GHL to John Blackwood, London, 14 November 1869
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, 14 November 1869
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, 14 November 1869
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1869-11-14
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to John Blackwood, London, 14 November 1869
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Sunday 14 November 1869.
My dear Blackwood
On our return home last night we found the letters from you and Willie. Immediately after the funeral I took Mrs. Lewes away to a farmhouse in Surrey where we could be sure of perfect solitude. She needed it greatly, for she was terribly shaken by the climax of our six months anxious watching. She had lavished almost a mother's love on my dear boy, and felt almost a mother's grief. I was better prepared, having never from the first held much hope of his recovery, and for the last three months having almost ceased to wish it, since it could not have been more than recovery into a state of constant helplessness and pain. In the deep peace of the country she has become calm, though still very sad. A beautiful image remains to us; a sweeter purer nature than his can seldom be met with; and we look back with peculiar satisfaction at the fact that never once did we discern the slightest trace in him of anything mean or unworthy.
Now we are back again we may get to work, and help by that to learn endurance. You would have been shocked to see her when we left and delighted to see her when we returned so great was the improvement.
She begs me to thank Willie for his kind letter and to send her kind regards to both of you.
Ever yours
G. H. L.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Sunday 14 November 1869.
My dear Blackwood
On our return home last night we found the letters from you and Willie. Immediately after the funeral I took Mrs. Lewes away to a farmhouse in Surrey where we could be sure of perfect solitude. She needed it greatly, for she was terribly shaken by the climax of our six months anxious watching. She had lavished almost a mother's love on my dear boy, and felt almost a mother's grief. I was better prepared, having never from the first held much hope of his recovery, and for the last three months having almost ceased to wish it, since it could not have been more than recovery into a state of constant helplessness and pain. In the deep peace of the country she has become calm, though still very sad. A beautiful image remains to us; a sweeter purer nature than his can seldom be met with; and we look back with peculiar satisfaction at the fact that never once did we discern the slightest trace in him of anything mean or unworthy.
Now we are back again we may get to work, and help by that to learn endurance. You would have been shocked to see her when we left and delighted to see her when we returned so great was the improvement.
She begs me to thank Willie for his kind letter and to send her kind regards to both of you.
Ever yours
G. H. L.
Signature
G. H. L.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to John Blackwood, London, 14 November 1869, 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/94677