Elizabeth Gaskell to GE, Whitby, 10 November 1859
Title
Elizabeth Gaskell to GE, Whitby, 10 November 1859
Title
Elizabeth Gaskell to GE, Whitby, 10 November 1859
Sender
Elizabeth Gaskell
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1859-11-10
Place
Whitby
Letter Content
Elizabeth Gaskell to GE, Whitby, 10 November 1859
MS: Parrish Collection, Princeton. Hitherto unpublished.
Abbey Terrace | Whitby. | Thursday, November 10th.
My dear Madam,
Since I heard, from authority, that you were the author of Scenes from "Clerical Life" and "Adam Bede," I have read them again; and I must, once more, tell you how earnestly fully, and humbly I admire them. I never read anything so complete, and beautiful in fiction, in my whole life before. I said "humbly" in speaking of my admiration, because I remembered Dr. Johnson's words. 378
Perhaps you may have heard that I upheld Mr. Liggins as the author for long, -- I did it on evidence, quite independent of, and unknown to the Bracebridges. He is a regular rascal. But I never was such a fool as to believe that such books as yours could be a mosaic of real and ideal. I should not be quite true in my ending, if I did not say before I concluded that I wish you were Mrs. Lewes. However that can't be helped, as far as I can see, and one must not judge others.
Once more, thanking you most gratefully for having written all -- Janet's Repentance perhaps most especially of all, -- and may I tell you how I singled out the 2nd number of Amos Barton in Blackwood, and went plodging through our Manchester streets to get every number, as soon as it was accessible from the Porters reading table. Believe me to remain,
Yours respectfully
E. C. Gaskell.
MS: Parrish Collection, Princeton. Hitherto unpublished.
Abbey Terrace | Whitby. | Thursday, November 10th.
My dear Madam,
Since I heard, from authority, that you were the author of Scenes from "Clerical Life" and "Adam Bede," I have read them again; and I must, once more, tell you how earnestly fully, and humbly I admire them. I never read anything so complete, and beautiful in fiction, in my whole life before. I said "humbly" in speaking of my admiration, because I remembered Dr. Johnson's words. 378
Perhaps you may have heard that I upheld Mr. Liggins as the author for long, -- I did it on evidence, quite independent of, and unknown to the Bracebridges. He is a regular rascal. But I never was such a fool as to believe that such books as yours could be a mosaic of real and ideal. I should not be quite true in my ending, if I did not say before I concluded that I wish you were Mrs. Lewes. However that can't be helped, as far as I can see, and one must not judge others.
Once more, thanking you most gratefully for having written all -- Janet's Repentance perhaps most especially of all, -- and may I tell you how I singled out the 2nd number of Amos Barton in Blackwood, and went plodging through our Manchester streets to get every number, as soon as it was accessible from the Porters reading table. Believe me to remain,
Yours respectfully
E. C. Gaskell.
Signature
E. C. Gaskell.
Citation
Elizabeth Gaskell, Elizabeth Gaskell to GE, Whitby, 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/95566