GHL to John Blackwood, Rickmansworth, 29 July 1875
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, Rickmansworth, 29 July 1875
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, Rickmansworth, 29 July 1875
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1875-07-29
Place
Rickmansworth
Letter Content
GHL to John Blackwood, Rickmansworth, 29 July 1875
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Elms | Rickmansworth | Thursday 29 July 75.
My dear Blackwood
Mrs. Lewes' correspondents are of course not grateful to me for relieving her of her task of writing them. But unless I did so her valuable time and strength would have to be largely used up; and as we don't put racers into Hansom cabs so we mustn't let writers do the work of correspondents.
The Deluge has passed; our river running so quickly at the end of the garden has not overflowed its banks and floated us into Space (with G.H.L. 'e0 l'instar de Caesar holding aloft her Commentaries!) 295 but like a sober, well-conducted river has kept the even tenor of its way so that we have not had to make a raft of our dining table. While the deluge lasted, Mrs. Lewes continued getting stronger, but now has taken a chill, which affects her throat 296 -- I hope not seriously. Meanwhile the Commentaries have been developing into deeper and deeper interest. It is true I am snubbed for being [cockaloop] about them, and for not adopting the despondent view of other people -- but on that subject my estimate of the estimate of other people is that it isn't worth two peas!
Your account of Cheneys 297 was not exaggerated, and we were willing to take on your authority the character of the beer. But Cheneys is only one of the lovely drives hereabouts -- they have but the one defect of being too hilly, and of not having enough of wild country and commons.
I'm glad you agree with the dramatic criticisms -- a subject on which a d -- d deal of nonsense is written and spoken. -- We were so pleased with your picture of the dogs, and the arrival of "the boy." 298 Mrs. Lewes begs me to say she thoroughly sympathizes with you there, and that we both think a deficiency of scholastic brilliancy the smallest possible defect where there is good honest heart and brain -- those are the levers of this world! This is how we have felt about our own boys.
We are complete hermits here -- not a soul have we seen or spoken to. I had to rush up to town one day to a garden party at Lady Airlie's because the Queen of Holland had expressed a wish that I should be presented. I hope her majesty found the interview more interesting than I did! -- Except that, and twice rushing to the Priory to get books (it's no use taking down a bookcase -- one never thinks of the right books!) my days have been passed in the most delicious peace and uniformity and work has advanced proportionately.
Ever yours truly
G. H. Lewes.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Elms | Rickmansworth | Thursday 29 July 75.
My dear Blackwood
Mrs. Lewes' correspondents are of course not grateful to me for relieving her of her task of writing them. But unless I did so her valuable time and strength would have to be largely used up; and as we don't put racers into Hansom cabs so we mustn't let writers do the work of correspondents.
The Deluge has passed; our river running so quickly at the end of the garden has not overflowed its banks and floated us into Space (with G.H.L. 'e0 l'instar de Caesar holding aloft her Commentaries!) 295 but like a sober, well-conducted river has kept the even tenor of its way so that we have not had to make a raft of our dining table. While the deluge lasted, Mrs. Lewes continued getting stronger, but now has taken a chill, which affects her throat 296 -- I hope not seriously. Meanwhile the Commentaries have been developing into deeper and deeper interest. It is true I am snubbed for being [cockaloop] about them, and for not adopting the despondent view of other people -- but on that subject my estimate of the estimate of other people is that it isn't worth two peas!
Your account of Cheneys 297 was not exaggerated, and we were willing to take on your authority the character of the beer. But Cheneys is only one of the lovely drives hereabouts -- they have but the one defect of being too hilly, and of not having enough of wild country and commons.
I'm glad you agree with the dramatic criticisms -- a subject on which a d -- d deal of nonsense is written and spoken. -- We were so pleased with your picture of the dogs, and the arrival of "the boy." 298 Mrs. Lewes begs me to say she thoroughly sympathizes with you there, and that we both think a deficiency of scholastic brilliancy the smallest possible defect where there is good honest heart and brain -- those are the levers of this world! This is how we have felt about our own boys.
We are complete hermits here -- not a soul have we seen or spoken to. I had to rush up to town one day to a garden party at Lady Airlie's because the Queen of Holland had expressed a wish that I should be presented. I hope her majesty found the interview more interesting than I did! -- Except that, and twice rushing to the Priory to get books (it's no use taking down a bookcase -- one never thinks of the right books!) my days have been passed in the most delicious peace and uniformity and work has advanced proportionately.
Ever yours truly
G. H. Lewes.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to John Blackwood, Rickmansworth, 29 July 1875, 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/94762