GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 23 March 1840
Title
GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 23 March 1840
Title
GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 23 March 1840
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Maria Lewis
Date(s)
- 1840-03-23
Place
GRIFF
Letter Content
GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 23 March 1840
MS: Yale. Address: Miss Lewis | The Revd L. Harper's | Burton Latimer | Kettering. Postmark: COVENTRY | M 23 | 1840. Nine words published: Cross, I, 61.
Griff March 23d 1840.
My very dear Friend,
Do you not know that fear is like some pseudo-prophecies, bringing to pass the very event it forbodes? I fear that I am going to send you another shabby selfish letter, and I dare to say my dread will deprive me of the little ability I might otherwise have to make the best of a bad season for writing. I really meant to give myself the treat of scribbling a long letter to you this week but I am obliged to send you one to-night that I may if possible obtain from you the full name, style and title of Dr. Pearson's Essay, 178 with that of its publisher, for Mr. Short 179 who seldom succeeds in getting me the right thing, having apparently a pendant to himself in London not at all inferior in stolidity, has sent me word that he cannot find out the birthplace of the work, and I am consequently losing a little time that might be more effectively employed, if I knew whether my ground had been preoccupied or not.
Many thanks for the rules, which I felt conscience-stricken to receive from you, knowing how precious is your modicum of leisure. I have just received my second lesson in German 180 and while I think of it I will rectify a mistake that I remember imparting to you when we were together, respecting the Sch. In German these letters united are invariably pronounced as the sh in our she, so that Schiller is Shiller. Goethe, the German way of spelling which is G'f6the, is pronounced as though the former vowel were the French eu in peu. The final e is not open, but like the common English pronunciation of er, when the r is not heard. Ch without the s varies according to its junction with certain vowels or consonants. Ei is pron[ounced] like i in fine, so that Freischutz is Frishutz.
I am rejoiced to hear even of constrained civility to you, as we well know that necessity becomes habit, and habit sometimes strikes out the roots of principle. It is to be hoped that such will be the case here. Satan's sentiments "Evil be thou my good," 181 is by no means peculiar to the Monarch of iniquity -- it is shared in various degrees by all his subjects.
I am grieved to tell you that our dear Chrissey is in a very weak state from a kind of affliction second only to a confinement. I have not your letter at hand and am too hurried to fetch it, though I have an impression that it contains something I should like to notice, more than my memory furnishes to me. You remember hearing me speak of a dear Methodist Aunt in Derbyshire. She is now awaiting in peace and joy the summons that shall call her to be ever with the Lord. O to be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises! 182 And what promises! while we inflate ourselves with wind, and refuse the feast of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined 183 that the Saviour has placed within our reach.
Much love and promises of amendment from
Your own
Polly.
MS: Yale. Address: Miss Lewis | The Revd L. Harper's | Burton Latimer | Kettering. Postmark: COVENTRY | M 23 | 1840. Nine words published: Cross, I, 61.
Griff March 23d 1840.
My very dear Friend,
Do you not know that fear is like some pseudo-prophecies, bringing to pass the very event it forbodes? I fear that I am going to send you another shabby selfish letter, and I dare to say my dread will deprive me of the little ability I might otherwise have to make the best of a bad season for writing. I really meant to give myself the treat of scribbling a long letter to you this week but I am obliged to send you one to-night that I may if possible obtain from you the full name, style and title of Dr. Pearson's Essay, 178 with that of its publisher, for Mr. Short 179 who seldom succeeds in getting me the right thing, having apparently a pendant to himself in London not at all inferior in stolidity, has sent me word that he cannot find out the birthplace of the work, and I am consequently losing a little time that might be more effectively employed, if I knew whether my ground had been preoccupied or not.
Many thanks for the rules, which I felt conscience-stricken to receive from you, knowing how precious is your modicum of leisure. I have just received my second lesson in German 180 and while I think of it I will rectify a mistake that I remember imparting to you when we were together, respecting the Sch. In German these letters united are invariably pronounced as the sh in our she, so that Schiller is Shiller. Goethe, the German way of spelling which is G'f6the, is pronounced as though the former vowel were the French eu in peu. The final e is not open, but like the common English pronunciation of er, when the r is not heard. Ch without the s varies according to its junction with certain vowels or consonants. Ei is pron[ounced] like i in fine, so that Freischutz is Frishutz.
I am rejoiced to hear even of constrained civility to you, as we well know that necessity becomes habit, and habit sometimes strikes out the roots of principle. It is to be hoped that such will be the case here. Satan's sentiments "Evil be thou my good," 181 is by no means peculiar to the Monarch of iniquity -- it is shared in various degrees by all his subjects.
I am grieved to tell you that our dear Chrissey is in a very weak state from a kind of affliction second only to a confinement. I have not your letter at hand and am too hurried to fetch it, though I have an impression that it contains something I should like to notice, more than my memory furnishes to me. You remember hearing me speak of a dear Methodist Aunt in Derbyshire. She is now awaiting in peace and joy the summons that shall call her to be ever with the Lord. O to be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises! 182 And what promises! while we inflate ourselves with wind, and refuse the feast of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined 183 that the Saviour has placed within our reach.
Much love and promises of amendment from
Your own
Polly.
Signature
Polly.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 23 March 1840, 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/92908