GHL to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [12 September 1862]
Title
GHL to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [12 September 1862]
Title
GHL to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [12 September 1862]
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Sara Sophia Hennell
Date(s)
- 1862-09-12
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [12 September 1862]
MS: Coventry City Libraries. Envelope: Miss Hennell | Care of Charles Bray Esq. | Coventry | Ivy Cottage. Postmark: LONDON N.W | X | SP 13 | 62. Hitherto unpublished.
Blandford Square, | N.W.
Friday.
My dear Miss Hennell
Your letter to Marian was sent down to us with a batch to Littlehampton, where we are staying, and by good luck I had the reading of it aloud, and having seen the [windup,] was enabled to suppress that, and afterwards to "mislay" your letter. 108
I have run up to town on business and will tell you why I "mislaid" and suppressed that portion of your letter. I have always held that it is very injurious to an author to occupy himself with what others say about his works, for good or evil; and I never look after any criticism on my own books. After the publication of [Adam Bede] Marian felt deeply the evil influences of talking and allowing others to talk to her about her writing. We resolved therefore to exclude everything as far as we could. No one speaks about her books to her, but me; she sees no criticisms. The sum total of success is always ascertainable, and she is not asked to dwell on the details.
Besides this general conviction, there is a special reason in her case -- it is that excessive diffidence which prevented her writing at all, for so many years, and would prevent her now, if I were not beside her to encourage her. A thousand eulogies would not give her the slightest confidence, but one objection would increase her doubts. With regard to [Romola] she has all along resisted writing it on the ground that no one would be interested in it; but a general sense of its not being possibly popular would not be half so dispiriting to her as the knowledge that any particular reader did not like it; and as it is very desirable she should suffer no more pain in this life than can possibly be avoided, I suppressed your mention of those whose bad judgement you reproved, because I knew it would occupy her thoughts and worry her during my absence. If you only knew the wonderful eulogies which have reached her from learned Florentines, and Englishmen of high culture (F. Maurice, Bulwer, Anthony Trollope etc.) you would be surprised that she should be made miserable by doubts as to whether the book will be a success; and would understand why I contrived she should not see your letter.
Of course you will take no notice of this letter. I only wanted to explain a general principle 'e0propos of a particular case. The principle is this: never tell her anything that other people say about her books, for good or evil; unless of course it should be something exceptionally gratifying to her -- something you know would please her apart from its being praise. She would like to know for instance when you or Mrs. Bray sympathize with and like her books. But even this should be conveyed only in a general intimation. You can tell me any details (I'm a glutton in all that concerns her, though I never look after what is said about myself) favorable or unfavorable; but for her let her mind be as much as possible fixed on her art and not on the public.
I haven't time to read over what is written but commend it to your interpretation.
Ever yours truly
G. H. Lewes.
MS: Coventry City Libraries. Envelope: Miss Hennell | Care of Charles Bray Esq. | Coventry | Ivy Cottage. Postmark: LONDON N.W | X | SP 13 | 62. Hitherto unpublished.
Blandford Square, | N.W.
Friday.
My dear Miss Hennell
Your letter to Marian was sent down to us with a batch to Littlehampton, where we are staying, and by good luck I had the reading of it aloud, and having seen the [windup,] was enabled to suppress that, and afterwards to "mislay" your letter. 108
I have run up to town on business and will tell you why I "mislaid" and suppressed that portion of your letter. I have always held that it is very injurious to an author to occupy himself with what others say about his works, for good or evil; and I never look after any criticism on my own books. After the publication of [Adam Bede] Marian felt deeply the evil influences of talking and allowing others to talk to her about her writing. We resolved therefore to exclude everything as far as we could. No one speaks about her books to her, but me; she sees no criticisms. The sum total of success is always ascertainable, and she is not asked to dwell on the details.
Besides this general conviction, there is a special reason in her case -- it is that excessive diffidence which prevented her writing at all, for so many years, and would prevent her now, if I were not beside her to encourage her. A thousand eulogies would not give her the slightest confidence, but one objection would increase her doubts. With regard to [Romola] she has all along resisted writing it on the ground that no one would be interested in it; but a general sense of its not being possibly popular would not be half so dispiriting to her as the knowledge that any particular reader did not like it; and as it is very desirable she should suffer no more pain in this life than can possibly be avoided, I suppressed your mention of those whose bad judgement you reproved, because I knew it would occupy her thoughts and worry her during my absence. If you only knew the wonderful eulogies which have reached her from learned Florentines, and Englishmen of high culture (F. Maurice, Bulwer, Anthony Trollope etc.) you would be surprised that she should be made miserable by doubts as to whether the book will be a success; and would understand why I contrived she should not see your letter.
Of course you will take no notice of this letter. I only wanted to explain a general principle 'e0propos of a particular case. The principle is this: never tell her anything that other people say about her books, for good or evil; unless of course it should be something exceptionally gratifying to her -- something you know would please her apart from its being praise. She would like to know for instance when you or Mrs. Bray sympathize with and like her books. But even this should be conveyed only in a general intimation. You can tell me any details (I'm a glutton in all that concerns her, though I never look after what is said about myself) favorable or unfavorable; but for her let her mind be as much as possible fixed on her art and not on the public.
I haven't time to read over what is written but commend it to your interpretation.
Ever yours truly
G. H. Lewes.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, [12 September 1862], 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/95014