Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 30 January 1879
Title
Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 30 January 1879
Title
Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 30 January 1879
Sender
Edith Simcox
Recipient
U
Date(s)
- 1879-01-30
Place
London
Letter Content
Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 30 January 1879
MS: Bodleian.
Thursday 30 January 1879
. . . Went to the Priory to enquire: just the same. Then walked on to Hampstead, with some trepidation, meaning and fearing to call on Mrs. Charles Lewes. -- Rang and the door was some time in being answered, was ushered in and waited some time in the pretty little cottage drawing room; then Mrs. Charles came in with her things on and explained her children were spending the afternoon with friends and she had to fetch them home before dark, would I walk with her -- I assented gladly and soon began my enquiries. She said there seemed little to tell; her health was fairly good -- for her; the hysterical fits recur, but she says though she is weaker after them, they relieve the brain. There are times when she cannot shed a tear and then the physical oppression is terrible. I asked a little how she occupied herself and learnt that besides reading and looking over Ms for his book, she is also reading through old letters and journals of his, going back to quite early years.
It was strange to find her daughter-in-law complaining, with even a little jealous bitterness, of never having been taken into the "familiarity" of intercourse -- to use the word pedantically. She said He was glad -- it added to his happiness that she should exist, but she had never been able to feel it was so with Her. I hardly ventured to suggest qualifying consolations -- it would only make matters worse if I knew better than she if she was dear to her husband's mother. She said she thought even Charlie was only valued because he was his father's son. She took credit to herself for having proposed that he should go and stay there, feeling that all she could do was to give up her claims to him.
It is not like me to find pleasure in the woes of others, and yet I cannot quite help feeling relieved when others make such complaints, and I feel how I indeed have not -- have never had any ground for complaining -- I have been exacting, troublesome, and she patient and generous. I wonder whether they will come -- I have asked Elma, Miss Helps and Johnny and Miss Cross to luncheon on Sunday -- shall we succeed if so in making the meeting a service of commemoration? 479 Dear one -- will it comfort you by and bye to know what comfort you have given -- how, for me your teaching has made all the world anew. A little cheque for a review came in today -- I am promising myself to take some flowers to Highgate on Saturday.
MS: Bodleian.
Thursday 30 January 1879
. . . Went to the Priory to enquire: just the same. Then walked on to Hampstead, with some trepidation, meaning and fearing to call on Mrs. Charles Lewes. -- Rang and the door was some time in being answered, was ushered in and waited some time in the pretty little cottage drawing room; then Mrs. Charles came in with her things on and explained her children were spending the afternoon with friends and she had to fetch them home before dark, would I walk with her -- I assented gladly and soon began my enquiries. She said there seemed little to tell; her health was fairly good -- for her; the hysterical fits recur, but she says though she is weaker after them, they relieve the brain. There are times when she cannot shed a tear and then the physical oppression is terrible. I asked a little how she occupied herself and learnt that besides reading and looking over Ms for his book, she is also reading through old letters and journals of his, going back to quite early years.
It was strange to find her daughter-in-law complaining, with even a little jealous bitterness, of never having been taken into the "familiarity" of intercourse -- to use the word pedantically. She said He was glad -- it added to his happiness that she should exist, but she had never been able to feel it was so with Her. I hardly ventured to suggest qualifying consolations -- it would only make matters worse if I knew better than she if she was dear to her husband's mother. She said she thought even Charlie was only valued because he was his father's son. She took credit to herself for having proposed that he should go and stay there, feeling that all she could do was to give up her claims to him.
It is not like me to find pleasure in the woes of others, and yet I cannot quite help feeling relieved when others make such complaints, and I feel how I indeed have not -- have never had any ground for complaining -- I have been exacting, troublesome, and she patient and generous. I wonder whether they will come -- I have asked Elma, Miss Helps and Johnny and Miss Cross to luncheon on Sunday -- shall we succeed if so in making the meeting a service of commemoration? 479 Dear one -- will it comfort you by and bye to know what comfort you have given -- how, for me your teaching has made all the world anew. A little cheque for a review came in today -- I am promising myself to take some flowers to Highgate on Saturday.
Citation
Edith Simcox, Edith Simcox, Autobiography, 30 January 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/91805