GE to Alexander Main, London, 14 November 1872
Title
GE to Alexander Main, London, 14 November 1872
Title
GE to Alexander Main, London, 14 November 1872
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Alexander Main
Date(s)
- 1872-11-14
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Alexander Main, London, 14 November 1872
Text: Main's copy owned by Mr. John R. Sprunt. Published: Cross, New Edition, pp. 497-498.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
November 14. 72.
My dear Mr. Main
I am uncomfortably haunted by the fear that in writing rather hurriedly to you by lamp-light one evening, when the dizziness of the sea-passage had not quite subsided, I either left out words which I had meant to write, or put in such as very meagrely represented my regard for you 625 and -- what I was still more anxious to tell you of -- the intense comfort I have found in the response which your mind has given to every "deliverance" of mine. Whatever I wrote then, please translate into this assurance: that the thought of your letters, with all the evidence they contain of no smallest effort on my part at truthful expression being thrown away, has been a sustainment to me quite next to that of my husband's sympathy. If I failed to say that quite clearly, I should fail in what is to me a very sweet and precious duty -- a chief act of religion. Do you remember those words of Ajax which I put into English as a motto for a chapter in Felix Holt? 626
That is what I mean by a chief act of religion.
Please let the consciousness of this good you have been to me count as some balance against cares which I feel sure that you have had as your frequent companions. I am confident that your emotions recognize this logic of inferring your comfort from another's good.
There is nothing else I wanted to say, but I could not resist my longing to rectify any oversight in my former letter which might leave my gratitude unexpressed.
We are in our usual train of home procedures -- thinking, reading, talking much en t'eate-'e0-t'eate, and hoping that there are many others in the world who are as happy as we are. One is too sure of the many who are not at all happy. Do you not take great interest in the tremendous European change which is being prepared by the new attitude of Common Labour? The centre of gravity is slowly changing and will not pause because people of taste object to the disturbance of their habits.
Mr. Lewes does not know that I am writing or he would have sent his love. Your name often passes his lips.
Yours always most sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
Text: Main's copy owned by Mr. John R. Sprunt. Published: Cross, New Edition, pp. 497-498.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
November 14. 72.
My dear Mr. Main
I am uncomfortably haunted by the fear that in writing rather hurriedly to you by lamp-light one evening, when the dizziness of the sea-passage had not quite subsided, I either left out words which I had meant to write, or put in such as very meagrely represented my regard for you 625 and -- what I was still more anxious to tell you of -- the intense comfort I have found in the response which your mind has given to every "deliverance" of mine. Whatever I wrote then, please translate into this assurance: that the thought of your letters, with all the evidence they contain of no smallest effort on my part at truthful expression being thrown away, has been a sustainment to me quite next to that of my husband's sympathy. If I failed to say that quite clearly, I should fail in what is to me a very sweet and precious duty -- a chief act of religion. Do you remember those words of Ajax which I put into English as a motto for a chapter in Felix Holt? 626
That is what I mean by a chief act of religion.
Please let the consciousness of this good you have been to me count as some balance against cares which I feel sure that you have had as your frequent companions. I am confident that your emotions recognize this logic of inferring your comfort from another's good.
There is nothing else I wanted to say, but I could not resist my longing to rectify any oversight in my former letter which might leave my gratitude unexpressed.
We are in our usual train of home procedures -- thinking, reading, talking much en t'eate-'e0-t'eate, and hoping that there are many others in the world who are as happy as we are. One is too sure of the many who are not at all happy. Do you not take great interest in the tremendous European change which is being prepared by the new attitude of Common Labour? The centre of gravity is slowly changing and will not pause because people of taste object to the disturbance of their habits.
Mr. Lewes does not know that I am writing or he would have sent his love. Your name often passes his lips.
Yours always most sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Alexander Main, London, 14 November 1872, 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/91988