GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, London, 2 June 1873
Title
GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, London, 2 June 1873
Title
GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, London, 2 June 1873
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray
Date(s)
- 1873-06-02
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, London, 2 June 1873
MS: Yale. Brief extracts published: Cross, III, 206-207.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
June 2. 73.
My dear Cara
Thanks for sending me word of poor Miss Rebecca's death. 811 It touches me deeply to think of her as having been long imbecile, for in spite of reason telling one that this is better than pain, the imagination not the less shrinks from it in association with a friend whom one once looked up to with reverence. She was always particularly good and affectionate to me, and I had much happiness in her as my teacher.
You see we are not in the country yet. And our failure to get such a retreat as we wanted has caused us to change our plans. We intend to go abroad in about a fortnight, taking our way slowly to Geneva, for the sake of seeing my old friends there. Madame d'Albert is very aged now, and has lately had an illness which threatened her life. If we can get so far as Geneva, I should like to see her again. But we mean to commit ourselves to nothing in the way of travelling, and so make no arrangements beforehand, beyond the determination of our starting point.
In September a house near Chiselhurst will be open to us -- a house which we think of ultimately making our sole home, turning our backs on London. But we shall be allowed to have it furnished for a year on trial.
Mr. Lewes received your letter containing the melancholy disillusion about the number sold of your "British Empire," and of course he straightway communicated the correction to Mr. F. Chapman, who undertook to reconsider the terms of publication on this new basis. 812 He has not yet sent word of the result, but Mr. Lewes will take an opportunity of seeing him, and will let you know of any definite issue. Necessarily, the terms offered will be less advantageous than before.
I am glad to hear that you are thinking of my friends the donkeys. I feel sure that something pretty will come out of your thinking. If one could but get children to begin feeling gratefully towards the dumb creatures that work!
I am sorry to hear of Sara's sore brain: we know something of the sensations which I imagine she means to describe by those words. She ought to rest completely, and be passive in the sunshine. My best love to her -- and trust in her affection, spite of long silence.
Frank 813 going to Peru! This is at least a temporary improvement in things, and I hope it will cheer Mrs. Call. She has lately written to her friend Mrs. Orr to get her information about Algiers, whence I conclude that she has a notion of passing the next winter in that region. I am very tired and sleepy --
Yours lovingly
M. E. L.
MS: Yale. Brief extracts published: Cross, III, 206-207.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
June 2. 73.
My dear Cara
Thanks for sending me word of poor Miss Rebecca's death. 811 It touches me deeply to think of her as having been long imbecile, for in spite of reason telling one that this is better than pain, the imagination not the less shrinks from it in association with a friend whom one once looked up to with reverence. She was always particularly good and affectionate to me, and I had much happiness in her as my teacher.
You see we are not in the country yet. And our failure to get such a retreat as we wanted has caused us to change our plans. We intend to go abroad in about a fortnight, taking our way slowly to Geneva, for the sake of seeing my old friends there. Madame d'Albert is very aged now, and has lately had an illness which threatened her life. If we can get so far as Geneva, I should like to see her again. But we mean to commit ourselves to nothing in the way of travelling, and so make no arrangements beforehand, beyond the determination of our starting point.
In September a house near Chiselhurst will be open to us -- a house which we think of ultimately making our sole home, turning our backs on London. But we shall be allowed to have it furnished for a year on trial.
Mr. Lewes received your letter containing the melancholy disillusion about the number sold of your "British Empire," and of course he straightway communicated the correction to Mr. F. Chapman, who undertook to reconsider the terms of publication on this new basis. 812 He has not yet sent word of the result, but Mr. Lewes will take an opportunity of seeing him, and will let you know of any definite issue. Necessarily, the terms offered will be less advantageous than before.
I am glad to hear that you are thinking of my friends the donkeys. I feel sure that something pretty will come out of your thinking. If one could but get children to begin feeling gratefully towards the dumb creatures that work!
I am sorry to hear of Sara's sore brain: we know something of the sensations which I imagine she means to describe by those words. She ought to rest completely, and be passive in the sunshine. My best love to her -- and trust in her affection, spite of long silence.
Frank 813 going to Peru! This is at least a temporary improvement in things, and I hope it will cheer Mrs. Call. She has lately written to her friend Mrs. Orr to get her information about Algiers, whence I conclude that she has a notion of passing the next winter in that region. I am very tired and sleepy --
Yours lovingly
M. E. L.
Signature
M. E. L.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, London, 2 June 1873, 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/93278