GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Wandsworth, 14 November [1859]
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Wandsworth, 14 November [1859]
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Wandsworth, 14 November [1859]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Sara Sophia Hennell
Date(s)
- 1859-11-14
Place
Wandsworth
Letter Content
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Wandsworth, 14 November [1859]
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1859. Extract published: Cross, II, 141-142.
Holly Lodge | Monday, November 14.
Dear Sara
I sent you word of Mrs. Gaskell's letter to remove from your mind any unpleasant impression you might have of her from my cursory mention of her in a previous letter -- not to re-open the subject of people's sayings and doings about me, which I wish to be closed forever. Don't, please, tell me more at any time, of what Miss Martineau or any one else has said or done about me. 384
The Liggins affair is concluded, so far as any action of ours is concerned, since Mr. Quirk (the inmost citadel, I presume) has surrendered, by writing an apology to Blackwood, saying he now believes he was imposed on by Mr. Liggins. As to Miss Martineau, I respect her so much as an authoress, and have so pleasant a recollection of her as a hostess for three days, that I wish that distant impression from herself and her writing to be disturbed as little as possible by more personal details. Anything she may do or say or feel concerning me personally is a matter of entire indifference: I share her bitterness with a large number of far more blameless people than myself.
It can be of no possible benefit to me or any one else that I should know more of these things, either past, present or to come. "I do owe no man anything" 385 except to write honestly and religiously what comes from my inward promptings, and the freer I am kept from all knowledge of that comparatively small circle who mingle personal regards or hatreds with their judgment or reception of my writings, the easier it will be to keep my motives free from all indirectness, and write truly.
So no more gossip of that sort, dear Sara; but as much as possible about yourselves.
But before eternal dismissal of Quirk and Co., perhaps I am bound to tell you, in answer to your inquiry, that the words of the letter you inquire about were these, and these only.
"My dear Sir,
(Enclosed is) or I enclose the copy of the letter. I hope Mr. Quirk is feeling a little gravel in his boots this morning. I am fond of Liggins, compared with Quirk.
Ever yours truly
George Eliot."
I don't know whether it belongs to the style of sarcasm that is felt to be cutting by authoresses in the north to call a man an "ass" -- but, you perceive, I cannot claim the credit of having adopted it.
Of course you will be careful not to let Miss Martineau infer that you have ever mentioned my affairs to her by any request of mine, or that, except to defend myself from imputations of baseness, as in the case of Mr. Bracebridge, I have ever taken the attitude of a claimant or plaintiff.
And now let the curtain drop, or at least let me go out of the theatre and hear no further report of what goes on there. Ever, dear Sara,
Your affectionate
Marian.
P.S. I think I never thanked you enough for the sensible, admirable letter you wrote to Miss Carter. 386
MS: Yale. Endorsed: 1859. Extract published: Cross, II, 141-142.
Holly Lodge | Monday, November 14.
Dear Sara
I sent you word of Mrs. Gaskell's letter to remove from your mind any unpleasant impression you might have of her from my cursory mention of her in a previous letter -- not to re-open the subject of people's sayings and doings about me, which I wish to be closed forever. Don't, please, tell me more at any time, of what Miss Martineau or any one else has said or done about me. 384
The Liggins affair is concluded, so far as any action of ours is concerned, since Mr. Quirk (the inmost citadel, I presume) has surrendered, by writing an apology to Blackwood, saying he now believes he was imposed on by Mr. Liggins. As to Miss Martineau, I respect her so much as an authoress, and have so pleasant a recollection of her as a hostess for three days, that I wish that distant impression from herself and her writing to be disturbed as little as possible by more personal details. Anything she may do or say or feel concerning me personally is a matter of entire indifference: I share her bitterness with a large number of far more blameless people than myself.
It can be of no possible benefit to me or any one else that I should know more of these things, either past, present or to come. "I do owe no man anything" 385 except to write honestly and religiously what comes from my inward promptings, and the freer I am kept from all knowledge of that comparatively small circle who mingle personal regards or hatreds with their judgment or reception of my writings, the easier it will be to keep my motives free from all indirectness, and write truly.
So no more gossip of that sort, dear Sara; but as much as possible about yourselves.
But before eternal dismissal of Quirk and Co., perhaps I am bound to tell you, in answer to your inquiry, that the words of the letter you inquire about were these, and these only.
"My dear Sir,
(Enclosed is) or I enclose the copy of the letter. I hope Mr. Quirk is feeling a little gravel in his boots this morning. I am fond of Liggins, compared with Quirk.
Ever yours truly
George Eliot."
I don't know whether it belongs to the style of sarcasm that is felt to be cutting by authoresses in the north to call a man an "ass" -- but, you perceive, I cannot claim the credit of having adopted it.
Of course you will be careful not to let Miss Martineau infer that you have ever mentioned my affairs to her by any request of mine, or that, except to defend myself from imputations of baseness, as in the case of Mr. Bracebridge, I have ever taken the attitude of a claimant or plaintiff.
And now let the curtain drop, or at least let me go out of the theatre and hear no further report of what goes on there. Ever, dear Sara,
Your affectionate
Marian.
P.S. I think I never thanked you enough for the sensible, admirable letter you wrote to Miss Carter. 386
Signature
Marian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Wandsworth, 14 November [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/94127