GE to John Blackwood, Witley, 30 July 1878
Title
GE to John Blackwood, Witley, 30 July 1878
Title
GE to John Blackwood, Witley, 30 July 1878
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1878-07-30
Place
Witley
Letter Content
GE to John Blackwood, Witley, 30 July 1878
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
The Heights, Witley, | Nr. Godalming.
July 30. 1878.
My dear Mr. Blackwood
I did hope that by the time your military evolutions were over, 104 we might see our way to enjoying the kind welcome which you and Mrs. Blackwood have offered us. No expedition attracts us more than the projected visit to Strathtyrum.
Unhappily Mr. Lewes continues to be troubled and depressed by symptoms that, with the recollection upon us of the crippling gout which once followed them, quite robs us of the courage to leave home. The journey and the excitement which would be part of his pleasure if he were tolerably well, seem to him now dangerous to encounter, and I am not myself robust enough to venture on a risk of illness to him, so that I cannot supply the daring he needs. We begin to think that we shall be obliged to defer our pleasure of seeing you in your own home -- so promising of walks and talks such as we can never have a chance of in London -- until we have the disadvantage of counting ourselves a year older. I am very sorry. But it is better to know that you are getting well and we unable to see you, than to think of you as an invalid unable to receive us. We must satisfy ourselves with the good we have -- including the peace and the promise of an abundant wheat harvest.
Mr. William has kindly written us news of you, and Mr. Lewes has been in correspondence with him. That is why I have abstained from adding to your heap of letters.
Please ask Mrs. and Miss Blackwood to accept my best regards, and assure them that I counted much on a longer, quieter intercourse with them in a few sunny days away from hotels and callers.
It is the certainty of a too exciting zest in the visit that makes part of Mr. Lewes's dread, and I dare say you can understand that fear of an excitability which is in inverse proportion to strength. But this might be encountered if there were not the definite threat of crippling gout.
Do not write when writing seems a task. Otherwise, you know how well I like to have a letter from you.
Yours very truly
M. E. Lewes.
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
The Heights, Witley, | Nr. Godalming.
July 30. 1878.
My dear Mr. Blackwood
I did hope that by the time your military evolutions were over, 104 we might see our way to enjoying the kind welcome which you and Mrs. Blackwood have offered us. No expedition attracts us more than the projected visit to Strathtyrum.
Unhappily Mr. Lewes continues to be troubled and depressed by symptoms that, with the recollection upon us of the crippling gout which once followed them, quite robs us of the courage to leave home. The journey and the excitement which would be part of his pleasure if he were tolerably well, seem to him now dangerous to encounter, and I am not myself robust enough to venture on a risk of illness to him, so that I cannot supply the daring he needs. We begin to think that we shall be obliged to defer our pleasure of seeing you in your own home -- so promising of walks and talks such as we can never have a chance of in London -- until we have the disadvantage of counting ourselves a year older. I am very sorry. But it is better to know that you are getting well and we unable to see you, than to think of you as an invalid unable to receive us. We must satisfy ourselves with the good we have -- including the peace and the promise of an abundant wheat harvest.
Mr. William has kindly written us news of you, and Mr. Lewes has been in correspondence with him. That is why I have abstained from adding to your heap of letters.
Please ask Mrs. and Miss Blackwood to accept my best regards, and assure them that I counted much on a longer, quieter intercourse with them in a few sunny days away from hotels and callers.
It is the certainty of a too exciting zest in the visit that makes part of Mr. Lewes's dread, and I dare say you can understand that fear of an excitability which is in inverse proportion to strength. But this might be encountered if there were not the definite threat of crippling gout.
Do not write when writing seems a task. Otherwise, you know how well I like to have a letter from you.
Yours very truly
M. E. Lewes.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to John Blackwood, Witley, 30 July 1878, 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/92762