GHL to Charles Holte Bracebridge, Wandsworth, 29 September 1859
Title
GHL to Charles Holte Bracebridge, Wandsworth, 29 September 1859
Title
GHL to Charles Holte Bracebridge, Wandsworth, 29 September 1859
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Charles Holte Bracebridge
Date(s)
- 1859-09-29
Place
Wandsworth
Letter Content
GHL to Charles Holte Bracebridge, Wandsworth, 29 September 1859
Text: Copy, Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
Holly Lodge, Wimbledon Park | Wandsworth | 29 September 1859.
Sir
You appear to have completely misunderstood the feeling animating us. We were never in the least disturbed by the idea of Mrs. Lewes's literary reputation being affected by the stories you were so industrious in circulating.
The case is this. Upon mere report, or surmise, you believe that Mr. Liggins is the author of Clerical Scenes and Adam Bede. When that is denied by the author, you choose to entrench yourself behind the absurd position that Mr. Liggins must have collected materials or furnished suggestions for those works; and you persist in that after my letter to Mr. Quirk, which admitted of no equivoque. When finally I write to you pointing out that by this persistence you accuse Mrs. Lewes of baseness and falsehood -- you evade that part of my letter altogether.
Moreover you state that certain characters in Adam Bede are portraits of certain persons; and that Mrs. Lewes had access to her aunt's journals and notes of sermons. An unequivocal denial comes -- and you evade that also. You cite instances of other writers having drawn "portraits"; but suppose any one should choose to identify some odious or ridiculous person in a novel with "Mr. Bracebridge of Atherstone," would you like that? And suppose the author were an acquaintance of yours, what would be his vexation at having a meaning ascribed to him which was never in his mind?
To prevent all possible mistakes and all further correspondence on this exceedingly disagreeable subject, Mrs. Lewes wishes me to ask you the following simple questions: -- 1. Do you still believe, and continue to inform people, that Mr. Liggins had anything whatever to do with the works in question?
If you do believe this, will you state the evidence on which you reject her positive denial of any acquaintance with Mr. Liggins, or with any notes or materials he may have collected?
Do you still maintain that Mrs. Lewes meant to represent the persons you have named, in the characters of Adam Bede?
Do you still maintain that she has seen the journals and notes of sermons, you mentioned?
Awaiting your replies to these questions I remain Sir
Your obedient Servant
G. H. Lewes.
C. H. Bracebridge Esq.
Text: Copy, Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
Holly Lodge, Wimbledon Park | Wandsworth | 29 September 1859.
Sir
You appear to have completely misunderstood the feeling animating us. We were never in the least disturbed by the idea of Mrs. Lewes's literary reputation being affected by the stories you were so industrious in circulating.
The case is this. Upon mere report, or surmise, you believe that Mr. Liggins is the author of Clerical Scenes and Adam Bede. When that is denied by the author, you choose to entrench yourself behind the absurd position that Mr. Liggins must have collected materials or furnished suggestions for those works; and you persist in that after my letter to Mr. Quirk, which admitted of no equivoque. When finally I write to you pointing out that by this persistence you accuse Mrs. Lewes of baseness and falsehood -- you evade that part of my letter altogether.
Moreover you state that certain characters in Adam Bede are portraits of certain persons; and that Mrs. Lewes had access to her aunt's journals and notes of sermons. An unequivocal denial comes -- and you evade that also. You cite instances of other writers having drawn "portraits"; but suppose any one should choose to identify some odious or ridiculous person in a novel with "Mr. Bracebridge of Atherstone," would you like that? And suppose the author were an acquaintance of yours, what would be his vexation at having a meaning ascribed to him which was never in his mind?
To prevent all possible mistakes and all further correspondence on this exceedingly disagreeable subject, Mrs. Lewes wishes me to ask you the following simple questions: -- 1. Do you still believe, and continue to inform people, that Mr. Liggins had anything whatever to do with the works in question?
If you do believe this, will you state the evidence on which you reject her positive denial of any acquaintance with Mr. Liggins, or with any notes or materials he may have collected?
Do you still maintain that Mrs. Lewes meant to represent the persons you have named, in the characters of Adam Bede?
Do you still maintain that she has seen the journals and notes of sermons, you mentioned?
Awaiting your replies to these questions I remain Sir
Your obedient Servant
G. H. Lewes.
C. H. Bracebridge Esq.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Charles Holte Bracebridge, Wandsworth, 29 September 1859, 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/94450