GHL to Charles Lee Lewes, Biarritz, 11 January 1867
Title
GHL to Charles Lee Lewes, Biarritz, 11 January 1867
Title
GHL to Charles Lee Lewes, Biarritz, 11 January 1867
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Charles Lee Lewes
Date(s)
- 1867-01-11
Place
Biarritz
Letter Content
GHL to Charles Lee Lewes, Biarritz, 11 January 1867
Text: Paterson, pp. 123-125.
Hotel d'Angleterre, | Biarritz. | January 11, 1867.
Dearest Children,
Your letter came whilst we were at lunch and Charlie's picture of the delicious London climate made a fine background for our imagination; we who had just come in from sitting on the rocks with our books -- the Mutter reading a little and the Pater confining his studies to the waves. 566 I will take up our story at Bayonne. 567 Saturday was a memorable day. For the first time I felt thoroughly satisfied at having taken this long journey -- the air was delicious, soft and summery -- so warm that roses are blowing in the open air and the Mutter had to buy a parasol. At this period London was covered with snow! Our first visit after a delighted glance at the streets was to the Cathedral. We ascended the tower, and never was a toilsome ascent of several hundred steps more repaid. The view of the Pyrenees was enchanting, not simply from the lines of the mountains and the snowy peaks but also from a peculiar combination of sky effects. The town below, the river winding silently through the plain and the background of mountain kept us in a series of detonating "Ohs!" till the custode must have formed some suspicion of our sanity. 568
We then explored the town. It is more than half Spanish and so picturesque that it may be called a succession of Prouts. 569 The costume of the Basque peasant -- a graceful cap, a red sash and a loose jacket -- and the oxen yoked to every cart, helped the general effect of coloured houses and jalousies (mostly buff houses with rich brown or green shutters). The streets narrow, the gables effective, the faces handsome and good-humoured. We sat by the river for half an hour's silent, dreamy enjoyment.
Sunday we had a farewell glance at the town and then set off in torrents of rain for Biarritz, having the coup'e9 to ourselves. Here we have three good rooms and a large antiroom, so that privacy is undisturbed. We took lunch the first day at table d'h'f4te to see what it was like and one trial was enough -- there was only a German baron and an English curate, and a very little of the latter and "sour English wife" goes a great way with us. And the place! What shall I say of the place? Hyperbole must be largely drawn upon to express our rapture in this marvellous coast. The stormy grandeur of the Bay of Biscay is something surpassing anything we have seen. The huge rocks seem to have been storm-torn from the coast and flung about in fury; and one understands how they were wrenched away and afterwards scooped and hollowed into caverns and arches by these tremendous waves that incessantly dash upon the coast, throwing up their spray to a height of 20 or 30 feet. Then the mountains -- and such sunsets! and the miraculous lights in the sky and over the sea. The effect upon us both has been prompt and immense -- the Mutter burst out laughing yesterday at my fat face.
We rub up our Spanish, I suddenly calling upon the Mutter to utter without hesitation a Spanish word or phrase for any English one I may suggest. In this way we are preparing ourselves for Spain.
God bless you my dearest Chicks. Mutter sends her love to you and all.
Pater.
Text: Paterson, pp. 123-125.
Hotel d'Angleterre, | Biarritz. | January 11, 1867.
Dearest Children,
Your letter came whilst we were at lunch and Charlie's picture of the delicious London climate made a fine background for our imagination; we who had just come in from sitting on the rocks with our books -- the Mutter reading a little and the Pater confining his studies to the waves. 566 I will take up our story at Bayonne. 567 Saturday was a memorable day. For the first time I felt thoroughly satisfied at having taken this long journey -- the air was delicious, soft and summery -- so warm that roses are blowing in the open air and the Mutter had to buy a parasol. At this period London was covered with snow! Our first visit after a delighted glance at the streets was to the Cathedral. We ascended the tower, and never was a toilsome ascent of several hundred steps more repaid. The view of the Pyrenees was enchanting, not simply from the lines of the mountains and the snowy peaks but also from a peculiar combination of sky effects. The town below, the river winding silently through the plain and the background of mountain kept us in a series of detonating "Ohs!" till the custode must have formed some suspicion of our sanity. 568
We then explored the town. It is more than half Spanish and so picturesque that it may be called a succession of Prouts. 569 The costume of the Basque peasant -- a graceful cap, a red sash and a loose jacket -- and the oxen yoked to every cart, helped the general effect of coloured houses and jalousies (mostly buff houses with rich brown or green shutters). The streets narrow, the gables effective, the faces handsome and good-humoured. We sat by the river for half an hour's silent, dreamy enjoyment.
Sunday we had a farewell glance at the town and then set off in torrents of rain for Biarritz, having the coup'e9 to ourselves. Here we have three good rooms and a large antiroom, so that privacy is undisturbed. We took lunch the first day at table d'h'f4te to see what it was like and one trial was enough -- there was only a German baron and an English curate, and a very little of the latter and "sour English wife" goes a great way with us. And the place! What shall I say of the place? Hyperbole must be largely drawn upon to express our rapture in this marvellous coast. The stormy grandeur of the Bay of Biscay is something surpassing anything we have seen. The huge rocks seem to have been storm-torn from the coast and flung about in fury; and one understands how they were wrenched away and afterwards scooped and hollowed into caverns and arches by these tremendous waves that incessantly dash upon the coast, throwing up their spray to a height of 20 or 30 feet. Then the mountains -- and such sunsets! and the miraculous lights in the sky and over the sea. The effect upon us both has been prompt and immense -- the Mutter burst out laughing yesterday at my fat face.
We rub up our Spanish, I suddenly calling upon the Mutter to utter without hesitation a Spanish word or phrase for any English one I may suggest. In this way we are preparing ourselves for Spain.
God bless you my dearest Chicks. Mutter sends her love to you and all.
Pater.
Signature
Pater.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Charles Lee Lewes, Biarritz, 11 January 1867, 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/94453