GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, [28 February 1847]
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, [28 February 1847]
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, [28 February 1847]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Sara Sophia Hennell
Date(s)
- 1847-02-28
Place
FOLESHILL
Letter Content
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, [28 February 1847]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1st March/47. Extract published: George Eliot and John Chapman, p. 10.
Foleshill Sunday.
My dear Sara,
Mr. Hennell sent me a statement in black and white of the agreement between him and Mr. Chapman, but it was returned to him at his request. My strong impression was, that the first 250 copies were to be Mr. C's, the second 250, the subscribers'. We have a dispute here as to the number of copies printed. Was it 1000 or 2000? 655 <I hope Mr. Chapman will not misbehave, but he was always too much of the interesting gentleman to please me. Men must not attempt to be interesting on any lower terms than a fine poetical genius.> 656
I certainly should have been delighted if the Spinoza parcel could have been sent at a high pitch of velocity to Devizes and found its mark somewhere above Dr. B's ear, so as to give a salutary bruise to his Nos. 6 and 7 657 -- but since cannon-ball speed is not attainable, I am not sorry that you should extract a little pleasure from his property before it reaches him. As you have detained it, will you take the trouble to ask Mr. Chapman to get me a copy of the same edition if possible -- Mind, I really want this, and should have no end of difficulty in getting it in any other way. I never meant to write to Dr. B. on family matters -- I merely said in my vicious, hyena fashion that I should like to send him an anathema maranatha. 658 I am glad to hear you are better. Mr. Bray alarmed me about you. No more at present from thine
Pollian.
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1st March/47. Extract published: George Eliot and John Chapman, p. 10.
Foleshill Sunday.
My dear Sara,
Mr. Hennell sent me a statement in black and white of the agreement between him and Mr. Chapman, but it was returned to him at his request. My strong impression was, that the first 250 copies were to be Mr. C's, the second 250, the subscribers'. We have a dispute here as to the number of copies printed. Was it 1000 or 2000? 655 <I hope Mr. Chapman will not misbehave, but he was always too much of the interesting gentleman to please me. Men must not attempt to be interesting on any lower terms than a fine poetical genius.> 656
I certainly should have been delighted if the Spinoza parcel could have been sent at a high pitch of velocity to Devizes and found its mark somewhere above Dr. B's ear, so as to give a salutary bruise to his Nos. 6 and 7 657 -- but since cannon-ball speed is not attainable, I am not sorry that you should extract a little pleasure from his property before it reaches him. As you have detained it, will you take the trouble to ask Mr. Chapman to get me a copy of the same edition if possible -- Mind, I really want this, and should have no end of difficulty in getting it in any other way. I never meant to write to Dr. B. on family matters -- I merely said in my vicious, hyena fashion that I should like to send him an anathema maranatha. 658 I am glad to hear you are better. Mr. Bray alarmed me about you. No more at present from thine
Pollian.
Signature
Pollian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, [28 February 1847], 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/93904