GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 22 November 1866
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 22 November 1866
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 22 November 1866
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Sara Sophia Hennell
Date(s)
- 1866-11-22
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 22 November 1866
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, II, 445-446.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
November 22. 66.
Dear Sara
For a wonder, I remembered the day of the month and felt a delightful confidence that I should have a letter from her who always remembers such things at the right moment. You will hardly believe in my imbecility -- I can never be quite sure whether your birthday is the 21st or the 23d, and whether Charlie's is the 23d or the 24th. 540 I know every one must think the worse of me for this want of a retentiveness that seems a part of affection, and it is only justice that they should.
Nevertheless I am not quite destitute of lovingness and gratitude, and perhaps the consciousness of my own defect makes me feel your goodness the more keenly. My mind dwelt on you yesterday, and I had some cheerful thoughts about you because Mr. Bray had told me that you had Miss Carter 541 with you and enjoyed that companionship greatly. I shall reckon it part of the next year's happiness for me if it brings a great deal of happiness to you. That will depend somewhat -- perhaps chiefly -- on the satisfaction you have in giving shape to your ideas. But you say nothing on that subject.
I have been telling Mr. Lewes that it is my birthday, and at that news he smiled through the sad look of head-ache as he lay on his pillow. It is the second morning that he has been unable to get up to breakfast, from the presence of that horrible demon, who has taken possession of his poor body as a penalty for our entertainment of a gentlemen's party on Tuesday. A little extra excitement -- or a morsel of mutton fat -- will lay him prostrate for days. But before Tuesday he had been much better, was very bright, and wrote regularly for many mornings together.
However, I am comparatively at ease now he has given up his editorship and has nearly finished his History. He will be able then to think of nothing but what he likes best, and we shall probably go southward. His successor in the editorship is Mr. John Morley, a very accomplished man, and I hope he will be able to keep up the Review in the same spirit -- but that is a point in which you are not interested, since the Fortnightly is a stranger to you. 542
We knew about Faraday's preaching, but not of his loss of faculty. I begin to think of such things as very near to me -- I mean decay of power and death. But I find age has its fresh elements of cheerfulness.
Those dreadful, always-getting-empty houses! My love to Cara and congratulations on the large tolerance which enables her to read Dr. Bodichon. 543
Bless you, dear Sara, for all the kindness of many years, and for the newest kindness that comes to me this morning.
I am always your affectionate
Pollian.
I am very well now, and able to enjoy my happiness -- one has happiness sometimes without being able to enjoy it.
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, II, 445-446.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
November 22. 66.
Dear Sara
For a wonder, I remembered the day of the month and felt a delightful confidence that I should have a letter from her who always remembers such things at the right moment. You will hardly believe in my imbecility -- I can never be quite sure whether your birthday is the 21st or the 23d, and whether Charlie's is the 23d or the 24th. 540 I know every one must think the worse of me for this want of a retentiveness that seems a part of affection, and it is only justice that they should.
Nevertheless I am not quite destitute of lovingness and gratitude, and perhaps the consciousness of my own defect makes me feel your goodness the more keenly. My mind dwelt on you yesterday, and I had some cheerful thoughts about you because Mr. Bray had told me that you had Miss Carter 541 with you and enjoyed that companionship greatly. I shall reckon it part of the next year's happiness for me if it brings a great deal of happiness to you. That will depend somewhat -- perhaps chiefly -- on the satisfaction you have in giving shape to your ideas. But you say nothing on that subject.
I have been telling Mr. Lewes that it is my birthday, and at that news he smiled through the sad look of head-ache as he lay on his pillow. It is the second morning that he has been unable to get up to breakfast, from the presence of that horrible demon, who has taken possession of his poor body as a penalty for our entertainment of a gentlemen's party on Tuesday. A little extra excitement -- or a morsel of mutton fat -- will lay him prostrate for days. But before Tuesday he had been much better, was very bright, and wrote regularly for many mornings together.
However, I am comparatively at ease now he has given up his editorship and has nearly finished his History. He will be able then to think of nothing but what he likes best, and we shall probably go southward. His successor in the editorship is Mr. John Morley, a very accomplished man, and I hope he will be able to keep up the Review in the same spirit -- but that is a point in which you are not interested, since the Fortnightly is a stranger to you. 542
We knew about Faraday's preaching, but not of his loss of faculty. I begin to think of such things as very near to me -- I mean decay of power and death. But I find age has its fresh elements of cheerfulness.
Those dreadful, always-getting-empty houses! My love to Cara and congratulations on the large tolerance which enables her to read Dr. Bodichon. 543
Bless you, dear Sara, for all the kindness of many years, and for the newest kindness that comes to me this morning.
I am always your affectionate
Pollian.
I am very well now, and able to enjoy my happiness -- one has happiness sometimes without being able to enjoy it.
Signature
Pollian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 22 November 1866, 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/94026