GHL to Herbert Spencer, Richmond, [9 March 1856]
Title
GHL to Herbert Spencer, Richmond, [9 March 1856]
Title
GHL to Herbert Spencer, Richmond, [9 March 1856]
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Herbert Spencer
Date(s)
- 1856-03-09
Place
Richmond
Letter Content
GHL to Herbert Spencer, Richmond, [9 March 1856]
MS: University of London.
Park Shot | Richmond | Sunday.
My dear Spencer
And so you have become a hewer of wood and drawer of water? 281 Is that the exodus of philosophy? It explains what in English life has hitherto been an obscurity to me, viz. the venerable old men who occupy themselves breaking stones on the Queen's highway -- they are all ex-thinkers, broken down by large discourse of reason, decrepit with scepticism, used up from cerebral excitement. I shall take off my hat to the next I see; and ask him whether he has made any annotations on the Biog. Hist. of Phil. which invaluable work he will of course know by heart.
But now about you. Do you get good wages? Is your beer included? Do you cut your fingers, and occasionally hack your toes? -- not that cutting hurts -- at least not me; for I am by no means contemplating letting myself out as an ablebodied labourer. My function in life is to be ornamental.
We were amused by your asking if I had anything to do with the Lion article 282 (which indeed I had -- it was written in a hurry to stop a gap for J.C.) because you knew my "weakness" for dancing before lions. Marry come up, weakness! You might have called it strength which your unfeline weakness couldn't sympathize with. -- There's a young lioness in the Z. Gardens just now more kissable than the loveliest Circassian in the Sultan's harem. Perhaps you think that a weakness? Do you never dance before noodles, and shall not I dance before majestic lions? --
Do not fail to come here, when you lounge to London. We shall most likely have a bed for you, at any rate you can get one near, and then we will have such reminiscences!
As you must not reason, and 'e0 fortiori not excite yourself over the Reasoner, I content myself with enclosing you this cutting from that exhilirating publication. Marian pictures to herself you "entering the arena of public controversy" with Mr. T. Cooper, 283 and discussing the principles of Psychology in presence of the whole society of Secularists. It would be pleasant.
[NB. In case the sagacious Psychologist should not think of it -- when you come here if Mr. Lewes should happen to be out, mind you ask for Mrs. Lewes!]
I have been cutting up Brodie's Psych. Inquiries in the Saturday, which gave me an opportunity of again bringing in your "Principles." 284 I hope the book sells. If it can get a decent nucleus of a public it is sure to make its way; all that surrounds the nucleus being as you know a sell.
My budget is at an end. Marian too heady to write begs her kindest remembrances.
Ever yours
G. H. Lewes.
MS: University of London.
Park Shot | Richmond | Sunday.
My dear Spencer
And so you have become a hewer of wood and drawer of water? 281 Is that the exodus of philosophy? It explains what in English life has hitherto been an obscurity to me, viz. the venerable old men who occupy themselves breaking stones on the Queen's highway -- they are all ex-thinkers, broken down by large discourse of reason, decrepit with scepticism, used up from cerebral excitement. I shall take off my hat to the next I see; and ask him whether he has made any annotations on the Biog. Hist. of Phil. which invaluable work he will of course know by heart.
But now about you. Do you get good wages? Is your beer included? Do you cut your fingers, and occasionally hack your toes? -- not that cutting hurts -- at least not me; for I am by no means contemplating letting myself out as an ablebodied labourer. My function in life is to be ornamental.
We were amused by your asking if I had anything to do with the Lion article 282 (which indeed I had -- it was written in a hurry to stop a gap for J.C.) because you knew my "weakness" for dancing before lions. Marry come up, weakness! You might have called it strength which your unfeline weakness couldn't sympathize with. -- There's a young lioness in the Z. Gardens just now more kissable than the loveliest Circassian in the Sultan's harem. Perhaps you think that a weakness? Do you never dance before noodles, and shall not I dance before majestic lions? --
Do not fail to come here, when you lounge to London. We shall most likely have a bed for you, at any rate you can get one near, and then we will have such reminiscences!
As you must not reason, and 'e0 fortiori not excite yourself over the Reasoner, I content myself with enclosing you this cutting from that exhilirating publication. Marian pictures to herself you "entering the arena of public controversy" with Mr. T. Cooper, 283 and discussing the principles of Psychology in presence of the whole society of Secularists. It would be pleasant.
[NB. In case the sagacious Psychologist should not think of it -- when you come here if Mr. Lewes should happen to be out, mind you ask for Mrs. Lewes!]
I have been cutting up Brodie's Psych. Inquiries in the Saturday, which gave me an opportunity of again bringing in your "Principles." 284 I hope the book sells. If it can get a decent nucleus of a public it is sure to make its way; all that surrounds the nucleus being as you know a sell.
My budget is at an end. Marian too heady to write begs her kindest remembrances.
Ever yours
G. H. Lewes.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Herbert Spencer, Richmond, [9 March 1856], 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/94563