GE to Martha Jackson, Griff, 4 March 1841
Title
GE to Martha Jackson, Griff, 4 March 1841
Title
GE to Martha Jackson, Griff, 4 March 1841
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Martha Jackson
Date(s)
- 1841-03-04
Place
Griff
Letter Content
GE to Martha Jackson, Griff, 4 March 1841
MS: Mr. Gordon N. Ray.
Griff March 4th 1841.
My very dear Ivy
Imagination herself being only a combining faculty and entirely dependent on our much depreciated senses, I am hopeless that she could depict to you my condition and employ for the last three weeks, for right gladly do I believe that you have no materials in your memory wherewith she might construct a type of them. At length an islet of etherial blue seems to be emerging in the midst of my cloudy cope, and under its benign influence I have spirits to make an effort at writing a letter, not dreaming that I shall write one that would be worth the perusal except to a clinging friend, who can be satisfied with bare matter of fact concerning my whereabout, how, and whither. It has been determined for two months or more that our future residence shall be the house on the Foleshill Road formerly inhabited by Dr. Hook 8 and next door to Mr. A. Pears. 9 Thither we hope soon to remove, and thither some time I hope my Patty will come to regain her roses, which I mourn after, provided always she can come with her own heart, otherwise I protest against her reception. I shall be so busily engaged until we are quite settled that I must procure an exemption from all correspondence, for which I promise to contribute a more important quota to her Majesty's Postoffice revenue, if I am spared in health to resume my quill driving. I do hope, my Ivy, that you are looking as a grateful plant should do under the promise of Spring, and that you are able to avail yourself with benefit of facilities for exercise. I beg of you to write within a week and tell me how you do and that my muteness has not disgusted you. Indeed, dear, I have gone through some little trials since I last wrote to you, and I should mention that my health has been far from vigourous as well as that I have had persons staying in the house -- all this to give you some ground beyond pure charity for attributing my laggard interchange of expressed affection to substantial hindrances.
Many thanks for your so kindly wishing to see me at Gobions -- it would give me lively pleasure to visit you and see the rest of the Pleiades, one of which is so dear and interesting to me; but I dare not calculate on the indulgence at present. I cordially echo your feeling of comfort in knowing that our little concerns are in the hands of Him who doth all things well. To be so far a Quietist as to receive all with thankfulness is well, but we must stay then in the adoption of the system, and instead of sitting still actively go forward in whatever direction the finger of Providence points. My dear Brother has mentioned you as one whom he admires, and my own dear Father will I know be glad to welcome you again as my visitor, so do come amongst us. I shall have the cosiest hearth in Christendom, as quiet as a summer lake. My Sister wants to see you, and has recently presented us with a little girl, 10 whom we shall be proud to display. I send you as a great sacrifice on the altar of friendship, a pattern L which I have actually cut out of a precious note, so mind you make a good use of it. It is like its executer, very superior, and just my beau id'e9al. By the bye, I have read Buckland's Treatise on Geology 11 with much pleasure, and I believe Lyell's 12 is good though it differs in Theory, but alas the superficies of the earth are monopolizing my attention. I can neither delve nor soar.
Ever your true and affectionate
Clematis.
MS: Mr. Gordon N. Ray.
Griff March 4th 1841.
My very dear Ivy
Imagination herself being only a combining faculty and entirely dependent on our much depreciated senses, I am hopeless that she could depict to you my condition and employ for the last three weeks, for right gladly do I believe that you have no materials in your memory wherewith she might construct a type of them. At length an islet of etherial blue seems to be emerging in the midst of my cloudy cope, and under its benign influence I have spirits to make an effort at writing a letter, not dreaming that I shall write one that would be worth the perusal except to a clinging friend, who can be satisfied with bare matter of fact concerning my whereabout, how, and whither. It has been determined for two months or more that our future residence shall be the house on the Foleshill Road formerly inhabited by Dr. Hook 8 and next door to Mr. A. Pears. 9 Thither we hope soon to remove, and thither some time I hope my Patty will come to regain her roses, which I mourn after, provided always she can come with her own heart, otherwise I protest against her reception. I shall be so busily engaged until we are quite settled that I must procure an exemption from all correspondence, for which I promise to contribute a more important quota to her Majesty's Postoffice revenue, if I am spared in health to resume my quill driving. I do hope, my Ivy, that you are looking as a grateful plant should do under the promise of Spring, and that you are able to avail yourself with benefit of facilities for exercise. I beg of you to write within a week and tell me how you do and that my muteness has not disgusted you. Indeed, dear, I have gone through some little trials since I last wrote to you, and I should mention that my health has been far from vigourous as well as that I have had persons staying in the house -- all this to give you some ground beyond pure charity for attributing my laggard interchange of expressed affection to substantial hindrances.
Many thanks for your so kindly wishing to see me at Gobions -- it would give me lively pleasure to visit you and see the rest of the Pleiades, one of which is so dear and interesting to me; but I dare not calculate on the indulgence at present. I cordially echo your feeling of comfort in knowing that our little concerns are in the hands of Him who doth all things well. To be so far a Quietist as to receive all with thankfulness is well, but we must stay then in the adoption of the system, and instead of sitting still actively go forward in whatever direction the finger of Providence points. My dear Brother has mentioned you as one whom he admires, and my own dear Father will I know be glad to welcome you again as my visitor, so do come amongst us. I shall have the cosiest hearth in Christendom, as quiet as a summer lake. My Sister wants to see you, and has recently presented us with a little girl, 10 whom we shall be proud to display. I send you as a great sacrifice on the altar of friendship, a pattern L which I have actually cut out of a precious note, so mind you make a good use of it. It is like its executer, very superior, and just my beau id'e9al. By the bye, I have read Buckland's Treatise on Geology 11 with much pleasure, and I believe Lyell's 12 is good though it differs in Theory, but alas the superficies of the earth are monopolizing my attention. I can neither delve nor soar.
Ever your true and affectionate
Clematis.
Signature
Clematis.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Martha Jackson, Griff, 4 March 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/92938