GE to Charles Bray, Berlin, 12 November 1854
Title
GE to Charles Bray, Berlin, 12 November 1854
Title
GE to Charles Bray, Berlin, 12 November 1854
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Charles Bray
Date(s)
- 1854-11-12
Place
Berlin
Letter Content
GE to Charles Bray, Berlin, 12 November 1854
MS: Parrish Collection, Princeton. Hitherto unpublished.
Dorotheen Gasse, Berlin | November 12. 1854.
Dear Friend
My brother in reply to my letter requesting him to pay you my income on the 1st of December when it is strictly due to me, sends word through my sister 537 that "he will pay the money when he receives it." This makes me nervous lest you should not receive the payment in time to meet the bill, and should be inconvenienced on that account. I could send you the money to England and receive it again when my brother pays it, if that would save you any inconvenience. I really regret that I had the money in advance now that there is this anxiety about it. My brother has generally paid me a week or fortnight after the time; but whenever I asked him for it, he generally sent a cheque at once, which of course it is perfectly easy for him to do. But I will take care in future not to involve anyone else in the annoyance resulting from his disinclination to accommodate me.
He also sends me word through my sister that circumstances render it desirable for the trustees to call in £1500 of my money, which must consequently be placed in the funds until a new investment can be found for it. So next Midsummer my income will be less than usual. I only hope he will think it worth while to get another investment. For a considerable part of my sister's money he gets 5 per cent. Poor Chrissey has been in trouble about her boys. One of them has been ill and the other very naughty -- so naughty that he has had to leave his situation and they are determined to send him to sea. 538 I have felt this a greater trouble to me than all the denunciations of London gossips.
We reached Berlin last Saturday, or rather a week ago yesterday, 539 and find much to enjoy here. Varnhagen von Ense 540 and Fraulein v. Solmar, old friends of Mr. Lewes's, have received me very kindly, and as they are in the best society of Berlin, this is no slight advantage. Mr. Lewes has not yet had time to call on half his friends, but all whom he has seen appear delighted to meet him again. Fraulein v. Solmar has a salon which is open every evening but Thursday to persons who have been invited once for all. Varnhagen made a little party for us last Thursday, 541 offers the use of his library, and is altogether cordial. He had corresponded with Carlyle for years before Carlyle came to Germany (in 1852) and was terribly disappointed when he came to know him in the flesh. 542 Varnhagen is a courtier, wears an order round his neck and carries a gold headed cane, so you may imagine that Carlyle's roughness and petulance were rather shocking to him. Withal this Varnhagen is a theoretical democrat, and thinks "Past and Present" Carlyle's greatest work, while to his dismay he found that Carlyle talked the fiercest despotism etc. etc.
Last night we went to see "Nathan der Weise." 543 You know, or perhaps you do not know that this play is a sort of dramatic apologue the moral of which is religious tolerance. It thrilled me to think that Lessing dared nearly a hundred years ago to write the grand sentiments and profound thoughts which this play contains for the people's theatre which he dreamed of, but which Germany has never had. In England the words which call down applause here would make the pit rise in horror.
It is amusing to see how very comfortable the Germans are without many of the things which England considers the safeguards of society. The Germans eat their Bratwurst and K'fcchen from house to house in gladness of heart though they have no episcopal establishment and though they have some other things which are thought very noxious with us. I think them immensely inferior to us in creative intellect and in the possession of the means of life, but they know better how to use the means they have for the end of enjoyment. One sees everywhere in Germany what is the rarest of all things in England -- thorough bien'eatre, freedom from gnawing cares and ambitions, contentment in inexpensive pleasures with no suspicion that happiness is a vice which we must not only not indulge in ourselves but as far as possible restrain others from giving way to. There are disadvantages, of course. They don't improve their locks and carriages as we do, and they consider a room furnished when it has a looking glass and an escritoire in it. They put their knives in their mouths, write un-sit-out-able comedies and unreadable books; but they are decidedly happy animals and in spite of Pascal, that is perhaps better than being extremely clever ones -- miserable and knowing their misery. 544
Berlin is a cold place, but the cold is dry and bracing. This morning the roofs are covered with snow, and soon I suppose we shall have a firm stratum of snow in the streets which will lie all winter. We work hard in the mornings till our heads are hot, 545 then walk out, dine at three and, if we don't go out, read diligently aloud in the evening. 546 I think it is impossible for two human beings to be more happy in each other. All I am anxious about is the certainty of work by which I may get money -- and that just now does not present itself.
Best love to all. Forgive all my omissions and commissions and believe me ever
Your sincere and affectionate
Marian Evans.
MS: Parrish Collection, Princeton. Hitherto unpublished.
Dorotheen Gasse, Berlin | November 12. 1854.
Dear Friend
My brother in reply to my letter requesting him to pay you my income on the 1st of December when it is strictly due to me, sends word through my sister 537 that "he will pay the money when he receives it." This makes me nervous lest you should not receive the payment in time to meet the bill, and should be inconvenienced on that account. I could send you the money to England and receive it again when my brother pays it, if that would save you any inconvenience. I really regret that I had the money in advance now that there is this anxiety about it. My brother has generally paid me a week or fortnight after the time; but whenever I asked him for it, he generally sent a cheque at once, which of course it is perfectly easy for him to do. But I will take care in future not to involve anyone else in the annoyance resulting from his disinclination to accommodate me.
He also sends me word through my sister that circumstances render it desirable for the trustees to call in £1500 of my money, which must consequently be placed in the funds until a new investment can be found for it. So next Midsummer my income will be less than usual. I only hope he will think it worth while to get another investment. For a considerable part of my sister's money he gets 5 per cent. Poor Chrissey has been in trouble about her boys. One of them has been ill and the other very naughty -- so naughty that he has had to leave his situation and they are determined to send him to sea. 538 I have felt this a greater trouble to me than all the denunciations of London gossips.
We reached Berlin last Saturday, or rather a week ago yesterday, 539 and find much to enjoy here. Varnhagen von Ense 540 and Fraulein v. Solmar, old friends of Mr. Lewes's, have received me very kindly, and as they are in the best society of Berlin, this is no slight advantage. Mr. Lewes has not yet had time to call on half his friends, but all whom he has seen appear delighted to meet him again. Fraulein v. Solmar has a salon which is open every evening but Thursday to persons who have been invited once for all. Varnhagen made a little party for us last Thursday, 541 offers the use of his library, and is altogether cordial. He had corresponded with Carlyle for years before Carlyle came to Germany (in 1852) and was terribly disappointed when he came to know him in the flesh. 542 Varnhagen is a courtier, wears an order round his neck and carries a gold headed cane, so you may imagine that Carlyle's roughness and petulance were rather shocking to him. Withal this Varnhagen is a theoretical democrat, and thinks "Past and Present" Carlyle's greatest work, while to his dismay he found that Carlyle talked the fiercest despotism etc. etc.
Last night we went to see "Nathan der Weise." 543 You know, or perhaps you do not know that this play is a sort of dramatic apologue the moral of which is religious tolerance. It thrilled me to think that Lessing dared nearly a hundred years ago to write the grand sentiments and profound thoughts which this play contains for the people's theatre which he dreamed of, but which Germany has never had. In England the words which call down applause here would make the pit rise in horror.
It is amusing to see how very comfortable the Germans are without many of the things which England considers the safeguards of society. The Germans eat their Bratwurst and K'fcchen from house to house in gladness of heart though they have no episcopal establishment and though they have some other things which are thought very noxious with us. I think them immensely inferior to us in creative intellect and in the possession of the means of life, but they know better how to use the means they have for the end of enjoyment. One sees everywhere in Germany what is the rarest of all things in England -- thorough bien'eatre, freedom from gnawing cares and ambitions, contentment in inexpensive pleasures with no suspicion that happiness is a vice which we must not only not indulge in ourselves but as far as possible restrain others from giving way to. There are disadvantages, of course. They don't improve their locks and carriages as we do, and they consider a room furnished when it has a looking glass and an escritoire in it. They put their knives in their mouths, write un-sit-out-able comedies and unreadable books; but they are decidedly happy animals and in spite of Pascal, that is perhaps better than being extremely clever ones -- miserable and knowing their misery. 544
Berlin is a cold place, but the cold is dry and bracing. This morning the roofs are covered with snow, and soon I suppose we shall have a firm stratum of snow in the streets which will lie all winter. We work hard in the mornings till our heads are hot, 545 then walk out, dine at three and, if we don't go out, read diligently aloud in the evening. 546 I think it is impossible for two human beings to be more happy in each other. All I am anxious about is the certainty of work by which I may get money -- and that just now does not present itself.
Best love to all. Forgive all my omissions and commissions and believe me ever
Your sincere and affectionate
Marian Evans.
Signature
Marian Evans.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Charles Bray, Berlin, 12 November 1854, 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/92102