GE to John Walter Cross, Witley, 26 August 1878
Title
GE to John Walter Cross, Witley, 26 August 1878
Title
GE to John Walter Cross, Witley, 26 August 1878
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
John Walter Cross
Date(s)
- 1878-08-26
Place
Witley
Letter Content
GE to John Walter Cross, Witley, 26 August 1878
MS: Yale. Envelope: J.W. Cross Esq. | Weybridge Heath | Weybridge | Surrey. Postmarks: GODALMING | B | AU 26 | 78; WEYBRIDGE-STATION | A | AU 27 | 78. Mostly published: Cross, III, 332-333.
The Heights, Witley, | Nr. Godalming.
August 26. 78.
Dearest Nephew
You remember the case of the old woman of whom her murderers confessed that they had beaten her to death "partly with crowbars and partly with their fists." Well, I have been beaten into silence since your kind letter and dispatch of cocoa, partly by visitors and partly by continual sick headache. I am a shade or two better this morning and my soul has half awaked to run its daily stage of duty. Thus I at least put my tacit thanks on this bit of paper, and can tell you that I breakfasted experimentally on the cocoa this morning with fair results.
Happily I was temporarily relieved from headache during our friends (the Trollopes') visit. We took them to see Tennyson and they were delighted with the reading which he very amiably gave us. Then the Du Mauriers came to dine with us on the Thursday, and so the time was not, I hope, too languid for our visitors.
Mr. Lewes continues to show improvement in health, so that the balance of good is not much altered by my deficit.
Best love to our dove-like Mary, who I suppose is still your companion. We shall be pleased to have any news of you, whether by post or person.
Always your affectionate
Aunt.
MS: Yale. Envelope: J.W. Cross Esq. | Weybridge Heath | Weybridge | Surrey. Postmarks: GODALMING | B | AU 26 | 78; WEYBRIDGE-STATION | A | AU 27 | 78. Mostly published: Cross, III, 332-333.
The Heights, Witley, | Nr. Godalming.
August 26. 78.
Dearest Nephew
You remember the case of the old woman of whom her murderers confessed that they had beaten her to death "partly with crowbars and partly with their fists." Well, I have been beaten into silence since your kind letter and dispatch of cocoa, partly by visitors and partly by continual sick headache. I am a shade or two better this morning and my soul has half awaked to run its daily stage of duty. Thus I at least put my tacit thanks on this bit of paper, and can tell you that I breakfasted experimentally on the cocoa this morning with fair results.
Happily I was temporarily relieved from headache during our friends (the Trollopes') visit. We took them to see Tennyson and they were delighted with the reading which he very amiably gave us. Then the Du Mauriers came to dine with us on the Thursday, and so the time was not, I hope, too languid for our visitors.
Mr. Lewes continues to show improvement in health, so that the balance of good is not much altered by my deficit.
Best love to our dove-like Mary, who I suppose is still your companion. We shall be pleased to have any news of you, whether by post or person.
Always your affectionate
Aunt.
Signature
Aunt.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to John Walter Cross, Witley, 26 August 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/92839