GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 6 March 1860
Title
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 6 March 1860
Title
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 6 March 1860
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon
Date(s)
- 1860-03-06
Place
Wandsworth
Letter Content
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 6 March 1860
MS: Mr. Philip Leigh-Smith. Hitherto unpublished.
Holly Lodge, 6 March 1860.
Mrs. Bodichon, m'am!
Your favour of the I don't know whatth ult. was duly received; and following the instructions of "my good lady" (style choisi!) who is reddening her eyes, and blackening her paper, over the foolish sorrows of two foolish young persons of her imaginary acquaintance, 495 and cannot therefore give up her ingenious mind to correspondence, m'am, I take up my pen to get through the severer part of this letter, and will leave her a corner to throw a little sentiment in.
First then of our movements. We are girding up our trunks for Italy -- whither our Mignon-yearnings have for some years pointed -- and as soon as the final "proof" is corrected we shall fly, not waiting even to see the "Mill" in its 3 volumes -- much less to hear the chorus, pleasant or harsh, which will salute it. 496 This is a comfort. Indeed except to hear of the actual solid fact of sale we would rather be deaf on the side of the Mill; and the next thing to being deaf is to get out of ear shot. There is immense expectation -- and of course a very strong predisposition to find that the book is a "falling off" -- second books always have to go through that. But that the reading public is agog you may easily suppose: "Adam Bede" continues selling at the rate of 200 a month and 4,500 'a3 we refused for 3 editions of "The Mill" -- two facts which will "speak for themselves" as those writers say who find speaking for the things rather difficult.
My book 497 will also be out in a few days; so you see we can both run away with a sense of absolute freedom and enjoy a real holiday, which we have never had since we were married. We wind up with Berne, where we shall see our boys, and bring the oldest home with us, to start him on his career.
What a sad pity it is that we are such bad sailors -- and Polly is bad among the baddest -- or that science has not yet discovered an overland route to Algiers, that we might come and take a holiday with you! But strong as our love is -- and keen as is the desire to see the Atlas, and the glories of African nature -- our stomachs "rise" too energetically against that passage -- so we must content ourselves with hearing of Algiers, and letting you do the vomissement part.
Tell Dr. Bodichon that this approbation is very gratifying; and that we count on seeing him also in the Autumn. -- We shall be home again in July, so that you won't arrive long before us.
I thought when I began this that I had an immense deal to say, and cramped and squared my pothooks, in order to squeeze it into three pages; but on turning out my budget it proves to be scant enough, and I might have indulged in caligraphy without danger. God bless you. Give my kindest regards to your husband, and believe me always
Yours hatefully,
G. H. L.
MS: Mr. Philip Leigh-Smith. Hitherto unpublished.
Holly Lodge, 6 March 1860.
Mrs. Bodichon, m'am!
Your favour of the I don't know whatth ult. was duly received; and following the instructions of "my good lady" (style choisi!) who is reddening her eyes, and blackening her paper, over the foolish sorrows of two foolish young persons of her imaginary acquaintance, 495 and cannot therefore give up her ingenious mind to correspondence, m'am, I take up my pen to get through the severer part of this letter, and will leave her a corner to throw a little sentiment in.
First then of our movements. We are girding up our trunks for Italy -- whither our Mignon-yearnings have for some years pointed -- and as soon as the final "proof" is corrected we shall fly, not waiting even to see the "Mill" in its 3 volumes -- much less to hear the chorus, pleasant or harsh, which will salute it. 496 This is a comfort. Indeed except to hear of the actual solid fact of sale we would rather be deaf on the side of the Mill; and the next thing to being deaf is to get out of ear shot. There is immense expectation -- and of course a very strong predisposition to find that the book is a "falling off" -- second books always have to go through that. But that the reading public is agog you may easily suppose: "Adam Bede" continues selling at the rate of 200 a month and 4,500 'a3 we refused for 3 editions of "The Mill" -- two facts which will "speak for themselves" as those writers say who find speaking for the things rather difficult.
My book 497 will also be out in a few days; so you see we can both run away with a sense of absolute freedom and enjoy a real holiday, which we have never had since we were married. We wind up with Berne, where we shall see our boys, and bring the oldest home with us, to start him on his career.
What a sad pity it is that we are such bad sailors -- and Polly is bad among the baddest -- or that science has not yet discovered an overland route to Algiers, that we might come and take a holiday with you! But strong as our love is -- and keen as is the desire to see the Atlas, and the glories of African nature -- our stomachs "rise" too energetically against that passage -- so we must content ourselves with hearing of Algiers, and letting you do the vomissement part.
Tell Dr. Bodichon that this approbation is very gratifying; and that we count on seeing him also in the Autumn. -- We shall be home again in July, so that you won't arrive long before us.
I thought when I began this that I had an immense deal to say, and cramped and squared my pothooks, in order to squeeze it into three pages; but on turning out my budget it proves to be scant enough, and I might have indulged in caligraphy without danger. God bless you. Give my kindest regards to your husband, and believe me always
Yours hatefully,
G. H. L.
Signature
G. H. L.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 6 March 1860, 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/94910