GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, [4 December 1852]
Title
GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, [4 December 1852]
Title
GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, [4 December 1852]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray
Date(s)
- 1852-12-04
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, [4 December 1852]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: Dec. 4. 1852. Extracts published: Cross, I, 298-299; George Eliot and John Chapman, p. 64.
Strand | Saturday Morning.
Dearest Creatures
Another week almost "with the years beyond the flood"! 234 What has it brought you? Customers, I hope, who will not return their purchases
I had a pleasant letter from H. Martineau this morning. She denounces the Vagabond Letters 237 so strongly that I have copied what she says and sent it to Mr. Pigott 238 (without mentioning her name of course.) He, poor fellow, is throwing his capital into the Leader abyss to no purpose, I fear.
I am invited to go to the Lee Smiths' 239 on Monday evening to meet Mr. Robert Noel. 240 Herbert Spencer is invited too, because Mr. Noel wants especially to see him. Barbara Smith speaks of Mr. R. Noel as their "dear German friend."
So the Budget is come out -- and I am to pay Income Tax. All very right. Of course an enlightened personage like me has no "ignorant impatience of taxation." I am glad to hear of the Lectures to Young Men and the banquet of the Labourer's Friend Society. "Be not weary in well-doing." 241
I have been having the heartiest laugh at Mr. Chapman. He was talking of the hopefulness of certain "aspects" of his business, such as that several publications have been recently offered him etc. "Then," he said, in rather an affected, [proper] drawl, looking pious, "there are these [Letters from Ireland] 242 which I hope will be something rather better than a poke in the eye." "Let your moderation be known unto all men," 243 I said. That is better than the Swedish woman cooking the rail that the bird had sat on.
I have been interrupted and so have written any silly thing that was uppermost. Never mind -- any modern instance is better than wise saws.
Your affectionate
Marian.
MS: Yale. Endorsed: Dec. 4. 1852. Extracts published: Cross, I, 298-299; George Eliot and John Chapman, p. 64.
Strand | Saturday Morning.
Dearest Creatures
Another week almost "with the years beyond the flood"! 234 What has it brought you? Customers, I hope, who will not return their purchases
I had a pleasant letter from H. Martineau this morning. She denounces the Vagabond Letters 237 so strongly that I have copied what she says and sent it to Mr. Pigott 238 (without mentioning her name of course.) He, poor fellow, is throwing his capital into the Leader abyss to no purpose, I fear.
I am invited to go to the Lee Smiths' 239 on Monday evening to meet Mr. Robert Noel. 240 Herbert Spencer is invited too, because Mr. Noel wants especially to see him. Barbara Smith speaks of Mr. R. Noel as their "dear German friend."
So the Budget is come out -- and I am to pay Income Tax. All very right. Of course an enlightened personage like me has no "ignorant impatience of taxation." I am glad to hear of the Lectures to Young Men and the banquet of the Labourer's Friend Society. "Be not weary in well-doing." 241
I have been having the heartiest laugh at Mr. Chapman. He was talking of the hopefulness of certain "aspects" of his business, such as that several publications have been recently offered him etc. "Then," he said, in rather an affected, [proper] drawl, looking pious, "there are these [Letters from Ireland] 242 which I hope will be something rather better than a poke in the eye." "Let your moderation be known unto all men," 243 I said. That is better than the Swedish woman cooking the rail that the bird had sat on.
I have been interrupted and so have written any silly thing that was uppermost. Never mind -- any modern instance is better than wise saws.
Your affectionate
Marian.
Signature
Marian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, [4 December 1852], 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/93173