GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, 5 May [1852]
Title
GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, 5 May [1852]
Title
GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, 5 May [1852]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray
Date(s)
- 1852-05-05
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, 5 May [1852]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1852. Extracts published: Cross, I, 278-280; George Eliot and John Chapman, p. 52.
Wednesday | May 5.
Dearest Friends
The meeting last night 73 went off triumphantly, and I saluted Mr. Chapman with "See the Conquering Hero Comes" on the piano at 12 o'clock, for not until then was the last magnate except Herbert Spencer out of the house. I sat at the door for a short time, but soon got a chair within it and heard and saw everything.
Dickens in the chair -- a position he fills remarkably well, preserving a courteous neutrality of eyebrow, and speaking with clearness and decision. His appearance is certainly disappointing -- no benevolence in the face and I think little in the head -- the anterior lobe not by any means remarkable. In fact he is not distinguished looking in any way -- neither handsome nor ugly, neither fat nor thin, neither tall nor short.
Mr. Chapman read his statement 74 very well and looked distinguished and refined even in that assemblage of intellectuals. Letters were read from R. Chambers, Geo. Combe, MacCulloch, Cobden, James Wilson, De Morgan etc. 75 Babbage moved the first resolution 76 -- an ugly man and a bad speaker but a great authority. Charles Knight 77 is a beautiful elderly man with a modest but firm enunciation, and he made a wise and telling speech which silenced one or two vulgar, ignorant booksellers who had got into the meeting by mistake. One of these -- Willis -- no -- Southron 78 -- began by complimenting Dickens -- "views held by such worthy and important gentlemen, which is your worthy person in the chair." Dickens looked respectfully neutral. These four 79 booksellers were a capital foil to all the other men in the room, and they happened to sit all in a row. Their faces contrasted with those of the authors were in every sense a prim'e2 facie argument against them. The most telling speech of the evening was Prof. Tom Taylor's 80 -- as witty and brilliant as one of George Dawson's. Professor Owen's 81 too was remarkably good. He had a resolution to move as to the bad effect of the trade restrictions on scientific works, and gave his own experience in illustration. Speaking of the slow and small sale of scientific books of a high class, he said, in his silvery bland way, alluding to Willis's boast that the retail booksellers recommended the works of less known authors -- "for which limited sale we are doubtless indebted to the kind recommendation of our friends, the retail booksellers" -- whereupon these worthies, taking it for a bon'e2 fide compliment, cheered enthusiastically. Dr. Lankester, 82 Prof. Newman, Robert Bell 83 and others spoke well, and every resolution was carried. Owen has a tremendous head and looked, as he was, the greatest celebrity of the meeting. Geo. Cruikshanks, too, made a capital speech, in an admirable moral spirit. He is the most homely, genuine looking man, not unlike the pictures of Captain Cuttle. 84
So now I hope poor Mr. Chap. will have a little time to attend to his business which is needing him awfully -- in fact his private affairs are wearing a melancholy aspect. However he has worked well and in a good spirit at this great question and has shewn a degree of talent, and power of mastering a subject which have won him general admiration.
I forgot to say that the sense of the meeting was decidedly against a deputation to Lord Campbell 85 -- the absurdity of making an individual opinion of importance in the matter was very strongly expressed on all hands, so the resolutions are to be sent to him with the names of the authors giving their adhesion, and a short note from Charles Dickens. By the way, I shall be able to pick up some autographs for Sara.
I went to hear the Huguenots on Saturday evening. It was a rich treat. Mario and Grisi and Formes and that finest of orchestras under Costa.
Dear Miss Parkes came straight to me on Saturday after her journey home -- it appears she did expect an invitation.
I am going to a concert to-night -- Jetty Trefts, Sivori, Formes etc. 86 This is all very fine, but in the meantime I am getting as haggard as an old witch under London atmosphere and influences.
Write again very soon and tell me something about yourselves. I shall be glad to have sent me my Shakspeare, Goethe, Byron and Wordsworth, if you will be so good as to take the trouble of packing them.
Ever your affectionate
Marian.
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1852. Extracts published: Cross, I, 278-280; George Eliot and John Chapman, p. 52.
Wednesday | May 5.
Dearest Friends
The meeting last night 73 went off triumphantly, and I saluted Mr. Chapman with "See the Conquering Hero Comes" on the piano at 12 o'clock, for not until then was the last magnate except Herbert Spencer out of the house. I sat at the door for a short time, but soon got a chair within it and heard and saw everything.
Dickens in the chair -- a position he fills remarkably well, preserving a courteous neutrality of eyebrow, and speaking with clearness and decision. His appearance is certainly disappointing -- no benevolence in the face and I think little in the head -- the anterior lobe not by any means remarkable. In fact he is not distinguished looking in any way -- neither handsome nor ugly, neither fat nor thin, neither tall nor short.
Mr. Chapman read his statement 74 very well and looked distinguished and refined even in that assemblage of intellectuals. Letters were read from R. Chambers, Geo. Combe, MacCulloch, Cobden, James Wilson, De Morgan etc. 75 Babbage moved the first resolution 76 -- an ugly man and a bad speaker but a great authority. Charles Knight 77 is a beautiful elderly man with a modest but firm enunciation, and he made a wise and telling speech which silenced one or two vulgar, ignorant booksellers who had got into the meeting by mistake. One of these -- Willis -- no -- Southron 78 -- began by complimenting Dickens -- "views held by such worthy and important gentlemen, which is your worthy person in the chair." Dickens looked respectfully neutral. These four 79 booksellers were a capital foil to all the other men in the room, and they happened to sit all in a row. Their faces contrasted with those of the authors were in every sense a prim'e2 facie argument against them. The most telling speech of the evening was Prof. Tom Taylor's 80 -- as witty and brilliant as one of George Dawson's. Professor Owen's 81 too was remarkably good. He had a resolution to move as to the bad effect of the trade restrictions on scientific works, and gave his own experience in illustration. Speaking of the slow and small sale of scientific books of a high class, he said, in his silvery bland way, alluding to Willis's boast that the retail booksellers recommended the works of less known authors -- "for which limited sale we are doubtless indebted to the kind recommendation of our friends, the retail booksellers" -- whereupon these worthies, taking it for a bon'e2 fide compliment, cheered enthusiastically. Dr. Lankester, 82 Prof. Newman, Robert Bell 83 and others spoke well, and every resolution was carried. Owen has a tremendous head and looked, as he was, the greatest celebrity of the meeting. Geo. Cruikshanks, too, made a capital speech, in an admirable moral spirit. He is the most homely, genuine looking man, not unlike the pictures of Captain Cuttle. 84
So now I hope poor Mr. Chap. will have a little time to attend to his business which is needing him awfully -- in fact his private affairs are wearing a melancholy aspect. However he has worked well and in a good spirit at this great question and has shewn a degree of talent, and power of mastering a subject which have won him general admiration.
I forgot to say that the sense of the meeting was decidedly against a deputation to Lord Campbell 85 -- the absurdity of making an individual opinion of importance in the matter was very strongly expressed on all hands, so the resolutions are to be sent to him with the names of the authors giving their adhesion, and a short note from Charles Dickens. By the way, I shall be able to pick up some autographs for Sara.
I went to hear the Huguenots on Saturday evening. It was a rich treat. Mario and Grisi and Formes and that finest of orchestras under Costa.
Dear Miss Parkes came straight to me on Saturday after her journey home -- it appears she did expect an invitation.
I am going to a concert to-night -- Jetty Trefts, Sivori, Formes etc. 86 This is all very fine, but in the meantime I am getting as haggard as an old witch under London atmosphere and influences.
Write again very soon and tell me something about yourselves. I shall be glad to have sent me my Shakspeare, Goethe, Byron and Wordsworth, if you will be so good as to take the trouble of packing them.
Ever your affectionate
Marian.
Signature
Marian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bray, London, 5 May [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/93175