GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, Geneva, 4 October [1849]
Title
GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, Geneva, 4 October [1849]
Title
GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, Geneva, 4 October [1849]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton
Date(s)
- 1849-10-04
Place
Geneva
Letter Content
GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, Geneva, 4 October [1849]
Text: Typed copy made for Miss Elsie Druce, Yale. Extracts published: I, 313-314.
Plongeon | Thursday October 4th.
My dear Fanny
The blessed compensation there is in all things made your letter doubly precious for having been waited for, and it would have inspired me to write to you again much sooner, but that I have been in uncertainty about settling myself for the winter and I wished to send you my future address. I have finally decided on going to M. D'Albert's. He is a highly respectable artist, a man I am told of beaucoup d'esprit, fond of music and possessing a circle of superior friends. His wife is a very pleasing lady-like person with a most kind face. I shall be their only pensionnaire and I am to have a nice apartment with an alcove, that continental device for turning a bedroom into a sittingroom. Everything is to be provided for me except firewood for 150f. i.e. £6 per month. One of the advantages of being in Geneva alone is that people of a really high tone of manners and education receive pensionnaires -- the fruit of the revolution I believe, which has reduced many fortunes. The D'Alberts are middle-aged, between 40 and 50, and have two nice boys 30 about 14 or 15. They seem pleased with the idea of having me and are very anxious to accommodate me as far as possible. I am to move to my new home on Tuesday the 9th and my address will then be M. D'Albert Durade, rue des Chanoines, no. 107. I shall not at all regret leaving here, for my only favourite, the Baronne de Ludwigsdorff will set off for Vienna on Saturday, for the season is beginning to be rather sombre, though the glorious chestnuts here are still worth looking at half the day.
You have heard of some of the people whom I have described in my letters to Rosehill -- but I do not think I have mentioned to you Mde. de Ludwigsdorff. She is a very accomplished Englishwoman, who married about 10 years ago an Austrian Baron of large possessions. She has not at all the air of an English person -- dark as a Spaniard, with French manners and a perfect Parisian accent. She has been quite a treasure to me for the last month, for something has drawn us together in spite of all the disparities between us and I hardly think that I ever became so quickly attached to anyone before. But alas, she seems to know so little of her future that I am almost afraid our parting on Saturday will be a final one. Her life has been a most interesting one, and I shall always yearn to know how the woof is being spun out. 31
The society here is less distingu'e9 than usual just now. There are two French families whom it is amusing enough to see now and then, but who excite no vivid interest. The dear little old maid Mlle. de Phaisan is quite a good friend to me -- extremely prosy and full of tiny details, but really people of that calibre are a comfort to one occasionally, when one has not strength for more stimulating things. She is a sample of those happy souls who ask for nothing but the work of the hour however trivial -- who are content to live without knowing whether they effect anything, but who do really effect much good simply by their calm and even maintien. I laugh to hear her say in a tone of remonstrance, "Mde de Ludwigsdorff dit qu'elle s'ennuie quand les soir'e9es sont longue -- moi, je ne con'e7ois pas comment on peut s'ennuyer quand on a de l'ouvrage ou des jeux ou de la conversation."
We have had a Scotch family here named Forbes -- relatives of the Professor Forbes of Glacier celebrity. 32 They have travelled much in Europe and the East -- and by the bye are cousins i.e. the younger generation, to Miss Skene, whose long wild book [Use and Abuse] Miss Forbes lent me to read. 33 They are very evangelical, but Miss Forbes has a character which renders one's interest in her quite independent of such matters. She has no brilliant powers, but is earnest in feeling and evidently highly valuable in domestic life. She took a great fancy to me -- which has transmuted itself into a grave anxiety now that she finds we differ very materially.
They are gone to Rome for the winter, being recommended to go south for Miss Forbes' health. They had been in Spain before coming here.
My health has been very wretched here, partly owing to the unseasonable hours -- 10 o'clock for breakfast and 6 for dinner, but at present I am better, and I have no doubt that I shall recover my strength when I have a few more bodily comforts. I want to present a very robust appearance to you all in spring. And you dear Fanny, I hope, are getting back again your moderate share of embonpoint. When people who are dressing elegantly and riding about to make calls every day of their life, have been telling me of their troubles -- their utter hopelessness of ever finding a vein worth working in their future life, my thoughts have turned towards many whose sufferings are of a more tangible character, and I have really felt all the old commonplaces about equality of human destinies -- always excepting those spiritual differences which are apart not only from poverty and riches, but from individual affections.
I have had a second letter from Sara with one from Isaac. Dear Chrissy also has found time and strength to write to me -- very precious her letter was, though I wept over it. "Deep abiding grief must be mine" she says and I know well it must be. The mystery of trial! It falls with such avalanche-weight on the head of the meek and patient. I should be much more comfortable in thinking of you if you had some means of transporting yourself now and then to Meriden or anywhere else that your heart would carry you. Can you not manage to use the carriage yet? I am delighted that Mr. Bromley 34 seems to be acting with something like an appreciation of Henry's efforts to serve him. I wish I could do something of more avail for my friends than love them and long for their happiness. You dearest Fanny have a very large share of that very unmarketable benefit. Send me news of yourself as soon as you can without feeling it a tax to do so. The smallest detail is of value to me. To think of you being without a servant a fortnight! You shew too much vigour. Keep some of it latent, remember the Proverb [The willing horse] 35 etc. Does not Willenhall look beautiful in the autumn? The trees on the knoll opposite your house must have fine effect now. I can hardly see the letters I am framing and am expecting the dinner bell so, dear Fanny, once more believe I love you, and tell Henry I love him for your sake when he is good to you.
Your
Mary Ann.
Love to Robert and Jane 36 whenever you can give it for me.
Text: Typed copy made for Miss Elsie Druce, Yale. Extracts published: I, 313-314.
Plongeon | Thursday October 4th.
My dear Fanny
The blessed compensation there is in all things made your letter doubly precious for having been waited for, and it would have inspired me to write to you again much sooner, but that I have been in uncertainty about settling myself for the winter and I wished to send you my future address. I have finally decided on going to M. D'Albert's. He is a highly respectable artist, a man I am told of beaucoup d'esprit, fond of music and possessing a circle of superior friends. His wife is a very pleasing lady-like person with a most kind face. I shall be their only pensionnaire and I am to have a nice apartment with an alcove, that continental device for turning a bedroom into a sittingroom. Everything is to be provided for me except firewood for 150f. i.e. £6 per month. One of the advantages of being in Geneva alone is that people of a really high tone of manners and education receive pensionnaires -- the fruit of the revolution I believe, which has reduced many fortunes. The D'Alberts are middle-aged, between 40 and 50, and have two nice boys 30 about 14 or 15. They seem pleased with the idea of having me and are very anxious to accommodate me as far as possible. I am to move to my new home on Tuesday the 9th and my address will then be M. D'Albert Durade, rue des Chanoines, no. 107. I shall not at all regret leaving here, for my only favourite, the Baronne de Ludwigsdorff will set off for Vienna on Saturday, for the season is beginning to be rather sombre, though the glorious chestnuts here are still worth looking at half the day.
You have heard of some of the people whom I have described in my letters to Rosehill -- but I do not think I have mentioned to you Mde. de Ludwigsdorff. She is a very accomplished Englishwoman, who married about 10 years ago an Austrian Baron of large possessions. She has not at all the air of an English person -- dark as a Spaniard, with French manners and a perfect Parisian accent. She has been quite a treasure to me for the last month, for something has drawn us together in spite of all the disparities between us and I hardly think that I ever became so quickly attached to anyone before. But alas, she seems to know so little of her future that I am almost afraid our parting on Saturday will be a final one. Her life has been a most interesting one, and I shall always yearn to know how the woof is being spun out. 31
The society here is less distingu'e9 than usual just now. There are two French families whom it is amusing enough to see now and then, but who excite no vivid interest. The dear little old maid Mlle. de Phaisan is quite a good friend to me -- extremely prosy and full of tiny details, but really people of that calibre are a comfort to one occasionally, when one has not strength for more stimulating things. She is a sample of those happy souls who ask for nothing but the work of the hour however trivial -- who are content to live without knowing whether they effect anything, but who do really effect much good simply by their calm and even maintien. I laugh to hear her say in a tone of remonstrance, "Mde de Ludwigsdorff dit qu'elle s'ennuie quand les soir'e9es sont longue -- moi, je ne con'e7ois pas comment on peut s'ennuyer quand on a de l'ouvrage ou des jeux ou de la conversation."
We have had a Scotch family here named Forbes -- relatives of the Professor Forbes of Glacier celebrity. 32 They have travelled much in Europe and the East -- and by the bye are cousins i.e. the younger generation, to Miss Skene, whose long wild book [Use and Abuse] Miss Forbes lent me to read. 33 They are very evangelical, but Miss Forbes has a character which renders one's interest in her quite independent of such matters. She has no brilliant powers, but is earnest in feeling and evidently highly valuable in domestic life. She took a great fancy to me -- which has transmuted itself into a grave anxiety now that she finds we differ very materially.
They are gone to Rome for the winter, being recommended to go south for Miss Forbes' health. They had been in Spain before coming here.
My health has been very wretched here, partly owing to the unseasonable hours -- 10 o'clock for breakfast and 6 for dinner, but at present I am better, and I have no doubt that I shall recover my strength when I have a few more bodily comforts. I want to present a very robust appearance to you all in spring. And you dear Fanny, I hope, are getting back again your moderate share of embonpoint. When people who are dressing elegantly and riding about to make calls every day of their life, have been telling me of their troubles -- their utter hopelessness of ever finding a vein worth working in their future life, my thoughts have turned towards many whose sufferings are of a more tangible character, and I have really felt all the old commonplaces about equality of human destinies -- always excepting those spiritual differences which are apart not only from poverty and riches, but from individual affections.
I have had a second letter from Sara with one from Isaac. Dear Chrissy also has found time and strength to write to me -- very precious her letter was, though I wept over it. "Deep abiding grief must be mine" she says and I know well it must be. The mystery of trial! It falls with such avalanche-weight on the head of the meek and patient. I should be much more comfortable in thinking of you if you had some means of transporting yourself now and then to Meriden or anywhere else that your heart would carry you. Can you not manage to use the carriage yet? I am delighted that Mr. Bromley 34 seems to be acting with something like an appreciation of Henry's efforts to serve him. I wish I could do something of more avail for my friends than love them and long for their happiness. You dearest Fanny have a very large share of that very unmarketable benefit. Send me news of yourself as soon as you can without feeling it a tax to do so. The smallest detail is of value to me. To think of you being without a servant a fortnight! You shew too much vigour. Keep some of it latent, remember the Proverb [The willing horse] 35 etc. Does not Willenhall look beautiful in the autumn? The trees on the knoll opposite your house must have fine effect now. I can hardly see the letters I am framing and am expecting the dinner bell so, dear Fanny, once more believe I love you, and tell Henry I love him for your sake when he is good to you.
Your
Mary Ann.
Love to Robert and Jane 36 whenever you can give it for me.
Signature
Mary Ann.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Fanny [Mrs. Henry] Houghton, Geneva, 4 October [1849], 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/93494