GE to Charles Bray, Richmond, 25 December [1858]
Title
GE to Charles Bray, Richmond, 25 December [1858]
Title
GE to Charles Bray, Richmond, 25 December [1858]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Charles Bray
Date(s)
- 1858-12-25
Place
Richmond
Letter Content
GE to Charles Bray, Richmond, 25 December [1858]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1858. Extract published: Cross, II, 73.
Park Shot | Christmas Day.
Dear Friend
The well-flavoured Molluscs came this morning. It was very kind of you, and if you remember how fond I am of oysters your good nature will have the more pleasure in furnishing my gourmandise with the treat. I have a childish delight in any little act of genuine friendliness towards us -- and yet not childish, for how little we thought of people's goodness towards us when we were children. It takes a good deal of experience to tell one the rarity of a thoroughly disinterested kindness.
Mr. Lewes is not quite so capable of appreciating oysters as I am, being a miserably moderate eater, unequal to the sublime excesses of a genius like me. In compensation, he will dissect a few.
He sends his kind regards to you, and will be as much interested as I shall be in knowing about the vicissitudes of Coventry journalism, 1249 when any new phase or crisis comes of which you can tell us. He is an old soldier, and cares for battles of that sort.
You understand that what I said about the Continent had reference only to a prolonged residence there -- a residence of five or six months; and would not apply to a visit of a month or two. One can rough it with enjoyment for a short time, but the pleasure of change is inherently short lived.
I hope you are all substantially happy this Christmas: the merriment perhaps will be chiefly of the sympathetic sort -- looking on at the fun of the young ones, or helping to create it.
Tell Sara I am glad to think that she is pleasantly absorbed, and am content with her silence under such circumstances. Love to her and Cara. Kind remembrances, too, to Mrs. John Cash, when it occurs to you to mention me in her company. Tell her, an Oxford clergyman who lately paid us a visit -- bringing a philosophic admiration of Mr. Lewes and, of course, MSS. of his own to be admired if possible -- spoke of Hegel's Philosophy of History as being read by himself and many other Oxford clergymen or students. I was not so rude as to ask him whether he read it in Mr. Sibree's translation, 1250 but as I gathered that he knew no German, I thought the symptoms justified such a conclusion. I dare say the majority of said readers prefer the [well of English undefiled] 1251 to the [puddle of German unclarified] as decidedly as Mr. A. is likely to have done; so that we may safely infer Mr. John Sibree's labours as a translator to have been acceptable at Oxford and elsewhere. Worth telling him perhaps this Christmas time, if he is paying family visits at Coventry?
All prosperity of soul and body attend you on this and every other day in the calendar. That, dear friend, is the sincere wish of
Yours affectionately
Marian Lewes.
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1858. Extract published: Cross, II, 73.
Park Shot | Christmas Day.
Dear Friend
The well-flavoured Molluscs came this morning. It was very kind of you, and if you remember how fond I am of oysters your good nature will have the more pleasure in furnishing my gourmandise with the treat. I have a childish delight in any little act of genuine friendliness towards us -- and yet not childish, for how little we thought of people's goodness towards us when we were children. It takes a good deal of experience to tell one the rarity of a thoroughly disinterested kindness.
Mr. Lewes is not quite so capable of appreciating oysters as I am, being a miserably moderate eater, unequal to the sublime excesses of a genius like me. In compensation, he will dissect a few.
He sends his kind regards to you, and will be as much interested as I shall be in knowing about the vicissitudes of Coventry journalism, 1249 when any new phase or crisis comes of which you can tell us. He is an old soldier, and cares for battles of that sort.
You understand that what I said about the Continent had reference only to a prolonged residence there -- a residence of five or six months; and would not apply to a visit of a month or two. One can rough it with enjoyment for a short time, but the pleasure of change is inherently short lived.
I hope you are all substantially happy this Christmas: the merriment perhaps will be chiefly of the sympathetic sort -- looking on at the fun of the young ones, or helping to create it.
Tell Sara I am glad to think that she is pleasantly absorbed, and am content with her silence under such circumstances. Love to her and Cara. Kind remembrances, too, to Mrs. John Cash, when it occurs to you to mention me in her company. Tell her, an Oxford clergyman who lately paid us a visit -- bringing a philosophic admiration of Mr. Lewes and, of course, MSS. of his own to be admired if possible -- spoke of Hegel's Philosophy of History as being read by himself and many other Oxford clergymen or students. I was not so rude as to ask him whether he read it in Mr. Sibree's translation, 1250 but as I gathered that he knew no German, I thought the symptoms justified such a conclusion. I dare say the majority of said readers prefer the [well of English undefiled] 1251 to the [puddle of German unclarified] as decidedly as Mr. A. is likely to have done; so that we may safely infer Mr. John Sibree's labours as a translator to have been acceptable at Oxford and elsewhere. Worth telling him perhaps this Christmas time, if he is paying family visits at Coventry?
All prosperity of soul and body attend you on this and every other day in the calendar. That, dear friend, is the sincere wish of
Yours affectionately
Marian Lewes.
Signature
Marian Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Charles Bray, Richmond, 25 December [1858], 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/92162