GE to Maria [Mrs. Richard] Congreve, Shottermill, 14 August 1871
Title
GE to Maria [Mrs. Richard] Congreve, Shottermill, 14 August 1871
Title
GE to Maria [Mrs. Richard] Congreve, Shottermill, 14 August 1871
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Maria [Mrs. Richard] Congreve
Date(s)
- 1871-08-14
Place
Shottermill
Letter Content
GE to Maria [Mrs. Richard] Congreve, Shottermill, 14 August 1871
Text: Cross, III, 141-142.
We shall stay here only till the end of this month -- at least, I have no hope that our propri'e9taires will be induced to protract their absence; and if the lingering smell of paint does not drive us away from The Priory again, we expect to stay there from the first of September, without projects of travel for many, many months.
We enjoy our roomy house and pretty lawn greatly. Imagine me seated near a window, opening under a verandah, with flower-beds and lawn and pretty hills in sight, my feet on a warm water-bottle, and my writing on my knees. In that attitude my mornings are passed. We dine at two; and at four, when the tea comes in, I begin to read aloud. About six or half-past we walk on to the commons and see the great sky over our head. 349 At eight we are usually in the house again, and fill our evening with physics, chemistry, or other wisdom if our heads are at par; if not, we take to folly, in the shape of Alfred de Musset's poems, 350 or something akin to them.
Text: Cross, III, 141-142.
We shall stay here only till the end of this month -- at least, I have no hope that our propri'e9taires will be induced to protract their absence; and if the lingering smell of paint does not drive us away from The Priory again, we expect to stay there from the first of September, without projects of travel for many, many months.
We enjoy our roomy house and pretty lawn greatly. Imagine me seated near a window, opening under a verandah, with flower-beds and lawn and pretty hills in sight, my feet on a warm water-bottle, and my writing on my knees. In that attitude my mornings are passed. We dine at two; and at four, when the tea comes in, I begin to read aloud. About six or half-past we walk on to the commons and see the great sky over our head. 349 At eight we are usually in the house again, and fill our evening with physics, chemistry, or other wisdom if our heads are at par; if not, we take to folly, in the shape of Alfred de Musset's poems, 350 or something akin to them.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Maria [Mrs. Richard] Congreve, Shottermill, 14 August 1871, 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/93672