GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 7 November 1867
Title
GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 7 November 1867
Title
GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 7 November 1867
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Frederic Harrison
Date(s)
- 1867-11-07
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 7 November 1867
MS: Tinker Collection, Yale. Envelope: Frederic Harrison Esq. | 7 New Square | Lincolns Inn | W.C. Postmarks: LONDON-N.W | X | NO 7 | 67; LONDON-W.C | MN | NO 7 | 67. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
November 7. 67.
Dear Mr. Harrison
I suppose it is rather superfluous for me as one of the public, to thank you for your article in the Fortnightly. 680 But "le superflu" in the matter of expression is "chose si n'e9cessaire" to us women. It seems to me that you have said the serious things most needful to be said in a good humoured way, easy for everybody to read. I have not been able to find Matthew Arnold's article again, but I remember enough of it to appreciate the force of your criticism. Only in one point I am unable to see as you do. I don't know how far my impressions have been warped by reading German, but I have regarded the word "culture" as a verbal equivalent for the highest mental result of past and present influences. Dictionary meanings are liable rapidly to fall short of usage. But I am not maintaining an opinion -- only stating an impression.
My conscience made me a little unhappy after I had been speaking of Browning on Sunday. I ought to have spoken with more of the veneration I feel for him, and to have said that in his best poems -- and by these I mean a large number -- I do not find him unintelligible, but only peculiar and original. Take no notice of this letter, else I shall feel that I have made an unwarrantable inroad on your time.
Ever yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes
MS: Tinker Collection, Yale. Envelope: Frederic Harrison Esq. | 7 New Square | Lincolns Inn | W.C. Postmarks: LONDON-N.W | X | NO 7 | 67; LONDON-W.C | MN | NO 7 | 67. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
November 7. 67.
Dear Mr. Harrison
I suppose it is rather superfluous for me as one of the public, to thank you for your article in the Fortnightly. 680 But "le superflu" in the matter of expression is "chose si n'e9cessaire" to us women. It seems to me that you have said the serious things most needful to be said in a good humoured way, easy for everybody to read. I have not been able to find Matthew Arnold's article again, but I remember enough of it to appreciate the force of your criticism. Only in one point I am unable to see as you do. I don't know how far my impressions have been warped by reading German, but I have regarded the word "culture" as a verbal equivalent for the highest mental result of past and present influences. Dictionary meanings are liable rapidly to fall short of usage. But I am not maintaining an opinion -- only stating an impression.
My conscience made me a little unhappy after I had been speaking of Browning on Sunday. I ought to have spoken with more of the veneration I feel for him, and to have said that in his best poems -- and by these I mean a large number -- I do not find him unintelligible, but only peculiar and original. Take no notice of this letter, else I shall feel that I have made an unwarrantable inroad on your time.
Ever yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes
Signature
M. E. Lewes
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Frederic Harrison, London, 7 November 1867, 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/92417