GHL to William Blackwood, London, [1 June 1876]
Title
GHL to William Blackwood, London, [1 June 1876]
Title
GHL to William Blackwood, London, [1 June 1876]
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
William Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1876-06-01
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to William Blackwood, London, [1 June 1876]
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
Thursday.
My dear Willie
Your letter with the two welcome checques received this morning. In two or three days now I hope to send the last pages of the incomparable novel and then we shall fly -- not before the flight has become deeply needed. Mrs. Lewes is much worn and is in a very ticklish state, and I am no better for a great dose of dissipation lately, which however I closed last night by a tremendous crush at Lord Houghton's to meet the King of the Belgians. As his Majesty wished to make Mrs. Lewes's acquaintance Lord Houghton was much put out by her not going. I was presented and found his Majesty amiable and uninteresting. We conversed in French, English and German on the Life of Goethe, Italy, Belgium, and the difficulties of pronouncing English (which he does very well) 488 and I was glad enough to be released and give place to others who were so eager to bask in the royal smile. One can't feel comfortable with such grandeurs, however suave and complimentary they may be.
It took me 25 minutes to get down stairs, such was the crowd coming and going. And I should not have got my carriage for a couple of hours had I not acted as my own link boy.
I suppose your uncle will turn up tomorrow or Saturday.
Ever yours
G. H. Lewes.
Wm. Blackwood Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
Thursday.
My dear Willie
Your letter with the two welcome checques received this morning. In two or three days now I hope to send the last pages of the incomparable novel and then we shall fly -- not before the flight has become deeply needed. Mrs. Lewes is much worn and is in a very ticklish state, and I am no better for a great dose of dissipation lately, which however I closed last night by a tremendous crush at Lord Houghton's to meet the King of the Belgians. As his Majesty wished to make Mrs. Lewes's acquaintance Lord Houghton was much put out by her not going. I was presented and found his Majesty amiable and uninteresting. We conversed in French, English and German on the Life of Goethe, Italy, Belgium, and the difficulties of pronouncing English (which he does very well) 488 and I was glad enough to be released and give place to others who were so eager to bask in the royal smile. One can't feel comfortable with such grandeurs, however suave and complimentary they may be.
It took me 25 minutes to get down stairs, such was the crowd coming and going. And I should not have got my carriage for a couple of hours had I not acted as my own link boy.
I suppose your uncle will turn up tomorrow or Saturday.
Ever yours
G. H. Lewes.
Wm. Blackwood Esq.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to William Blackwood, London, [1 June 1876], 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/95073