GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, [23 October 1841]
Title
GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, [23 October 1841]
Title
GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, [23 October 1841]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Maria Lewis
Date(s)
- 1841-10-23
Place
FOLESHILL
Letter Content
GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, [23 October 1841]
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, I, 85-86.
Foleshill Saturday Evening.
You are veritably an overreaching friend, my dear Maria, not content with my scribbling a couple of sheets to every quarter of the moon, you even insist on dictating the subjects of the same, and the one you now impose on me is at once so sterile, so incomprehensible and so unfascinating that I should be quite justified in refusing to descant thereon. If you complain that my letters become increasingly illegible, just take into consideration the necessary effect of having to write a few pages almost daily. This has been the case with me of late, and I am likely to be more and more busy, if I succeed in a project that is just now occupying my thoughts and feelings. There is no request of yours that I would deny on selfish grounds, therefore my dearest dear, albeit I would rather not reduce myself to the unhappy condition of certain writers of billets, who sit like Hamlet gazing apparently on vacancy 380 out of sheer destitution of matter, I will even do so for the sake of satisfying your ill deserved anxiety about me.
Your fears about my health I feel that I have been culpable in raising from a foolish habit both in writing and discourse of saying all the truth. What mortal has not occasionally headaches? and if there are exceptions in this case, I am sure there are none who have not sometimes heartaches. Both are salutary for us while we tread "this spacious globe" 381 and like ipecacuanha and juleps, though not good in se are often invaluable in their effects. In fine, my dear Veronica, I have seriously to be thankful for far better health than I have possessed I think for years, and I am imperatively called on to trade diligently with this same talent. I seem to be tried in a contrary mode to that in which most of my dearest friends are being tutored -- tried in the most dangerous way -- by prosperity. Solomon says in the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adversity consider 382 -- it seems to me that a transposition vice versa of the admonitions would be equally salutary and just. Truly as the prophet of Selwyn has told us "Heaven is formidable in its favours." 383 Not that a wise and grateful reception of blessings obliges us to stretch our faces to the length of one of Cromwell's [Barebones,] nor to shun that joyous bird-like enjoyment of things (which though perishable as to their actual existence will be embalmed to eternity in the precious spices of gratitude) that is distinct from levity and voluptuousness.
On referring to Mr. Brezzi's accompts I find that he has hitherto charged 3 guineas for 10 lessons of German and two for the same number in Italian -- whether his terms will continue to be the same I cannot tell. 7/6 seems to me an exorbitant charge for French. I know that such persons charge variously according to the rank etc. of the pupils. I wrote to Miss Crump immediately on receiving your letter but have not yet had any tidings from her.
I will write better to you, dearest, if I can by and bye, but I am really crowded with engagements just now, and I have added one to the number of my correspondents. I know you will judge indulgently and will rather have such letters as this, which really resembles the tree growing on Fair Rosamond's tomb, apparently full of nuts to crack, but lo! empty, than none at all. Please to remember I have just as longing a desire for regular despatches from you. My dear Sister is rather an object of solicitude on many accounts -- the troubles of married life seem more conspicuously the ordinance of God, in the case of one so meek and passive than in that of women who may fairly be suspected of creating half their own difficulties. Adieu, my very dear Maria, in the etymological sense of the word. Love and practically remember
Your affectionate
Mary Ann
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, I, 85-86.
Foleshill Saturday Evening.
You are veritably an overreaching friend, my dear Maria, not content with my scribbling a couple of sheets to every quarter of the moon, you even insist on dictating the subjects of the same, and the one you now impose on me is at once so sterile, so incomprehensible and so unfascinating that I should be quite justified in refusing to descant thereon. If you complain that my letters become increasingly illegible, just take into consideration the necessary effect of having to write a few pages almost daily. This has been the case with me of late, and I am likely to be more and more busy, if I succeed in a project that is just now occupying my thoughts and feelings. There is no request of yours that I would deny on selfish grounds, therefore my dearest dear, albeit I would rather not reduce myself to the unhappy condition of certain writers of billets, who sit like Hamlet gazing apparently on vacancy 380 out of sheer destitution of matter, I will even do so for the sake of satisfying your ill deserved anxiety about me.
Your fears about my health I feel that I have been culpable in raising from a foolish habit both in writing and discourse of saying all the truth. What mortal has not occasionally headaches? and if there are exceptions in this case, I am sure there are none who have not sometimes heartaches. Both are salutary for us while we tread "this spacious globe" 381 and like ipecacuanha and juleps, though not good in se are often invaluable in their effects. In fine, my dear Veronica, I have seriously to be thankful for far better health than I have possessed I think for years, and I am imperatively called on to trade diligently with this same talent. I seem to be tried in a contrary mode to that in which most of my dearest friends are being tutored -- tried in the most dangerous way -- by prosperity. Solomon says in the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adversity consider 382 -- it seems to me that a transposition vice versa of the admonitions would be equally salutary and just. Truly as the prophet of Selwyn has told us "Heaven is formidable in its favours." 383 Not that a wise and grateful reception of blessings obliges us to stretch our faces to the length of one of Cromwell's [Barebones,] nor to shun that joyous bird-like enjoyment of things (which though perishable as to their actual existence will be embalmed to eternity in the precious spices of gratitude) that is distinct from levity and voluptuousness.
On referring to Mr. Brezzi's accompts I find that he has hitherto charged 3 guineas for 10 lessons of German and two for the same number in Italian -- whether his terms will continue to be the same I cannot tell. 7/6 seems to me an exorbitant charge for French. I know that such persons charge variously according to the rank etc. of the pupils. I wrote to Miss Crump immediately on receiving your letter but have not yet had any tidings from her.
I will write better to you, dearest, if I can by and bye, but I am really crowded with engagements just now, and I have added one to the number of my correspondents. I know you will judge indulgently and will rather have such letters as this, which really resembles the tree growing on Fair Rosamond's tomb, apparently full of nuts to crack, but lo! empty, than none at all. Please to remember I have just as longing a desire for regular despatches from you. My dear Sister is rather an object of solicitude on many accounts -- the troubles of married life seem more conspicuously the ordinance of God, in the case of one so meek and passive than in that of women who may fairly be suspected of creating half their own difficulties. Adieu, my very dear Maria, in the etymological sense of the word. Love and practically remember
Your affectionate
Mary Ann
Signature
Mary Ann
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Maria Lewis, Foleshill, [23 October 1841], 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/92876