GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 9 May 1867
Title
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 9 May 1867
Title
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 9 May 1867
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon
Date(s)
- 1867-05-09
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 9 May 1867
MS: Mr. Philip Leigh-Smith. Hitherto unpublished.
North Bank | May 9. 67.
Dearest Barbara
The weather here is beautiful now -- warm and, in the country, brilliant. Your little Sussex home must be looking like a paradise. But I am magnanimous enough to wish that you should not come to England till there is no risk of your being overdone by affectionate friends. So many are interested in you that I feel a sympathetic fatigue at the idea of the kindness that would be poured out upon you; Bessie would be crushed in attempting to defend you from it.
Our good old Neuberg 626 had been much out of health before we left England at Christmas, and looked sadly worn and physically uneasy. Mrs. Frankau told me that he had a painful complaint which troubled him almost constantly. And about a month ago, all that trouble ended. I believe he had no great preparatory increase of illness, but I have not yet seen his sister as I hoped to do, and have only heard imperfect accounts. We should have liked him to live bodily amongst us much longer -- his life seemed so quietly beneficent, especially in his own family. But the thought that he was enduring frequent malaise makes death seem a good for him. I hope we shall cherish more and more the best memories of the dead and so be able to keep them with us -- living within us when they have ceased to live without us. [About six words deleted.]
George has finished his book and is very bright just now.
We went to see the collection of historical portraits at Kensington yesterday, and met your old friend Mr. Scharf there. It is a wonderful collection -- such Gainsboroughs and Sir Joshuas! a wonderful portrait of Sir Isaac Newton by that usually prosaic Sir Godfrey Kneller -- a Duchess of Queensberry, very old, very grand, by someone unknown, worth going to see if there were nothing else.
No more now, because I am called away. Best love to Bessie -- gratitude to her also, for being your Guardian Angel. George sends his best, most respectful love.
Always yours
Marian.
MS: Mr. Philip Leigh-Smith. Hitherto unpublished.
North Bank | May 9. 67.
Dearest Barbara
The weather here is beautiful now -- warm and, in the country, brilliant. Your little Sussex home must be looking like a paradise. But I am magnanimous enough to wish that you should not come to England till there is no risk of your being overdone by affectionate friends. So many are interested in you that I feel a sympathetic fatigue at the idea of the kindness that would be poured out upon you; Bessie would be crushed in attempting to defend you from it.
Our good old Neuberg 626 had been much out of health before we left England at Christmas, and looked sadly worn and physically uneasy. Mrs. Frankau told me that he had a painful complaint which troubled him almost constantly. And about a month ago, all that trouble ended. I believe he had no great preparatory increase of illness, but I have not yet seen his sister as I hoped to do, and have only heard imperfect accounts. We should have liked him to live bodily amongst us much longer -- his life seemed so quietly beneficent, especially in his own family. But the thought that he was enduring frequent malaise makes death seem a good for him. I hope we shall cherish more and more the best memories of the dead and so be able to keep them with us -- living within us when they have ceased to live without us. [About six words deleted.]
George has finished his book and is very bright just now.
We went to see the collection of historical portraits at Kensington yesterday, and met your old friend Mr. Scharf there. It is a wonderful collection -- such Gainsboroughs and Sir Joshuas! a wonderful portrait of Sir Isaac Newton by that usually prosaic Sir Godfrey Kneller -- a Duchess of Queensberry, very old, very grand, by someone unknown, worth going to see if there were nothing else.
No more now, because I am called away. Best love to Bessie -- gratitude to her also, for being your Guardian Angel. George sends his best, most respectful love.
Always yours
Marian.
Signature
Marian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 9 May 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/93073