John Blackwood to Charles Lee Lewes, Edinburgh, 9 December 1878
Title
John Blackwood to Charles Lee Lewes, Edinburgh, 9 December 1878
Title
John Blackwood to Charles Lee Lewes, Edinburgh, 9 December 1878
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
Charles Lee Lewes
Date(s)
- 1878-12-09
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to Charles Lee Lewes, Edinburgh, 9 December 1878
Text: Copy in Blackwood Letter Book. Hitherto unpublished.
George St. | Edinburgh December 9th 1878.
My Dear Charles Lewes
I intended to write to thank you for kindly anticipating the wish I ventured to express that you should write to tell me how Mrs. Lewes was and now I am further obliged by your note of Saturday.
The blank pressure upon her must be terrible, but that she would bear up stoutly I knew if her physical health would only hold. The wear and tear of body and mind must try her sorely.
I am truly glad that she has got so good an aide as you to whom she could naturally look and who has grown up with the affection and respect which intercourse with her must always inspire.
Time will I trust bring her consolation and you will already feel as if you had lived a lifetime since your father's death. Although the loss is ever present I have always observed that after the great separation has taken place an enormous space of time seems to speedily to have elapsed. I suppose it is the total change in the whole train of thought that makes the time as well as the loss seem so vast.
I suppose his writing with and posting the Theophrastus was about the last business of his busy life and there is something solemn and fit in it. The M.S. is not long so that its standing in type will not matter and I propose setting it so as to be ready when she is able to turn her thoughts that way.
Write to me when you have time and tell me all you can of her.
Always yours truly
(signed) John Blackwood.
Charles Lewes.
Text: Copy in Blackwood Letter Book. Hitherto unpublished.
George St. | Edinburgh December 9th 1878.
My Dear Charles Lewes
I intended to write to thank you for kindly anticipating the wish I ventured to express that you should write to tell me how Mrs. Lewes was and now I am further obliged by your note of Saturday.
The blank pressure upon her must be terrible, but that she would bear up stoutly I knew if her physical health would only hold. The wear and tear of body and mind must try her sorely.
I am truly glad that she has got so good an aide as you to whom she could naturally look and who has grown up with the affection and respect which intercourse with her must always inspire.
Time will I trust bring her consolation and you will already feel as if you had lived a lifetime since your father's death. Although the loss is ever present I have always observed that after the great separation has taken place an enormous space of time seems to speedily to have elapsed. I suppose it is the total change in the whole train of thought that makes the time as well as the loss seem so vast.
I suppose his writing with and posting the Theophrastus was about the last business of his busy life and there is something solemn and fit in it. The M.S. is not long so that its standing in type will not matter and I propose setting it so as to be ready when she is able to turn her thoughts that way.
Write to me when you have time and tell me all you can of her.
Always yours truly
(signed) John Blackwood.
Charles Lewes.
Signature
(signed) John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to Charles Lee Lewes, Edinburgh, 9 December 1878, 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/95160