GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, 18 February 1842
Title
GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, 18 February 1842
Title
GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, 18 February 1842
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Maria Lewis
Date(s)
- 1842-02-18
Place
FOLESHILL
Letter Content
GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, 18 February 1842
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, I, 107-109.
Foleshill Road | February 18th 1842.
My dear Maria,
I dare say you have added subtracted and divided suppositions until you think you have a sure product -- viz. a good quantum or rather a bad one of indifference and forgetfulness as the representation of my conduct towards you. If so, revise your arithmetic, for be it known to you that, having had my propensities sentiments and intellect gauged a second time, 401 I am pronounced to possess a large organ of [adhesiveness,] a still larger one of [firmness,] and as large of conscientiousness -- hence if I should turn out a very weather cock and a most pitiful truckler you will have data for the exercise of faith maugre common sense, common justice, and the testimony of your eyes and ears. I have not been in your neighbourhood 402 since I wrote to you, though I imagine, from a message my sister Mrs. Isaac told me of, that you had the idea that I was at Griff when you received my parcel.
I am right glad to hear of your going on at least as well as you expected -- with so much material for cheerfulness I know you will need no exhortation to its exercise. Some day or other we shall have a chat and I shall know more of your plans and prospects. I commit this letter with your Estelle 403 and a piece of brown holland to the charge of my Aunt Evarard, who I have no doubt will allow her servant to convey it to you. 404 I am sorry I kept your worsted so long and your songs, of whose presence in my folio I was unaware.
How go you for society, for communion of spirit, the drop of nectar in the cup of mortals? But why do I say the drop? The mind that feels its value will get large draughts from some source if denied it in the most commonly chosen way. "Mid the rich store of nature's gifts to man Each has his loves, close wedded to his soul By fine associations' golden links. As the Great Spirit bids creation teem With conscious being and intelligence, So man His miniature resemblance gives To matter's every form a speaking soul, An emanation from his spirit's fount, The impress true of its peculiar seal. Here finds he thy best image, sympathy!"
Beautiful ego-ism! to quote one's own. But where is not this same ego? The martyr at the stake seeks its gratification as much as the court sycophant, the difference lying in the comparative dignity and beauty of the two egos. People absurdly talk of self-denial -- why there is none in Virtue to a being of moral excellence -- the greatest torture to such a soul would be to run counter to the dictates of conscience, to wallow in the slough of meanness, deception, revenge or sensuality. This was Paul's idea in the 1st chapter of 2d Ep[istle] to Timothy (I think that is the passage). 405
My dear Sister is as you may imagine, but poorly. I shall have my children 2nd week in March. If you have any little ones with whom you commence teaching to read, use I earnestly recommend, Mrs. Williams's Syllabic Method. 406 I have had a weary week and you have the fag end. At the beginning more than the usual amount of cooled glances, and exhortations to the suppression of self-conceit. The former are so many hailstones that make me wrap more closely around me the mantle of determinate purpose -- the latter are needful and have a tendency to exercise forbearance that well repays the temporary smart.
The heart knoweth its own whether bitterness or joy 407 -- let us, dearest beware how we even with good intentions press a finger's weight on the already bruised. The charity that thinketh no evil is loudly professed -- but where is it in persons who to nurse their reliance on their own sentiments positively as I have heard a lady do today attribute perseverance in lovely conduct to a proud determination to disappoint the expectation of a fall? O this masquerade of a world! But I shall weary you. May you be happy and healthy and continue to love
Mary Ann.
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, I, 107-109.
Foleshill Road | February 18th 1842.
My dear Maria,
I dare say you have added subtracted and divided suppositions until you think you have a sure product -- viz. a good quantum or rather a bad one of indifference and forgetfulness as the representation of my conduct towards you. If so, revise your arithmetic, for be it known to you that, having had my propensities sentiments and intellect gauged a second time, 401 I am pronounced to possess a large organ of [adhesiveness,] a still larger one of [firmness,] and as large of conscientiousness -- hence if I should turn out a very weather cock and a most pitiful truckler you will have data for the exercise of faith maugre common sense, common justice, and the testimony of your eyes and ears. I have not been in your neighbourhood 402 since I wrote to you, though I imagine, from a message my sister Mrs. Isaac told me of, that you had the idea that I was at Griff when you received my parcel.
I am right glad to hear of your going on at least as well as you expected -- with so much material for cheerfulness I know you will need no exhortation to its exercise. Some day or other we shall have a chat and I shall know more of your plans and prospects. I commit this letter with your Estelle 403 and a piece of brown holland to the charge of my Aunt Evarard, who I have no doubt will allow her servant to convey it to you. 404 I am sorry I kept your worsted so long and your songs, of whose presence in my folio I was unaware.
How go you for society, for communion of spirit, the drop of nectar in the cup of mortals? But why do I say the drop? The mind that feels its value will get large draughts from some source if denied it in the most commonly chosen way. "Mid the rich store of nature's gifts to man Each has his loves, close wedded to his soul By fine associations' golden links. As the Great Spirit bids creation teem With conscious being and intelligence, So man His miniature resemblance gives To matter's every form a speaking soul, An emanation from his spirit's fount, The impress true of its peculiar seal. Here finds he thy best image, sympathy!"
Beautiful ego-ism! to quote one's own. But where is not this same ego? The martyr at the stake seeks its gratification as much as the court sycophant, the difference lying in the comparative dignity and beauty of the two egos. People absurdly talk of self-denial -- why there is none in Virtue to a being of moral excellence -- the greatest torture to such a soul would be to run counter to the dictates of conscience, to wallow in the slough of meanness, deception, revenge or sensuality. This was Paul's idea in the 1st chapter of 2d Ep[istle] to Timothy (I think that is the passage). 405
My dear Sister is as you may imagine, but poorly. I shall have my children 2nd week in March. If you have any little ones with whom you commence teaching to read, use I earnestly recommend, Mrs. Williams's Syllabic Method. 406 I have had a weary week and you have the fag end. At the beginning more than the usual amount of cooled glances, and exhortations to the suppression of self-conceit. The former are so many hailstones that make me wrap more closely around me the mantle of determinate purpose -- the latter are needful and have a tendency to exercise forbearance that well repays the temporary smart.
The heart knoweth its own whether bitterness or joy 407 -- let us, dearest beware how we even with good intentions press a finger's weight on the already bruised. The charity that thinketh no evil is loudly professed -- but where is it in persons who to nurse their reliance on their own sentiments positively as I have heard a lady do today attribute perseverance in lovely conduct to a proud determination to disappoint the expectation of a fall? O this masquerade of a world! But I shall weary you. May you be happy and healthy and continue to love
Mary Ann.
Signature
Mary Ann.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, 18 February 1842, 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/92881