GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 17 September 1840
Title
GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 17 September 1840
Title
GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 17 September 1840
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Maria Lewis
Date(s)
- 1840-09-17
Place
GRIFF
Letter Content
GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 17 September 1840
MS: Yale. Address: Miss Lewis | The Revd L. Harper's | Burton Latimer | near Kettering | Northamptonshire. Postmark: COVENTRY | SE 17 | 1840. Extracts published: Cross, I, 72-73.
Griff | September 17th 1840.
My very dear Friend,
I believe it is Woman's privilege to give no reason for her actions and by parity of reasoning for her omissions, but I will not avail myself of this article of our Charter to one of my own sex. I will tell you that the cause of my silence has been partly excess of occupation, partly absence from home, 243 and, as the base part of the triangle a little sloth for I will not say that by better management it would have been impossible for me to write to you. I can say however that my thoughts have been more frequently with you than any of my absent female friends, and this the rather that my folly, to give it the mildest name, has placed me 'e0 la portée of certain dangerous powers, from whose injuries I have to be thankful that I have so early escaped. I have thought of you as the one who has ever shewn herself so capable of consideration for my weakness and sympathy in my warm and easily fastened affections. My imagination is an enemy that must be cast down ere I can enjoy peace or exhibit uniformity of character. I know not which of its caprices I have most to dread -- that which incites it to spread sack-cloth "above, below, around," or that which makes it "cheat my eye with blear illusion, 244 and beget strange dreams" of excellence and beauty in beings and things of only "working day" price. There is but one remedy -- and blessed thought! it is in the hands of One who, at least while we are willing to receive it is waiting to bestow it on us. The beautiful heavens that we have lately enjoyed awaken in me an indescribable sensation of exultation in existence and aspiration after all that is suited to engage our immaterial nature; but I feel that this is not pure, not chastened, and therefore not to be indulged. So much for self of which I believe you wish me to speak and so I will not even ask pardon. While I think of it the chart we have on the tapis is thus called: "A Chart of Ecclesiastical History from the commencement of the Christian Era to the present time," published by Seeley and Burnside.
I have not read very many of Mr. W. Bucknill's 245 poems, nor any with much attention. To waste one's time in conning such productions is like choosing to be fanned indoors when one can have the breath of Eolus and all his children for less exertion. I do not mean to be satirical, or affect the critic to which character I have not a shadow of right. I simply declare my determination not to feed on the broth of literature when I can get strong soup, such for instance as Shelley's Cloud, the five or six stanzas of which contain more poetic metal than is beat out in all Mr. B' pages. By the bye do recommend to all your married friends "Woman's Mission" 246 a 3.6d book and one you would like to read; the most philosophical and masterly on the subject I ever read or glanced over.
Mr. Harpur 247 told me you looked well when he was at Burton but
I cannot trust his eyes and you do not tell me anything about your health. All is in statu quo here. I think it probably will be so till spring -- then most probably I shall be transplanted, and that to Meriden. 248 This letter is only fit to be the avant courier of another, but in all simplicity its faults are like those of the Irishman's Horse, unavoidable misfortunes -- for my hand and mind are wearied with writing four pages of German and a letter of business. If you can scribble me a few lines before I am able to write again I shall be grateful. You must know I have had bestowed on me the very pretty cognomen of Clematis, which in the Floral language, means Mental Beauty. I cannot find in my heart to refuse it, though like many other appellations it has rather the appearance of a satire than a compliment. Addio!
Ever yours
Clematis.
I will send your Floral name in my next, when I have received my Dictionary.
MS: Yale. Address: Miss Lewis | The Revd L. Harper's | Burton Latimer | near Kettering | Northamptonshire. Postmark: COVENTRY | SE 17 | 1840. Extracts published: Cross, I, 72-73.
Griff | September 17th 1840.
My very dear Friend,
I believe it is Woman's privilege to give no reason for her actions and by parity of reasoning for her omissions, but I will not avail myself of this article of our Charter to one of my own sex. I will tell you that the cause of my silence has been partly excess of occupation, partly absence from home, 243 and, as the base part of the triangle a little sloth for I will not say that by better management it would have been impossible for me to write to you. I can say however that my thoughts have been more frequently with you than any of my absent female friends, and this the rather that my folly, to give it the mildest name, has placed me 'e0 la portée of certain dangerous powers, from whose injuries I have to be thankful that I have so early escaped. I have thought of you as the one who has ever shewn herself so capable of consideration for my weakness and sympathy in my warm and easily fastened affections. My imagination is an enemy that must be cast down ere I can enjoy peace or exhibit uniformity of character. I know not which of its caprices I have most to dread -- that which incites it to spread sack-cloth "above, below, around," or that which makes it "cheat my eye with blear illusion, 244 and beget strange dreams" of excellence and beauty in beings and things of only "working day" price. There is but one remedy -- and blessed thought! it is in the hands of One who, at least while we are willing to receive it is waiting to bestow it on us. The beautiful heavens that we have lately enjoyed awaken in me an indescribable sensation of exultation in existence and aspiration after all that is suited to engage our immaterial nature; but I feel that this is not pure, not chastened, and therefore not to be indulged. So much for self of which I believe you wish me to speak and so I will not even ask pardon. While I think of it the chart we have on the tapis is thus called: "A Chart of Ecclesiastical History from the commencement of the Christian Era to the present time," published by Seeley and Burnside.
I have not read very many of Mr. W. Bucknill's 245 poems, nor any with much attention. To waste one's time in conning such productions is like choosing to be fanned indoors when one can have the breath of Eolus and all his children for less exertion. I do not mean to be satirical, or affect the critic to which character I have not a shadow of right. I simply declare my determination not to feed on the broth of literature when I can get strong soup, such for instance as Shelley's Cloud, the five or six stanzas of which contain more poetic metal than is beat out in all Mr. B' pages. By the bye do recommend to all your married friends "Woman's Mission" 246 a 3.6d book and one you would like to read; the most philosophical and masterly on the subject I ever read or glanced over.
Mr. Harpur 247 told me you looked well when he was at Burton but
I cannot trust his eyes and you do not tell me anything about your health. All is in statu quo here. I think it probably will be so till spring -- then most probably I shall be transplanted, and that to Meriden. 248 This letter is only fit to be the avant courier of another, but in all simplicity its faults are like those of the Irishman's Horse, unavoidable misfortunes -- for my hand and mind are wearied with writing four pages of German and a letter of business. If you can scribble me a few lines before I am able to write again I shall be grateful. You must know I have had bestowed on me the very pretty cognomen of Clematis, which in the Floral language, means Mental Beauty. I cannot find in my heart to refuse it, though like many other appellations it has rather the appearance of a satire than a compliment. Addio!
Ever yours
Clematis.
I will send your Floral name in my next, when I have received my Dictionary.
Signature
Clematis.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Maria Lewis, Griff, 17 September 1840, 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/92902