GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, [Foleshill, 20 April 1848]
Title
GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, [Foleshill, 20 April 1848]
Title
GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, [Foleshill, 20 April 1848]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton
Date(s)
- 1848-04-20
Place
Foleshill
Letter Content
GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, [Foleshill, 20 April 1848]
MS: Miss Dorothy Evans. Hitherto unpublished.
Thursday.
My dear Fanny
I have been expecting to see you almost daily, but I was unwilling to write to you until I could say something cheering of dear Father. I sent Robert word of his illness, because I thought an exaggerated report might reach him and cause him needless alarm. I knew that Henry and you were aware of his being out of health, and thought that you would surely come and see him.
I suppose poor Henry's illness has prevented you. I trust dear Father will soon be well again, when he has had the change which Dr. Powell and Edward 725 recommend. They pronounce him to be quite free from real disease and attribute his disorder to repeated attacks of influenza which have served to aggravate a wrong state of the liver and of the secretions generally. It has been a greater trial to me than I have ever had to see him suffering for so many weeks together.
I have been a wretched invalid myself, have lost two great teeth since I saw you, and have had no spirits to spare. I fear you too have been sadly tried. I am sorry I happened to be gone a walk when Henry came this morning. It is rather too great a risk to come from Leamington to pay 'bd an hour's visit without giving notice. We had a letter from Isaac at Hallam this morning. They are all well. Ever dear Fanny,
Your affectionate
Mary Ann
MS: Miss Dorothy Evans. Hitherto unpublished.
Thursday.
My dear Fanny
I have been expecting to see you almost daily, but I was unwilling to write to you until I could say something cheering of dear Father. I sent Robert word of his illness, because I thought an exaggerated report might reach him and cause him needless alarm. I knew that Henry and you were aware of his being out of health, and thought that you would surely come and see him.
I suppose poor Henry's illness has prevented you. I trust dear Father will soon be well again, when he has had the change which Dr. Powell and Edward 725 recommend. They pronounce him to be quite free from real disease and attribute his disorder to repeated attacks of influenza which have served to aggravate a wrong state of the liver and of the secretions generally. It has been a greater trial to me than I have ever had to see him suffering for so many weeks together.
I have been a wretched invalid myself, have lost two great teeth since I saw you, and have had no spirits to spare. I fear you too have been sadly tried. I am sorry I happened to be gone a walk when Henry came this morning. It is rather too great a risk to come from Leamington to pay 'bd an hour's visit without giving notice. We had a letter from Isaac at Hallam this morning. They are all well. Ever dear Fanny,
Your affectionate
Mary Ann
Signature
Mary Ann
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, [Foleshill, 20 April 1848], 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/93469