GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Barcelona, 2 February 1867
Title
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Barcelona, 2 February 1867
Title
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Barcelona, 2 February 1867
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon
Date(s)
- 1867-02-02
Place
Barcelona
Letter Content
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Barcelona, 2 February 1867
MS: Mr. Philip Leigh-Smith. Extracts published: Cross, III, 5-8.
Barcelona February 2. 1867.
It has been a vexing thought to me, dear Barbara, that I have been so long without writing to you after your last interesting packet, received at Biarritz. There have been constant hindrances: first, a journey to Pau to see our friend Mrs. Lehmann with whom we spent all our time there, leaving no intervals except for rest. Then a bilious attack at Biarritz, which made the one letter I was obliged to write a heavy burthen; and after that, incessant travelling and life in the open air -- and I am not able either to read or write in a railway carriage. I wrote to Mr. George Smith before I left Biarritz and told him about your letters, reserving them till my return. My George thought that would be the best plan, as all the matter in the letter is of a kind that will keep, and I don't want anyone to know about the proposition except ourselves until we find that it is accepted. So I have not written to Bessie, and I return you the envelope which will come in for one of your own letters.
Are you astonished to see our whereabouts? We left Biarritz for San Sebastian, where we stayed three days, and both there and all our way to Barcelona, our life has been a succession of delights. We have had perfect weather -- blue skies and a warm sun. George is much stronger and looks almost well; I think the interest of Spanish sights helps to do him good. We travelled from San Sebastian to Saragossa, where we paused two nights, then to Lerida, for one night, and yesterday to Barcelona. You know the scenery from San Sebastian to Alsasua, through the lower Pyrenees because it lies on the way to Burgos and Madrid. At Alsasua we turned off through Navarre into Aragon, seeing famous Pampeluna looking as beautiful as it did ages ago amongst the grand hills. At Saragossa the scene was thoroughly changed: all through Aragon as far as we could see, I should think the country resembles the highlands of central Spain. There is the most striking effect of hills, flanking the plain of Saragossa, I ever saw. They are of palish clay washed by the rains into undulating forms, and some slight herbage upon them makes the shadows of an exquisite blue. These hills accompanied us in the distance all the way through Aragon, the snowy mountains topping them in the far distance. The land is all pale brown, the numerous towns and villages just match the land, and so do the sheep-folds built of mud or stone. The herbage is all of an ashy green.
Perhaps if I had been in Africa, I should say as you do that the country reminded me of Africa: as it is, I think of all I have read about the East. The men who look on while others work at Saragossa also seem to belong to the East: with a great striped blanket wrapt grandly round them, and a kerchief tied about their hair. But though Aragon was held by the Moors longer than any part of northern Spain, the features and skins of the people seem to me to bear less traces of the mixture there must have been than one would fairly expect. Saragossa has a grand character still, in spite of the stucco with which the people have daubed the beautiful small brick of which the houses are built. Here and there we see a house left undesecrated by stucco and all of them have the fluted tiles and the broad eaves beautifully ornamented. Again, one side of the old Cathedral still shews the exquisite inlaid work which on the facade has been overlaid hideously. Gradually as we left Aragon, and entered Catalonia, the face of the country changed, and we had almost every sort of beauty in succession -- last of all between Monserrat and Barcelona a perfect garden, with the richest red soil -- blooms on the plum and cherry trees, olives thick in the hedges.
At present we are waiting for the Spanish hardships to begin. Even at Lerida, a place scarcely at all determined by foreign travellers, we were perfectly comfortable -- and such sights! The people scattered on the brown slopes of rough earth round the fortress, the women knitting etc. the men playing at cards. One wonderful family group; another of handsome gipsies.
We are actually going by steam-boat to Alicante, and from Alicante to Malaga. Then we mean to see Granada, Cordoba, and Seville. We shall only stay here a few days -- if this weather continues. George is on fire for the journey and now I am not afraid of it for him. So I shall not write again till we are in England. George sends his best of love to you and the Doctor. Remember me affectionately to your sister. Farewell, dearest Barbara.
Yours ever
M. E. L.
MS: Mr. Philip Leigh-Smith. Extracts published: Cross, III, 5-8.
Barcelona February 2. 1867.
It has been a vexing thought to me, dear Barbara, that I have been so long without writing to you after your last interesting packet, received at Biarritz. There have been constant hindrances: first, a journey to Pau to see our friend Mrs. Lehmann with whom we spent all our time there, leaving no intervals except for rest. Then a bilious attack at Biarritz, which made the one letter I was obliged to write a heavy burthen; and after that, incessant travelling and life in the open air -- and I am not able either to read or write in a railway carriage. I wrote to Mr. George Smith before I left Biarritz and told him about your letters, reserving them till my return. My George thought that would be the best plan, as all the matter in the letter is of a kind that will keep, and I don't want anyone to know about the proposition except ourselves until we find that it is accepted. So I have not written to Bessie, and I return you the envelope which will come in for one of your own letters.
Are you astonished to see our whereabouts? We left Biarritz for San Sebastian, where we stayed three days, and both there and all our way to Barcelona, our life has been a succession of delights. We have had perfect weather -- blue skies and a warm sun. George is much stronger and looks almost well; I think the interest of Spanish sights helps to do him good. We travelled from San Sebastian to Saragossa, where we paused two nights, then to Lerida, for one night, and yesterday to Barcelona. You know the scenery from San Sebastian to Alsasua, through the lower Pyrenees because it lies on the way to Burgos and Madrid. At Alsasua we turned off through Navarre into Aragon, seeing famous Pampeluna looking as beautiful as it did ages ago amongst the grand hills. At Saragossa the scene was thoroughly changed: all through Aragon as far as we could see, I should think the country resembles the highlands of central Spain. There is the most striking effect of hills, flanking the plain of Saragossa, I ever saw. They are of palish clay washed by the rains into undulating forms, and some slight herbage upon them makes the shadows of an exquisite blue. These hills accompanied us in the distance all the way through Aragon, the snowy mountains topping them in the far distance. The land is all pale brown, the numerous towns and villages just match the land, and so do the sheep-folds built of mud or stone. The herbage is all of an ashy green.
Perhaps if I had been in Africa, I should say as you do that the country reminded me of Africa: as it is, I think of all I have read about the East. The men who look on while others work at Saragossa also seem to belong to the East: with a great striped blanket wrapt grandly round them, and a kerchief tied about their hair. But though Aragon was held by the Moors longer than any part of northern Spain, the features and skins of the people seem to me to bear less traces of the mixture there must have been than one would fairly expect. Saragossa has a grand character still, in spite of the stucco with which the people have daubed the beautiful small brick of which the houses are built. Here and there we see a house left undesecrated by stucco and all of them have the fluted tiles and the broad eaves beautifully ornamented. Again, one side of the old Cathedral still shews the exquisite inlaid work which on the facade has been overlaid hideously. Gradually as we left Aragon, and entered Catalonia, the face of the country changed, and we had almost every sort of beauty in succession -- last of all between Monserrat and Barcelona a perfect garden, with the richest red soil -- blooms on the plum and cherry trees, olives thick in the hedges.
At present we are waiting for the Spanish hardships to begin. Even at Lerida, a place scarcely at all determined by foreign travellers, we were perfectly comfortable -- and such sights! The people scattered on the brown slopes of rough earth round the fortress, the women knitting etc. the men playing at cards. One wonderful family group; another of handsome gipsies.
We are actually going by steam-boat to Alicante, and from Alicante to Malaga. Then we mean to see Granada, Cordoba, and Seville. We shall only stay here a few days -- if this weather continues. George is on fire for the journey and now I am not afraid of it for him. So I shall not write again till we are in England. George sends his best of love to you and the Doctor. Remember me affectionately to your sister. Farewell, dearest Barbara.
Yours ever
M. E. L.
Signature
M. E. L.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Barcelona, 2 February 1867, 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/92982