Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, London, [30 June - 1 July 1859]
Title
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, London, [30 June - 1 July 1859]
Title
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, London, [30 June - 1 July 1859]
Sender
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1859-06-30–<br /> 1859-07-01
Place
London
Letter Content
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, London, [30 June -- 1 July 1859]
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
A[lpha] Rd.
My dear Marian,
I send you off Nanny's picture 193 today by PD company paid, also my letters from America 194 into which you can dip and pick if it interests you.
Yesterday I was nearly riding down on horseback to see you. I wanted a bath in new waters being weary and worn by worldly things but the Long London roads frightened me and sent me out to the North. I am so worried by people and invitations and parties got up for me that I think I shall say I am not married to Dr. Bodichon just to titter the people! they torment me so. You are right to get rid of the world. I know now what your life is worth, having some of it on my hill above the Mediterranean with my Doctor. Sometimes here I get so sick that I think I must run away -- I get home sick and love sick and long to be sea sick to get over there again!
Friday m. Your note came. I have had Aunt Ju here and Bell 195 and told both. Both enchanted! heartily glad and send congratulations to you. Aunt Ju is profoundly moved by Adam Bede and it carries her over her little narrow ideas. She kissed me for having such a friend! Oh Marian you ought to be a happy woman! with such a power to sway the people. Here is Aunt Ju who has read your book in Derbyshire with Derbyshire people and not only feels the human part as perfectly true but the local colouring. Here is stolid old Joe Gratton crying over Hetty and my Aunt Dolly 196 (both Derbyshire people) swearing it was written there and must be all true and crying too as she speaks of Lisbeth whom she knows quite well -- you don't know her as well -- Lisbeth lives at Alfreton where my aunt was born and my aunt knows her and her house quite well and won't believe you did not draw exactly after nature!
I do not mean to tell any one else except E. Blackwell who was so cordially enchanted with her last Sunday's visit and who will rejoice with me. I wish I had time to tell you all I hear about your book. As for Mr. Gratton he is 'bd an hour over every page and though no novel reader and has no imagination he just lives with your Adam and Seth etc. What a power it is! if you don't go on your knees 4 times a day like a good Musselman and thank God for what he has given you, you are inconceivably ungrateful. To thank him twice a day like a Christian is not enough.
I am going to Wimbledon on Saturday I think. Will you tell me what time you are in just before your walk is it 2 o'clock?
I wish you could hear people talking about AB. Now I must leave off as I have so much to settle about my exhibition. I wrote off to Gambart 197 as soon as I got home from you. I saw him Monday he was wonderfully civil and seemed to make quite a point of the sketches. He shuts up all the rooms now and opens in 10 days. The Times critic is promised to be taken by Proctor so I shall get a word bad or good. Every body is astonished at my good fortune in getting my things shown altogether; for me I feel it a shame to go in after dear old David 198 whom I loved much.
Your Affectionate
B. L. S. B.
Wednesday. There is another letter from Nanny coming.
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
A[lpha] Rd.
My dear Marian,
I send you off Nanny's picture 193 today by PD company paid, also my letters from America 194 into which you can dip and pick if it interests you.
Yesterday I was nearly riding down on horseback to see you. I wanted a bath in new waters being weary and worn by worldly things but the Long London roads frightened me and sent me out to the North. I am so worried by people and invitations and parties got up for me that I think I shall say I am not married to Dr. Bodichon just to titter the people! they torment me so. You are right to get rid of the world. I know now what your life is worth, having some of it on my hill above the Mediterranean with my Doctor. Sometimes here I get so sick that I think I must run away -- I get home sick and love sick and long to be sea sick to get over there again!
Friday m. Your note came. I have had Aunt Ju here and Bell 195 and told both. Both enchanted! heartily glad and send congratulations to you. Aunt Ju is profoundly moved by Adam Bede and it carries her over her little narrow ideas. She kissed me for having such a friend! Oh Marian you ought to be a happy woman! with such a power to sway the people. Here is Aunt Ju who has read your book in Derbyshire with Derbyshire people and not only feels the human part as perfectly true but the local colouring. Here is stolid old Joe Gratton crying over Hetty and my Aunt Dolly 196 (both Derbyshire people) swearing it was written there and must be all true and crying too as she speaks of Lisbeth whom she knows quite well -- you don't know her as well -- Lisbeth lives at Alfreton where my aunt was born and my aunt knows her and her house quite well and won't believe you did not draw exactly after nature!
I do not mean to tell any one else except E. Blackwell who was so cordially enchanted with her last Sunday's visit and who will rejoice with me. I wish I had time to tell you all I hear about your book. As for Mr. Gratton he is 'bd an hour over every page and though no novel reader and has no imagination he just lives with your Adam and Seth etc. What a power it is! if you don't go on your knees 4 times a day like a good Musselman and thank God for what he has given you, you are inconceivably ungrateful. To thank him twice a day like a Christian is not enough.
I am going to Wimbledon on Saturday I think. Will you tell me what time you are in just before your walk is it 2 o'clock?
I wish you could hear people talking about AB. Now I must leave off as I have so much to settle about my exhibition. I wrote off to Gambart 197 as soon as I got home from you. I saw him Monday he was wonderfully civil and seemed to make quite a point of the sketches. He shuts up all the rooms now and opens in 10 days. The Times critic is promised to be taken by Proctor so I shall get a word bad or good. Every body is astonished at my good fortune in getting my things shown altogether; for me I feel it a shame to go in after dear old David 198 whom I loved much.
Your Affectionate
B. L. S. B.
Wednesday. There is another letter from Nanny coming.
Signature
B. L. S. B.
Citation
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, London, [30 June - 1 July 1859], 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/95541