GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 26 October 1874
Title
GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 26 October 1874
Title
GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 26 October 1874
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Mrs. Elma Stuart
Date(s)
- 1874-10-26
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 26 October 1874
MS: British Museum. Published: Stuart, pp. 33-35.
October 1874.
Dear Elma
We returned home on Friday, and yesterday Edith came, saddening us with a sad account of your health, and making your spiritual parents somewhat disposed to scold you for your imprudence! -- if you were well and strong you would be scolded by me for not attending sufficiently to the ordinary rules of right [conduct of the body] -- even more important than the [conduct of the understanding.] For the sake of others, if not your own, do bring a little of your energy and intellect to bear on the question of keeping yourself in a normal condition of health and do not play tricks with Valerian, Opium, etc.! You will perhaps retort on me that I have not practised my own precepts -- but it is not so -- I damaged my body by overwork and over-confidence, till it was too late to do more than patch and patch the old carcase. But I take as much pains not to get worse, as I should wish you to take not to destroy the fountain of spirits, energy, and love which still bubbles in your somewhat damaged organism. I hope to hear a better account of you soon.
We enjoyed our stay at Paris very much, owing to the splendid weather and our very comfortable quarters. We went every night to the theatre and saw nobody! From Paris we ran to Soissons and Sedan, Dinant, and Brussels -- at the last place Mrs. Lewes caught cold which rather spoiled the effect of the holiday and now we are settling down to the old home routine with an everabiding consciousness of the fact that the climate of England is not the climate of France.
Ever your loving
G. H. Lewes.
MS: British Museum. Published: Stuart, pp. 33-35.
October 1874.
Dear Elma
We returned home on Friday, and yesterday Edith came, saddening us with a sad account of your health, and making your spiritual parents somewhat disposed to scold you for your imprudence! -- if you were well and strong you would be scolded by me for not attending sufficiently to the ordinary rules of right [conduct of the body] -- even more important than the [conduct of the understanding.] For the sake of others, if not your own, do bring a little of your energy and intellect to bear on the question of keeping yourself in a normal condition of health and do not play tricks with Valerian, Opium, etc.! You will perhaps retort on me that I have not practised my own precepts -- but it is not so -- I damaged my body by overwork and over-confidence, till it was too late to do more than patch and patch the old carcase. But I take as much pains not to get worse, as I should wish you to take not to destroy the fountain of spirits, energy, and love which still bubbles in your somewhat damaged organism. I hope to hear a better account of you soon.
We enjoyed our stay at Paris very much, owing to the splendid weather and our very comfortable quarters. We went every night to the theatre and saw nobody! From Paris we ran to Soissons and Sedan, Dinant, and Brussels -- at the last place Mrs. Lewes caught cold which rather spoiled the effect of the holiday and now we are settling down to the old home routine with an everabiding consciousness of the fact that the climate of England is not the climate of France.
Ever your loving
G. H. Lewes.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Mrs. Elma Stuart, London, 26 October 1874, 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/94945