GHL to his Sons, Wandsworth, 10 November 1859
Title
GHL to his Sons, Wandsworth, 10 November 1859
Title
GHL to his Sons, Wandsworth, 10 November 1859
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
his Sons
Date(s)
- 1859-11-10
Place
Wandsworth
Letter Content
GHL to his Sons, Wandsworth, 10 November 1859
MS: Mrs. Carrington Ouvry. Extracts published: Paterson, pp. 77-78.
Holly Lodge, Southfields | Wandsworth. S. W. | 10 November 1859.
My dear Pups
Let me first tell you how much gratified both your mother and I were to hear good accounts from Dr. M'fcller of you, especially that you Thornie had decidedly improved. Next let me beg Charley to inform Dr. M'fcller, with my best remembrances, that I yesterday called on Messrs. Scott and Co. on his and my business. And now having discharged this purpose of my letter, I will tell you what news there is.
You have heard I dare say that Mr. Thackeray is about to edit a new Magazine. Well, as soon as he had begun to make arrangements, he wrote to me to ask me if I would help him. I replied that I should be very willing indeed, if I saw clearly that I could do so, and if the payment was tempting. Whereupon Mr. Smith, the publisher, drove here in his carriage, and made me a tempting offer, which I accepted. I am going to write a book for him "Studies in Animal Life," which will appear as a series of articles in the Magazine, and then be republished like the "Seaside Studies." So you see my hands are full, just now.
Yesterday I dined with Mother. Agnes was there. From her I learned that Vivian had had the Meazles; Edmund 374 was still away with the coast guardsman at Goring; and the baby was very poorly. Captain Willim has been suffering severely from the gout, several chalk stones having come from his foot! Imagine that! Mother was in good spirits, but very feeble. On my way I met Mrs. Edward Chapman -- do you remember her? She used to live at Brompton, and had little girls and a boy whom you used to play with. She asked after you, kindly; and after Charley's whiskers.
To-day we are going to have Charles Dickens to dinner. He is an intense admirer of your mother, whom he has never seen; and we expect a very pleasant dinner, at which two such novelists will gobble and gabble!
I suppose you got the '91Two o'clock in the Morning'92 which I sent; but you mustn't expect books to be sent by the post in future it's too expensive. Did you also get the Scotch newspaper, I sent, containing an account of the British Association at which my paper was read before the
Prince? Mother was in great pride yesterday because Mrs. Abronson had told her that the ex-royal family of France admired my "Life of Goethe" very much, and made many inquiries about me. Dear mother! she thinks the admiration of royalty so much more complimentary than the admiration of other mortals: a feeling I do not share.
What weather have you had lately? It has been terrible with us; such gales and storms as I can scarcely remember. But now it is bright and autumnal again.
Your mother is hard at work on her new book.
There was a blackguard who wrote a book called "Adam Bede Junior" -- and advertized it as a "Sequel to Adam Bede" -- but I think the indignation of the press will have made him withdraw it. This annoyed us at first because, we thought, the people in the provinces would believe the book was by George Eliot; and as it was certain to be trash -- no man of any talent condescending to such frauds -- George Eliot would have had to bear the disgrace of having written it.
Pug grows fatter and more fascinating every day; but his intellect does not develope. He is decidedly no genius and will never set the Thames on fire nor even the Wimbledon ponds.
Your mother sends her love and kisses to you all; and I say "ditto to Mr. Burke." God bless you my dear boys, and love ever
Your loving
Pater.
My regards to Dr. and Mrs. M'fcller.
MS: Mrs. Carrington Ouvry. Extracts published: Paterson, pp. 77-78.
Holly Lodge, Southfields | Wandsworth. S. W. | 10 November 1859.
My dear Pups
Let me first tell you how much gratified both your mother and I were to hear good accounts from Dr. M'fcller of you, especially that you Thornie had decidedly improved. Next let me beg Charley to inform Dr. M'fcller, with my best remembrances, that I yesterday called on Messrs. Scott and Co. on his and my business. And now having discharged this purpose of my letter, I will tell you what news there is.
You have heard I dare say that Mr. Thackeray is about to edit a new Magazine. Well, as soon as he had begun to make arrangements, he wrote to me to ask me if I would help him. I replied that I should be very willing indeed, if I saw clearly that I could do so, and if the payment was tempting. Whereupon Mr. Smith, the publisher, drove here in his carriage, and made me a tempting offer, which I accepted. I am going to write a book for him "Studies in Animal Life," which will appear as a series of articles in the Magazine, and then be republished like the "Seaside Studies." So you see my hands are full, just now.
Yesterday I dined with Mother. Agnes was there. From her I learned that Vivian had had the Meazles; Edmund 374 was still away with the coast guardsman at Goring; and the baby was very poorly. Captain Willim has been suffering severely from the gout, several chalk stones having come from his foot! Imagine that! Mother was in good spirits, but very feeble. On my way I met Mrs. Edward Chapman -- do you remember her? She used to live at Brompton, and had little girls and a boy whom you used to play with. She asked after you, kindly; and after Charley's whiskers.
To-day we are going to have Charles Dickens to dinner. He is an intense admirer of your mother, whom he has never seen; and we expect a very pleasant dinner, at which two such novelists will gobble and gabble!
I suppose you got the '91Two o'clock in the Morning'92 which I sent; but you mustn't expect books to be sent by the post in future it's too expensive. Did you also get the Scotch newspaper, I sent, containing an account of the British Association at which my paper was read before the
Prince? Mother was in great pride yesterday because Mrs. Abronson had told her that the ex-royal family of France admired my "Life of Goethe" very much, and made many inquiries about me. Dear mother! she thinks the admiration of royalty so much more complimentary than the admiration of other mortals: a feeling I do not share.
What weather have you had lately? It has been terrible with us; such gales and storms as I can scarcely remember. But now it is bright and autumnal again.
Your mother is hard at work on her new book.
There was a blackguard who wrote a book called "Adam Bede Junior" -- and advertized it as a "Sequel to Adam Bede" -- but I think the indignation of the press will have made him withdraw it. This annoyed us at first because, we thought, the people in the provinces would believe the book was by George Eliot; and as it was certain to be trash -- no man of any talent condescending to such frauds -- George Eliot would have had to bear the disgrace of having written it.
Pug grows fatter and more fascinating every day; but his intellect does not develope. He is decidedly no genius and will never set the Thames on fire nor even the Wimbledon ponds.
Your mother sends her love and kisses to you all; and I say "ditto to Mr. Burke." God bless you my dear boys, and love ever
Your loving
Pater.
My regards to Dr. and Mrs. M'fcller.
Signature
Pater.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to his Sons, Wandsworth, 10 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/94565