GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, Wandsworth, [11 March 1859]
Title
GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, Wandsworth, [11 March 1859]
Title
GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, Wandsworth, [11 March 1859]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray
Date(s)
- 1859-03-11
Place
Wandsworth
Letter Content
GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, Wandsworth, [11 March 1859]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1859. Hitherto unpublished.
H[olly] L[odge] | South Fields | Wandsworth | Friday.
Dear Cara
Our rapid post brought me your letter last night, before we went out to pass a late evening with the Congreves. 64
I wish you would help me with your judgment about Ann Overton. You see, as well as I do, all the formidable risks of bringing a servant liable to be made helpless by an inevitably recurring malady, all this long way from her own friends. But Mr. Lewes says, "I wonder if one could learn with some assurance how often the malady has recurred. If there were a good chance of her remaining well for a year or two, the thing might be worth risking." I shouldn't mind even nursing her occasionally if one lived in a Christian neighbourhood, where one knew some not unreasonably dishonest, skilful charwoman. But in this undestroyed Babylon, such things are not to be contemplated. Perhaps we had better wait patiently for some better, or at least some less hazardous chance. What do you think? If yes -- give yourself no farther trouble about Ann Overton. We must manage with our Caroline -- name of good omen, but omens unhappily are superstitious affairs -- for a week or two. Poor girl, she has been saying to me this morning that she has been writing to her friends how comfortable she is, and that she can manage the work much better than we expected! I couldn't find in my heart to destroy her illusion at that moment.
If you should hear of another suitable servant, it may be well for me to tell you that to a really experienced person, who would want nothing but my simple orders, we would give 'a315, and find all her food -- beer, tea and sugar. I mention this last point because the servants here make it an object of inquiry. She would be expected to wash her own clothes, but all the rest of the washing is of course put out.
"Jane's cousin" has a pleasant sound. How well I remember that pretty neat Jane, with her quiet obliging ways!
Ever your grateful
Marian.
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1859. Hitherto unpublished.
H[olly] L[odge] | South Fields | Wandsworth | Friday.
Dear Cara
Our rapid post brought me your letter last night, before we went out to pass a late evening with the Congreves. 64
I wish you would help me with your judgment about Ann Overton. You see, as well as I do, all the formidable risks of bringing a servant liable to be made helpless by an inevitably recurring malady, all this long way from her own friends. But Mr. Lewes says, "I wonder if one could learn with some assurance how often the malady has recurred. If there were a good chance of her remaining well for a year or two, the thing might be worth risking." I shouldn't mind even nursing her occasionally if one lived in a Christian neighbourhood, where one knew some not unreasonably dishonest, skilful charwoman. But in this undestroyed Babylon, such things are not to be contemplated. Perhaps we had better wait patiently for some better, or at least some less hazardous chance. What do you think? If yes -- give yourself no farther trouble about Ann Overton. We must manage with our Caroline -- name of good omen, but omens unhappily are superstitious affairs -- for a week or two. Poor girl, she has been saying to me this morning that she has been writing to her friends how comfortable she is, and that she can manage the work much better than we expected! I couldn't find in my heart to destroy her illusion at that moment.
If you should hear of another suitable servant, it may be well for me to tell you that to a really experienced person, who would want nothing but my simple orders, we would give 'a315, and find all her food -- beer, tea and sugar. I mention this last point because the servants here make it an object of inquiry. She would be expected to wash her own clothes, but all the rest of the washing is of course put out.
"Jane's cousin" has a pleasant sound. How well I remember that pretty neat Jane, with her quiet obliging ways!
Ever your grateful
Marian.
Signature
Marian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Caroline [Mrs. Charles] Bray, Wandsworth, [11 March 1859], 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/93325