Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 20 March 1860
Title
Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 20 March 1860
Title
Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 20 March 1860
Sender
Thornton Arnott Lewes
Recipient
M
Date(s)
- 1860-03-20
Place
Hofwyl
Letter Content
Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 20 March 1860
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Haight, George Eliot, pp. 329-330.
Hofwyl 20 March 1860.
Dear Father
We received your letter last night, and were very glad to get it, though you ought to have written to me and not to Charles, as I wrote a long while ago. I should prefer by far being confirmed here; there is such a small difference between English and Swiss theology, that even Empson's parents, whose Ideas are so strict that he may not play on Sunday, will be confirmed, but as you prefer our not being confirmed, I suppose it is hopeless to wish for it. Our box has not come, in spite of my diligence in looking for it every evening when the letters come; so I suppose it is lost, and with it my precious Schamyl. I hope you will write to Leipzig, if you sent it to Mr. Brockhaus and ask him if he has sent it or not. We have therefore not read the Cornhill magazine. 500
There is a difficulty now, as Empson is going away at August, and not at Easter, as he has seen Mamma, and knows her, he will of course see that Mother is not she, so that we have agreed, viz: Charles and I, that we had better tell him, enjoining at the same time secrecy, as at any rate, he would know it 3 or four months later, when he goes home. Mother will have therefore when we present him to say "How d'ye do"! etc. etc.
And we only wait for your permission to tell him. You will therefore, please, answer this letter, directly you get it, as the sooner the better.
I am going on stuffing famously and have already given 4 or 5 fine ones away. I shall not give you any when you come, as it would be difficult for you to take them with you, but when I am in England, I shall fill the house with stuffed sparrows, Crows and chaffinch. . . .
I am glad that Nursie 501 will keep house for you, she will have a nice time of it, give her my love, and tell her that though I am so idle in writing, I will send her some little present by you.
You have told Mamma, that you had told us, didn't you? In &unknown;your&unknown; her last letter there were one or two sentences, from which Charles and I concluded you had.
I have several Entw'fcrfe, for immense poetical works, which I shall most likely carry out in my room, with a cup of coffee, in the summer evenings.
I have nothing more to say, so I remain, Dear Father
Your rascally pup
Rex Ranarum.
Answer the letter directly you get it. | Amen!
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Haight, George Eliot, pp. 329-330.
Hofwyl 20 March 1860.
Dear Father
We received your letter last night, and were very glad to get it, though you ought to have written to me and not to Charles, as I wrote a long while ago. I should prefer by far being confirmed here; there is such a small difference between English and Swiss theology, that even Empson's parents, whose Ideas are so strict that he may not play on Sunday, will be confirmed, but as you prefer our not being confirmed, I suppose it is hopeless to wish for it. Our box has not come, in spite of my diligence in looking for it every evening when the letters come; so I suppose it is lost, and with it my precious Schamyl. I hope you will write to Leipzig, if you sent it to Mr. Brockhaus and ask him if he has sent it or not. We have therefore not read the Cornhill magazine. 500
There is a difficulty now, as Empson is going away at August, and not at Easter, as he has seen Mamma, and knows her, he will of course see that Mother is not she, so that we have agreed, viz: Charles and I, that we had better tell him, enjoining at the same time secrecy, as at any rate, he would know it 3 or four months later, when he goes home. Mother will have therefore when we present him to say "How d'ye do"! etc. etc.
And we only wait for your permission to tell him. You will therefore, please, answer this letter, directly you get it, as the sooner the better.
I am going on stuffing famously and have already given 4 or 5 fine ones away. I shall not give you any when you come, as it would be difficult for you to take them with you, but when I am in England, I shall fill the house with stuffed sparrows, Crows and chaffinch. . . .
I am glad that Nursie 501 will keep house for you, she will have a nice time of it, give her my love, and tell her that though I am so idle in writing, I will send her some little present by you.
You have told Mamma, that you had told us, didn't you? In &unknown;your&unknown; her last letter there were one or two sentences, from which Charles and I concluded you had.
I have several Entw'fcrfe, for immense poetical works, which I shall most likely carry out in my room, with a cup of coffee, in the summer evenings.
I have nothing more to say, so I remain, Dear Father
Your rascally pup
Rex Ranarum.
Answer the letter directly you get it. | Amen!
Signature
Rex Ranarum.
Citation
Thornton Arnott Lewes, Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 20 March 1860, 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/95619