GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 22 January 1866
Title
GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 22 January 1866
Title
GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 22 January 1866
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Frederic Harrison
Date(s)
- 1866-01-22
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 22 January 1866
MS: Tinker Collection, Yale. Envelope: Frederic Harrison Esq | 7 New Square | Lincolns Inn | W.C. Postmarks: LONDON-N.W | 2 | JA 22 | 66; LONDON-W.C | GN | JA 22 | 66. Mostly published: Cross, II, 421-422.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
January 22. 66.
My dear Mr. Harrison
I had not any opportunity, or not enough presence of mind, to tell you yesterday how much I felt your kindness in writing me that last little note of sympathy.
In proportion as compliments (always beside the mark) are discouraging and nauseating, at least to a writer who has any serious aims, genuine words from one capable of understanding one's conceptions are precious and strengthening.
Yet I have no confidence that the book will ever be worthily written. And now I have something else to ask. It is, that if anything strikes you as untrue in cases where my drama has a bearing on momentous questions, especially of a public nature, you will do me the great kindness to tell me of your doubts.
On a few moral points, which have been made clear to me by my experience, I feel sufficiently confident -- without such confidence I could not write at all. But in every other direction, I am so much in need of fuller instruction as to be constantly under the sense that I am more likely to be wrong than right.
Hitherto I have read my M.S. (I mean of my previous books) to Mr. Lewes, by 40 or 50 pages at a time, and he has told me if he felt an objection to anything. No one else has had any knowledge of my writing before their publication (I except, of course, the publishers).
But now that you are good enough to incur the trouble of reading my M.S. I am anxious to get the full benefit of your participation.
Our boy goes into Warwickshire 406 to-morrow morning, and we shall start for Tunbridge Wells at half past eleven.
Always sincerely yours
M. E. Lewes.
MS: Tinker Collection, Yale. Envelope: Frederic Harrison Esq | 7 New Square | Lincolns Inn | W.C. Postmarks: LONDON-N.W | 2 | JA 22 | 66; LONDON-W.C | GN | JA 22 | 66. Mostly published: Cross, II, 421-422.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
January 22. 66.
My dear Mr. Harrison
I had not any opportunity, or not enough presence of mind, to tell you yesterday how much I felt your kindness in writing me that last little note of sympathy.
In proportion as compliments (always beside the mark) are discouraging and nauseating, at least to a writer who has any serious aims, genuine words from one capable of understanding one's conceptions are precious and strengthening.
Yet I have no confidence that the book will ever be worthily written. And now I have something else to ask. It is, that if anything strikes you as untrue in cases where my drama has a bearing on momentous questions, especially of a public nature, you will do me the great kindness to tell me of your doubts.
On a few moral points, which have been made clear to me by my experience, I feel sufficiently confident -- without such confidence I could not write at all. But in every other direction, I am so much in need of fuller instruction as to be constantly under the sense that I am more likely to be wrong than right.
Hitherto I have read my M.S. (I mean of my previous books) to Mr. Lewes, by 40 or 50 pages at a time, and he has told me if he felt an objection to anything. No one else has had any knowledge of my writing before their publication (I except, of course, the publishers).
But now that you are good enough to incur the trouble of reading my M.S. I am anxious to get the full benefit of your participation.
Our boy goes into Warwickshire 406 to-morrow morning, and we shall start for Tunbridge Wells at half past eleven.
Always sincerely yours
M. E. Lewes.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 22 January 1866, 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/92406