Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 23-26 July 1879
Title
Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 23-26 July 1879
Title
Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 23-26 July 1879
Sender
Edith Simcox
Recipient
U
Date(s)
- 1879-07-23–<br /> 1879-07-26
Place
London
Letter Content
Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 23-26 July 1879
MS: Bodleian.
Wednesday 23 July 1879
Yesterday the longed for letter came at last, with the expected dreaded news, of her continuous ill health. I had not the heart to write, besides I feel she would have opened the letter with just a little dread of a despairing outcry, so I sent a card with 2 lines in German: now she knows it seems easier to bury oneself in books; what was wearing me out was the double anxiety -- lest she should be more ill than one knew or lest one should in any way unwittingly have jarred upon her in anything said or left unsaid.
Saturday 26 July 1879
Yesterday went to Hampstead: walked up the heath with Mrs. Charles Lewes who was good in telling me of her: the news are very anxious, the internal irritation having set up inflammation: the doctors trust to the strength and soundness of her constitution, but Mrs. Charles said she was fearfully thin, and I doubt her having much power now to throw off any serious illness. I remember what he told me and there remains the possibility behind of terrible pain: perhaps an operation -- one can only live from week to week. She was downstairs with Charles on Sunday, but had a very bad night and they dreaded another relapse, but since then she has written to say she is better and to urge them to make no change in their summer plans on her account and to start without any haunting fears of a telegram.
MS: Bodleian.
Wednesday 23 July 1879
Yesterday the longed for letter came at last, with the expected dreaded news, of her continuous ill health. I had not the heart to write, besides I feel she would have opened the letter with just a little dread of a despairing outcry, so I sent a card with 2 lines in German: now she knows it seems easier to bury oneself in books; what was wearing me out was the double anxiety -- lest she should be more ill than one knew or lest one should in any way unwittingly have jarred upon her in anything said or left unsaid.
Saturday 26 July 1879
Yesterday went to Hampstead: walked up the heath with Mrs. Charles Lewes who was good in telling me of her: the news are very anxious, the internal irritation having set up inflammation: the doctors trust to the strength and soundness of her constitution, but Mrs. Charles said she was fearfully thin, and I doubt her having much power now to throw off any serious illness. I remember what he told me and there remains the possibility behind of terrible pain: perhaps an operation -- one can only live from week to week. She was downstairs with Charles on Sunday, but had a very bad night and they dreaded another relapse, but since then she has written to say she is better and to urge them to make no change in their summer plans on her account and to start without any haunting fears of a telegram.
Citation
Edith Simcox, Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 23-26 July 1879, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/91792