GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 20 December 1872
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 20 December 1872
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 20 December 1872
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Sara Sophia Hennell
Date(s)
- 1872-12-20
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 20 December 1872
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
December 20. 72.
My dear Sara
The other day we were at Hastings and saw an old friend of yours, Miss Julia Smith. I think you will like to hear a word about her. She is seventy-three, you know, and a very pretty old lady with just the same refined air and expression as that she had twenty years ago. She enjoys life much, says her niece, Madame Bodichon, and we saw lying about with her marks in them various books which I daresay you will recognize as a continuance of her former tastes -- Greg's "Enigmas of Life" 667 for example. I spoke to her of you, and told her that I should write to tell you that I had seen her.
'abBetween ourselves, I think it was very disgusting of her brother, Mr. Octavius Smith who left a great deal too much money to his wife and children not to make an ample provision for this Sister during her life.'bb 668
We are going to spend Christmas week out of town -- with some friends at Weybridge, and a London Christmas is always so dreary to me that I am glad to escape it. I hope you will have some cheerfulness in spite of the weather -- some neighbourly children's parties, in which you will be part of the inspiration, as you used to be.
Tomorrow we are going to the christening (in a free Unitarian fashion) of Gertrude and Charlie's baby -- Blanche Southwood Lewes. 669 Thus the world travels onward.
Best love to all from
Your always affectionate
Pollian.
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
December 20. 72.
My dear Sara
The other day we were at Hastings and saw an old friend of yours, Miss Julia Smith. I think you will like to hear a word about her. She is seventy-three, you know, and a very pretty old lady with just the same refined air and expression as that she had twenty years ago. She enjoys life much, says her niece, Madame Bodichon, and we saw lying about with her marks in them various books which I daresay you will recognize as a continuance of her former tastes -- Greg's "Enigmas of Life" 667 for example. I spoke to her of you, and told her that I should write to tell you that I had seen her.
'abBetween ourselves, I think it was very disgusting of her brother, Mr. Octavius Smith who left a great deal too much money to his wife and children not to make an ample provision for this Sister during her life.'bb 668
We are going to spend Christmas week out of town -- with some friends at Weybridge, and a London Christmas is always so dreary to me that I am glad to escape it. I hope you will have some cheerfulness in spite of the weather -- some neighbourly children's parties, in which you will be part of the inspiration, as you used to be.
Tomorrow we are going to the christening (in a free Unitarian fashion) of Gertrude and Charlie's baby -- Blanche Southwood Lewes. 669 Thus the world travels onward.
Best love to all from
Your always affectionate
Pollian.
Signature
Pollian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 20 December 1872, 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/94015