and feels herself quite bathed in blessings -- always reckoning one of them to be her boy -- who will grow so good, so good -- better than any of her books. [Two words deleted.] Pater will fill up the sheet and make amends for my deficiencies.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Charles Lee Lewes, London, 9 May 1862, 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/92212