GHL to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lee Lewes, London, 19 May 1869
Title
GHL to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lee Lewes, London, 19 May 1869
Title
GHL to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lee Lewes, London, 19 May 1869
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lee Lewes
Date(s)
- 1869-05-19
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lee Lewes, London, 19 May 1869
Text: Paterson, pp. 136-137 with a few corrections from the MS in Mrs. Ouvry's collection.
The Priory. | Wednesday, May 19, 1869.
Dearest Children,
Your pleasant letter 69 was very welcome. We got home on the 5th after a journey to Ravenna, Verona, Brenner Pass, Munich, Paris. Knocked up we were and have not found London conducive to health. But there is nothing specially to complain of, only we don't seem to have had a holiday.
Fields (of Ticknor and Fields) has just been with us, offering half share in a uniform edition of the Mutter's works in America -- but as they will certainly be reprinted by Harpers at a very low figure, the price must be so low as not to make a half share much of a pecuniary benefit. He offered £300 for the right of printing "Agatha" 70 in the
Atlantic Monthly. Don't mention this to anyone. He says the "Spanish Gypsy" grows and grows in America -- Longfellow, Lowell and the Boston set know the lyrics by heart and are in a high state of enthusiasm. 71
When we were at Florence on our return the American Ambassador 72 induced us to dine with him, as Mrs. Marsh is an invalid and couldn't come out; they promised that no one should be asked. Longfellow called that afternoon on them and begged hard to be invited. He wants so much to see the Mutter, but Mrs. Marsh was inexorable; she had pledged her word. When we learnt this we were sorry, and then Mrs. Marsh sent a note to Longfellow to ask him to come in the evening, but he was out and the next morning we were off for Ravenna!
I have a heap of things to do, and can't stop to say more than that we both send our dearest love to you both.
Pater.
Text: Paterson, pp. 136-137 with a few corrections from the MS in Mrs. Ouvry's collection.
The Priory. | Wednesday, May 19, 1869.
Dearest Children,
Your pleasant letter 69 was very welcome. We got home on the 5th after a journey to Ravenna, Verona, Brenner Pass, Munich, Paris. Knocked up we were and have not found London conducive to health. But there is nothing specially to complain of, only we don't seem to have had a holiday.
Fields (of Ticknor and Fields) has just been with us, offering half share in a uniform edition of the Mutter's works in America -- but as they will certainly be reprinted by Harpers at a very low figure, the price must be so low as not to make a half share much of a pecuniary benefit. He offered £300 for the right of printing "Agatha" 70 in the
Atlantic Monthly. Don't mention this to anyone. He says the "Spanish Gypsy" grows and grows in America -- Longfellow, Lowell and the Boston set know the lyrics by heart and are in a high state of enthusiasm. 71
When we were at Florence on our return the American Ambassador 72 induced us to dine with him, as Mrs. Marsh is an invalid and couldn't come out; they promised that no one should be asked. Longfellow called that afternoon on them and begged hard to be invited. He wants so much to see the Mutter, but Mrs. Marsh was inexorable; she had pledged her word. When we learnt this we were sorry, and then Mrs. Marsh sent a note to Longfellow to ask him to come in the evening, but he was out and the next morning we were off for Ravenna!
I have a heap of things to do, and can't stop to say more than that we both send our dearest love to you both.
Pater.
Signature
Pater.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lee Lewes, London, 19 May 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/94919