GE to John Blackwood, Schwalbach, 23 June 1866
Title
GE to John Blackwood, Schwalbach, 23 June 1866
Title
GE to John Blackwood, Schwalbach, 23 June 1866
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1866-06-23
Place
Schwalbach
Letter Content
GE to John Blackwood, Schwalbach, 23 June 1866
MS: National Library of Scotland. The margins are badly mutilated. Hitherto unpublished.
H'f4tel Duc de Nas[sau] | Schwalbach | June 23. 18[66].
My dear Sir
Your letter came to crown the pleasures of our first complete day at Schwalbach, being brought to us on our return from our sunset walk last evening. The Saturday Review article which you kindly despatched had reached us early in the day, but the news of your letters is always more interesting than what one gets from the newspapers -- I mean, of course, about what affects us personally, for the public news is only too interesting just now, in a way that is rather sad than cheering. We had been almost frightened into changing our destination by the hints of fellow-travelers and hotel-keepers, who talked of the probability that the railway might be broken up and that Schwalbach might be deserted. Happily, we determined to persevere. I think we could not have chosen a pla[ce] more suited to our taste and need[s.]
There are plenty of [about ten words missing] enough to make a crowd on the promenades, apparently they care so little for the lovely walks in the woods and over the hills that we are likely to have them all to ourselves. The weather is perfect now, and we enjoy it the more, because of the severe cold that came on during our tour through Holland. Already we have begun to lay in a stock of health, and are able to bear a walk of an hour and a half before breakfast. We dine in our own room, and wish our fellow-creatures well, keeping at as great a distance from them as we can. It is dangerous to make acquaintances where one must be always encountering them. We intend to remain here a fortnight and then go on to Schlangenbad, a lovely spot, about four miles distant.
I hope you and Mrs. Blackwood have been enjoying your town life as much as we have been enjoying our wanderings, and that Felix, with all his faults, has helped a little towards that end. Pray tell Mr. Simpson that if he (Felix) had been a printer, he would have done his wo[rk as] well as he would any [about twelve words missing] is not de[four words missing] feel the weight of all this unintelligible world 485 quite sure that Felix would have honoured Mr. Simpson and his henchman from the isle of Skye.
Tell Mr. William Blackwood that there is [a] new point of sympathy between us since [I] find him capable of leaving his hat in t[he] opera box. I am constantly doing such th[ings] without the same charming excuse.
Mr. Lewes sends his best regards, and s[ays] he was delighted with the article in the Sat. [Rev.] He read bits aloud to me.
I am so bent on being idle here [that I] have not provided myself with my [pen] and am writing with one which is as h[elpful] to me as a pin's point. And yet this [beau]tiful world about us makes me long [to] be creating something that will seem to [be] a growth out of it, though nothing m[ore] rare or precious than the little yellow [flowers?] that are making the roadside gay [as] they do in England.
I know you will write whenever you [think] you can give me pleasure by [it] but I am too bad a corresponden[t] to be exac[ting] [seven words missing.]
Always yours truly
M. E. Lewes.
John Blackwood Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. The margins are badly mutilated. Hitherto unpublished.
H'f4tel Duc de Nas[sau] | Schwalbach | June 23. 18[66].
My dear Sir
Your letter came to crown the pleasures of our first complete day at Schwalbach, being brought to us on our return from our sunset walk last evening. The Saturday Review article which you kindly despatched had reached us early in the day, but the news of your letters is always more interesting than what one gets from the newspapers -- I mean, of course, about what affects us personally, for the public news is only too interesting just now, in a way that is rather sad than cheering. We had been almost frightened into changing our destination by the hints of fellow-travelers and hotel-keepers, who talked of the probability that the railway might be broken up and that Schwalbach might be deserted. Happily, we determined to persevere. I think we could not have chosen a pla[ce] more suited to our taste and need[s.]
There are plenty of [about ten words missing] enough to make a crowd on the promenades, apparently they care so little for the lovely walks in the woods and over the hills that we are likely to have them all to ourselves. The weather is perfect now, and we enjoy it the more, because of the severe cold that came on during our tour through Holland. Already we have begun to lay in a stock of health, and are able to bear a walk of an hour and a half before breakfast. We dine in our own room, and wish our fellow-creatures well, keeping at as great a distance from them as we can. It is dangerous to make acquaintances where one must be always encountering them. We intend to remain here a fortnight and then go on to Schlangenbad, a lovely spot, about four miles distant.
I hope you and Mrs. Blackwood have been enjoying your town life as much as we have been enjoying our wanderings, and that Felix, with all his faults, has helped a little towards that end. Pray tell Mr. Simpson that if he (Felix) had been a printer, he would have done his wo[rk as] well as he would any [about twelve words missing] is not de[four words missing] feel the weight of all this unintelligible world 485 quite sure that Felix would have honoured Mr. Simpson and his henchman from the isle of Skye.
Tell Mr. William Blackwood that there is [a] new point of sympathy between us since [I] find him capable of leaving his hat in t[he] opera box. I am constantly doing such th[ings] without the same charming excuse.
Mr. Lewes sends his best regards, and s[ays] he was delighted with the article in the Sat. [Rev.] He read bits aloud to me.
I am so bent on being idle here [that I] have not provided myself with my [pen] and am writing with one which is as h[elpful] to me as a pin's point. And yet this [beau]tiful world about us makes me long [to] be creating something that will seem to [be] a growth out of it, though nothing m[ore] rare or precious than the little yellow [flowers?] that are making the roadside gay [as] they do in England.
I know you will write whenever you [think] you can give me pleasure by [it] but I am too bad a corresponden[t] to be exac[ting] [seven words missing.]
Always yours truly
M. E. Lewes.
John Blackwood Esq.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to John Blackwood, Schwalbach, 23 June 1866, 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/92725