GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, [Foleshill, 18 June 1844]
Title
GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, [Foleshill, 18 June 1844]
Title
GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, [Foleshill, 18 June 1844]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray
Date(s)
- 1844-06-18
Place
Foleshill
Letter Content
GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, [Foleshill, 18 June 1844]
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, I, 128-129.
My dear Friend,
It was very kind of you to think of me among so many pleasant people and pleasant sights. 518 I am quite glad that you have Mr. Noel to double your enjoyment as well as have his own share. I went to your house as a marauder this morning, to carry off a book from the book-case, and I found Hannah brimful of a theft that has been committed at your neighbour's Mr. Carter's. 519 Some snapper up of unconsidered trifles from the fair I suppose, thought of running away with a silver fork and spoon but Jephcott has the glory of being the police officer in the case. Verily these are not days to hang up bracelets in the highways.
I do not think it was kind to Strauss (I knew he was handsome) to tell him that a young lady was translating his book. I am sure he must have some twinges of alarm to think he was dependent on that most contemptible specimen of the human being for his English reputation.
My love to Sara, and tell her I do not wish to distress her conscience with the purchase of an atheistic book, but I feel sure there is a [Bauer's Wesen des Christenthums] 520 published at Berlin.
By the way, I never said that the canons of the Council of Nice, or the Confession of Augsburg, or even the 39 articles are suggestive of poetry. I imagine no dogmas can be. But surely Christianity with its Hebrew retrospect and millennial hopes, the heroism and Divine sorrow of its founder and all its glorious army of martyrs might supply and has supplied a strong impulse not only to poetry but to all the fine arts.
Mrs. Pears is coming home from Malvern to-night, and the children are coming to tea with me so that I have to make haste with my afternoon matters. Beautiful little Susan has been blowing bubbles and looking like an angel at sport. I am quite happy, only sometimes feeling "the weight of all this unintelligible world." That is Wordsworth's idea, 521 and you must allow it to be vinous, not milk and watery as usual.
Love to Mr. Bray, although I am tremendously offended with his letter. Breakfast with you on Friday morning!
Mary Ann.
Tuesday afternoon.
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, I, 128-129.
My dear Friend,
It was very kind of you to think of me among so many pleasant people and pleasant sights. 518 I am quite glad that you have Mr. Noel to double your enjoyment as well as have his own share. I went to your house as a marauder this morning, to carry off a book from the book-case, and I found Hannah brimful of a theft that has been committed at your neighbour's Mr. Carter's. 519 Some snapper up of unconsidered trifles from the fair I suppose, thought of running away with a silver fork and spoon but Jephcott has the glory of being the police officer in the case. Verily these are not days to hang up bracelets in the highways.
I do not think it was kind to Strauss (I knew he was handsome) to tell him that a young lady was translating his book. I am sure he must have some twinges of alarm to think he was dependent on that most contemptible specimen of the human being for his English reputation.
My love to Sara, and tell her I do not wish to distress her conscience with the purchase of an atheistic book, but I feel sure there is a [Bauer's Wesen des Christenthums] 520 published at Berlin.
By the way, I never said that the canons of the Council of Nice, or the Confession of Augsburg, or even the 39 articles are suggestive of poetry. I imagine no dogmas can be. But surely Christianity with its Hebrew retrospect and millennial hopes, the heroism and Divine sorrow of its founder and all its glorious army of martyrs might supply and has supplied a strong impulse not only to poetry but to all the fine arts.
Mrs. Pears is coming home from Malvern to-night, and the children are coming to tea with me so that I have to make haste with my afternoon matters. Beautiful little Susan has been blowing bubbles and looking like an angel at sport. I am quite happy, only sometimes feeling "the weight of all this unintelligible world." That is Wordsworth's idea, 521 and you must allow it to be vinous, not milk and watery as usual.
Love to Mr. Bray, although I am tremendously offended with his letter. Breakfast with you on Friday morning!
Mary Ann.
Tuesday afternoon.
Signature
Mary Ann.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, [Foleshill, 18 June 1844], 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/93205