GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 28 April 1877
Title
GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 28 April 1877
Title
GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 28 April 1877
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Mrs. Elma Stuart
Date(s)
- 1877-04-28
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 28 April 1877
MS: British Museum. Published: Stuart, pp. 79-81.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
April 77.
Dear Elma
How came you to know that the 18th was my birthday? my 60th! I begin to see my [peau de chagrin] shrivelling at a rapid pace!
Madonna has been getting somewhat the better of her renal trouble, though not yet free from it; but en revanche has had her share of headache, biliousness, and influenza, which prevented her fulfilling one engagement -- a dinner with the grandeurs (the dismay of the aristos assembled when no George Eliot was forthcoming!) but has not prevented her hearing a good deal of fine music. On the 15th we dine with the Princess Louise, on the 19th go to Oxford on an annual visit to Jowett, at the end of the month to Cambridge on a visit to the Sidgwicks -- and these with [private views] of Grosvenor Gallery and Royal Academy, and our Sunday receptions will be the final blaze of dissipation before escaping to the peace of Surrey. We shall get there by the beginning of June I hope.
We have Charles staying with us just now. The drains of his house are being attended to, and Gertrude has carried off the children to the seaside. From Natal we have cheerful accounts.
Lord Lytton knowing my love of good stories has sent me this one. A Bengalee Baboo under examination has this question put: "Who was Mary Stuart? Mention some remarkable incident in her life." Answer: "Mary Stuart was a most unfortunate queen of Scotch; who in the seventh year of her pregnancy blew up her husband very severely"!
Apropos of Mary Stuart, Maddox Brown 656 the painter, notorious for malaprops, said "I don't understand these attempts to whitewash her. I know nothing good of her. She never showed any affection for any one -- except for Boswell for a few months!"
Madonna sends love and kisses.
Ever yours affectionately
G. H. L.
Give the sweet Mrs. Menzies a kiss for me in answer to her message.
MS: British Museum. Published: Stuart, pp. 79-81.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
April 77.
Dear Elma
How came you to know that the 18th was my birthday? my 60th! I begin to see my [peau de chagrin] shrivelling at a rapid pace!
Madonna has been getting somewhat the better of her renal trouble, though not yet free from it; but en revanche has had her share of headache, biliousness, and influenza, which prevented her fulfilling one engagement -- a dinner with the grandeurs (the dismay of the aristos assembled when no George Eliot was forthcoming!) but has not prevented her hearing a good deal of fine music. On the 15th we dine with the Princess Louise, on the 19th go to Oxford on an annual visit to Jowett, at the end of the month to Cambridge on a visit to the Sidgwicks -- and these with [private views] of Grosvenor Gallery and Royal Academy, and our Sunday receptions will be the final blaze of dissipation before escaping to the peace of Surrey. We shall get there by the beginning of June I hope.
We have Charles staying with us just now. The drains of his house are being attended to, and Gertrude has carried off the children to the seaside. From Natal we have cheerful accounts.
Lord Lytton knowing my love of good stories has sent me this one. A Bengalee Baboo under examination has this question put: "Who was Mary Stuart? Mention some remarkable incident in her life." Answer: "Mary Stuart was a most unfortunate queen of Scotch; who in the seventh year of her pregnancy blew up her husband very severely"!
Apropos of Mary Stuart, Maddox Brown 656 the painter, notorious for malaprops, said "I don't understand these attempts to whitewash her. I know nothing good of her. She never showed any affection for any one -- except for Boswell for a few months!"
Madonna sends love and kisses.
Ever yours affectionately
G. H. L.
Give the sweet Mrs. Menzies a kiss for me in answer to her message.
Signature
G. H. L.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 28 April 1877, 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/94947