GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Richmond, 19 August [1857]
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Richmond, 19 August [1857]
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Richmond, 19 August [1857]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Sara Sophia Hennell
Date(s)
- 1857-08-19
Place
Richmond
Letter Content
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Richmond, 19 August [1857]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1857. Extracts published: Cross, I, 464; George Eliot and John Chapman, p. 98.
Park Shot | August 19.
Dear Sara
What a pleasant surprize -- the date of your note this morning! I write at once, because if you are to fly away again in that sparrow-like way after only peeping at the sea, I must make haste and catch you. I do hope, though, that you will find it do you so much good, you will decide on staying longer than a week. 954
Dr. and Mrs. Bodichon came a few days after you left us. We think the essential is there -- that he is a genuine, right-feeling man. They are wisely going to America for a year, and I hope in that time he will learn to speak English, so as to be an "organ" better fitted to this "medium" of English life than he is at present. 955
We went to see Rosa Bonheur's picture 956 the other day. What power! That is the way women should assert their rights.
It has often occurred to me since I left you, that you may have misunderstood what I said about publishing your book with Mr. Chapman. I should not like you to be under the mistake of supposing, that I would not go out of my way to do him any real service -- for example, I would write an article for his review rather than for any other, though that other might give me a few more guineas. But self-defeating actions do no one any good. And for you to publish with him would in my opinion, be an action of that kind. 957
On one other point, too, do not misunderstand me. Writing is part of my religion, and I can write no word that 'abdoes not clothe my [deep?] faith.'bb is not prompted from within. At the same time I believe that almost all the best books in the world have been written with the hope of getting money for them. God bless you.
Ever your affectionate
Marian.
Mr. Lewes sends his kind remembrances. He takes Bertie to Hofwyl next week.
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1857. Extracts published: Cross, I, 464; George Eliot and John Chapman, p. 98.
Park Shot | August 19.
Dear Sara
What a pleasant surprize -- the date of your note this morning! I write at once, because if you are to fly away again in that sparrow-like way after only peeping at the sea, I must make haste and catch you. I do hope, though, that you will find it do you so much good, you will decide on staying longer than a week. 954
Dr. and Mrs. Bodichon came a few days after you left us. We think the essential is there -- that he is a genuine, right-feeling man. They are wisely going to America for a year, and I hope in that time he will learn to speak English, so as to be an "organ" better fitted to this "medium" of English life than he is at present. 955
We went to see Rosa Bonheur's picture 956 the other day. What power! That is the way women should assert their rights.
It has often occurred to me since I left you, that you may have misunderstood what I said about publishing your book with Mr. Chapman. I should not like you to be under the mistake of supposing, that I would not go out of my way to do him any real service -- for example, I would write an article for his review rather than for any other, though that other might give me a few more guineas. But self-defeating actions do no one any good. And for you to publish with him would in my opinion, be an action of that kind. 957
On one other point, too, do not misunderstand me. Writing is part of my religion, and I can write no word that 'abdoes not clothe my [deep?] faith.'bb is not prompted from within. At the same time I believe that almost all the best books in the world have been written with the hope of getting money for them. God bless you.
Ever your affectionate
Marian.
Mr. Lewes sends his kind remembrances. He takes Bertie to Hofwyl next week.
Signature
Marian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Richmond, 19 August [1857], 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/94091