Nina [Mrs. Frederick] Lehmann to Her Husband, Pau, [22 January 1867]
Title
Nina [Mrs. Frederick] Lehmann to Her Husband, Pau, [22 January 1867]
Title
Nina [Mrs. Frederick] Lehmann to Her Husband, Pau, [22 January 1867]
Sender
Mrs. Frederick Lehmann
Recipient
Her Husband
Date(s)
- 1867-01-22
Place
Pau
Letter Content
Nina [Mrs. Frederick] Lehmann to Her Husband, Pau, [22 January 1867]
Text: Familiar Letters N.L. to F.L. 1864-1867, ed. R. C. L[ehmann], privately printed, 1892, pp. 69-72.
Here I found the Lewes's card! They had turned up at last, and both had called, and were at the H'f4tel de France, so I wrote a note instantly and asked them to tea, which come they did, and a very sweet evening we had. There is such a gentle graciousness about Mrs. Lewes, one must love her, and she seems to adore him. He is worn out and thin and languid, has lost his old spirits, but they'll come back with change and rest. I made myself pretty in my grey silk and lace kragen, and they admired my dress so much. When I got up to play, Mrs. Lewes said, "I am inclined to quarrel, do you know, with Mr. Rudolf Lehmann about a portrait of you I saw at his house. It does not do you justice." I told her she was the first person who said so, and it was usually thought, and I thought, it flattered. . . . I played to them, and wound up with "Adelaide" by particular request, Mr. Lewes having told her that I played such a beautiful arrangement! Arrangement? Why I never knew it was arranged, and if it is, it's certainly my own. They are coming to-day to breakfast at twelve. Then I have persuaded him to go and call on the Savages, poor things, whilst she will remain with me. Then they do what they like till six, when they dine with me. I felt I must make an effort, because they told me it was solely on my account they came to Pau. "We look upon you as a sort of heroine, dear Mrs. Lehmann, parted so long from your husband and your home, and take a deep interest in you," for which I thanked her, and felt inexpressibly soothed in the idea that somebody at last had found out I was a heroine, which I had been suspecting all along myself. . . . The Lewes's were enchanted with Chang. They say he is a real Maltese; they like Deutsch. He is the brightest German (always excepting you, I trust and believe) they ever saw. That is a nice word for his hop-sparrowishness, I daresay, but they like him. He likes De Mussy 574 too, and she said she was so anxious to see him (I can't tell why) that she did a rude thing at the theatre and turned round and stared at him when he was with us once. I am sure he did not remark it, and if he had, would have been flattered. . . . Fancy, Lewes intended Goethe for Nina, having heard of her passion for Goethe from you, and in a vague stupid way fancied she was a great big girl! -- Heard afterwards she was five. However, he'll see her to-day at d'e9jeuner. They seem to have completely fallen in love with Amelia, 575 a sweet woman. . . .
Text: Familiar Letters N.L. to F.L. 1864-1867, ed. R. C. L[ehmann], privately printed, 1892, pp. 69-72.
Here I found the Lewes's card! They had turned up at last, and both had called, and were at the H'f4tel de France, so I wrote a note instantly and asked them to tea, which come they did, and a very sweet evening we had. There is such a gentle graciousness about Mrs. Lewes, one must love her, and she seems to adore him. He is worn out and thin and languid, has lost his old spirits, but they'll come back with change and rest. I made myself pretty in my grey silk and lace kragen, and they admired my dress so much. When I got up to play, Mrs. Lewes said, "I am inclined to quarrel, do you know, with Mr. Rudolf Lehmann about a portrait of you I saw at his house. It does not do you justice." I told her she was the first person who said so, and it was usually thought, and I thought, it flattered. . . . I played to them, and wound up with "Adelaide" by particular request, Mr. Lewes having told her that I played such a beautiful arrangement! Arrangement? Why I never knew it was arranged, and if it is, it's certainly my own. They are coming to-day to breakfast at twelve. Then I have persuaded him to go and call on the Savages, poor things, whilst she will remain with me. Then they do what they like till six, when they dine with me. I felt I must make an effort, because they told me it was solely on my account they came to Pau. "We look upon you as a sort of heroine, dear Mrs. Lehmann, parted so long from your husband and your home, and take a deep interest in you," for which I thanked her, and felt inexpressibly soothed in the idea that somebody at last had found out I was a heroine, which I had been suspecting all along myself. . . . The Lewes's were enchanted with Chang. They say he is a real Maltese; they like Deutsch. He is the brightest German (always excepting you, I trust and believe) they ever saw. That is a nice word for his hop-sparrowishness, I daresay, but they like him. He likes De Mussy 574 too, and she said she was so anxious to see him (I can't tell why) that she did a rude thing at the theatre and turned round and stared at him when he was with us once. I am sure he did not remark it, and if he had, would have been flattered. . . . Fancy, Lewes intended Goethe for Nina, having heard of her passion for Goethe from you, and in a vague stupid way fancied she was a great big girl! -- Heard afterwards she was five. However, he'll see her to-day at d'e9jeuner. They seem to have completely fallen in love with Amelia, 575 a sweet woman. . . .
Citation
Mrs. Frederick Lehmann, Nina [Mrs. Frederick] Lehmann to Her Husband, Pau, [22 January 1867], 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/95567