GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 30 October [1854]
Title
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 30 October [1854]
Title
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 30 October [1854]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
John Chapman
Date(s)
- 1854-10-30
Place
Weimar
Letter Content
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 30 October [1854]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: Miss Evans Oct. 30. 1854. Hitherto unpublished.
Kaufgasse, Weimar | Monday, October 30.
Dear Friend
I have received safely the second halves of the Bank notes. 530 We are going to Berlin on Thursday and when I am there you can send me your history of the Martineau and Hodgson war 531 in Nutt's parcel for Assher. 532 I should really like to see it.
There are many things and people at Weimar that we shall leave with regret. Liszt, the Princess Wittgenstein, the French ambassador, 533 Sch'f6ll, Mr. Marshall, and others, have been most kind and friendly. Our long stay here has obliged us to renounce going to Dresden -- a sad disappointment to me. But economy is our first law.
Mr. Lewes has gained very valuable materials for his life of Goethe by staying here, and his heart and soul are in the work. He is just gone to see an old court lady who was a blooming girl of sixteen when Goethe first came to Weimar! An old lady, as Liszt says, "presque monumentale."
I suppose Miss Parkes is in London again by this time. When you see her, give my love to her and thank her for the letter you forwarded to me.
I hope you have contradicted the story of my writing to Miss Martineau. I cannot understand how it originated except in some communication of yours to Miss M. which you intended to be serviceable to me. You must have made this communication in a moment of hallucination as to Miss M's character. Amongst her good qualities we certainly cannot reckon zeal for other people's reputation. She is sure to caricature any information for the amusement of the next person to whom she turns her ear-trumpet. Au reste, the thing is done and it is useless to dwell on it. I am obliged to break off abruptly as we are rather hurried in these last days of our stay here.
Ever your sincere friend,
Marian Evans.
If you write, address Poste Restante, Berlin.
MS: Yale. Endorsed: Miss Evans Oct. 30. 1854. Hitherto unpublished.
Kaufgasse, Weimar | Monday, October 30.
Dear Friend
I have received safely the second halves of the Bank notes. 530 We are going to Berlin on Thursday and when I am there you can send me your history of the Martineau and Hodgson war 531 in Nutt's parcel for Assher. 532 I should really like to see it.
There are many things and people at Weimar that we shall leave with regret. Liszt, the Princess Wittgenstein, the French ambassador, 533 Sch'f6ll, Mr. Marshall, and others, have been most kind and friendly. Our long stay here has obliged us to renounce going to Dresden -- a sad disappointment to me. But economy is our first law.
Mr. Lewes has gained very valuable materials for his life of Goethe by staying here, and his heart and soul are in the work. He is just gone to see an old court lady who was a blooming girl of sixteen when Goethe first came to Weimar! An old lady, as Liszt says, "presque monumentale."
I suppose Miss Parkes is in London again by this time. When you see her, give my love to her and thank her for the letter you forwarded to me.
I hope you have contradicted the story of my writing to Miss Martineau. I cannot understand how it originated except in some communication of yours to Miss M. which you intended to be serviceable to me. You must have made this communication in a moment of hallucination as to Miss M's character. Amongst her good qualities we certainly cannot reckon zeal for other people's reputation. She is sure to caricature any information for the amusement of the next person to whom she turns her ear-trumpet. Au reste, the thing is done and it is useless to dwell on it. I am obliged to break off abruptly as we are rather hurried in these last days of our stay here.
Ever your sincere friend,
Marian Evans.
If you write, address Poste Restante, Berlin.
Signature
Marian Evans.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 30 October [1854], 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/92807