GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [18 November 1853]
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [18 November 1853]
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [18 November 1853]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Sara Sophia Hennell
Date(s)
- 1853-11-18
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [18 November 1853]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: Nov. 3. 1853. Extracts published: Cross, I, 315.
Cambridge St. | Friday.
Dear Sara
When I wrote the other day I had not read your nice little notice of Leigh Hunt's book. 396 I think you have characterized it very justly -- at least all the praise you have given it is appropriate, but of course you have charitably suppressed a great deal of disprobation which is equally just. I can't help laughing at the imbecility of that pious dictum -- that if Shelley had lived till now he would have been a Christian -- that is, he would have been old woman enough for it by this time.
We had a pleasant evening at Mr. Mackay's on Wednesday, Dr. Arnott 397 my especial favorite being there. I was considerably surprized at the sight of Dr. Elliotson -- I had expected a tall graceful man. He is rauh and stumpy in person and abrupt in manner. But Mrs. Mackay says he is the "best man living." He expressed considerable indignation about Carpenter's article -- not unjustly I think -- because it blinks all the facts of mesmerism. 398 Mary Marshall was there. She seems very sadly out of health. I saw old Mrs. Atkinson the other day -- a really fine old woman, full of the sweet milk of human kindness.
Mr. Lewes was at Cambridge about a fortnight ago, and found that Herbert Spencer was a great deal talked of there, for the article on the Universal Postulate as well as other things. Mr. Lewes himself has a knot of devotees there who make his history of Philosophy 399 a private text-book.
Miss Martineau's Comte is out now. Do you mean to do it or Mr. Lewes's? 400 We can get no one to write an article on Comte for the next number of the Westminster -- Bain, 401 our last hope, refusing.
I dare say this gossip is not very interesting to you, but a headache this morning inclined me to fill up ten minutes by writing it.
Ever thy loving
Pollian.
MS: Yale. Endorsed: Nov. 3. 1853. Extracts published: Cross, I, 315.
Cambridge St. | Friday.
Dear Sara
When I wrote the other day I had not read your nice little notice of Leigh Hunt's book. 396 I think you have characterized it very justly -- at least all the praise you have given it is appropriate, but of course you have charitably suppressed a great deal of disprobation which is equally just. I can't help laughing at the imbecility of that pious dictum -- that if Shelley had lived till now he would have been a Christian -- that is, he would have been old woman enough for it by this time.
We had a pleasant evening at Mr. Mackay's on Wednesday, Dr. Arnott 397 my especial favorite being there. I was considerably surprized at the sight of Dr. Elliotson -- I had expected a tall graceful man. He is rauh and stumpy in person and abrupt in manner. But Mrs. Mackay says he is the "best man living." He expressed considerable indignation about Carpenter's article -- not unjustly I think -- because it blinks all the facts of mesmerism. 398 Mary Marshall was there. She seems very sadly out of health. I saw old Mrs. Atkinson the other day -- a really fine old woman, full of the sweet milk of human kindness.
Mr. Lewes was at Cambridge about a fortnight ago, and found that Herbert Spencer was a great deal talked of there, for the article on the Universal Postulate as well as other things. Mr. Lewes himself has a knot of devotees there who make his history of Philosophy 399 a private text-book.
Miss Martineau's Comte is out now. Do you mean to do it or Mr. Lewes's? 400 We can get no one to write an article on Comte for the next number of the Westminster -- Bain, 401 our last hope, refusing.
I dare say this gossip is not very interesting to you, but a headache this morning inclined me to fill up ten minutes by writing it.
Ever thy loving
Pollian.
Signature
Pollian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [18 November 1853], 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/93946