Thornton Arnott Lewes to GE, Edinburgh, 14 April 1861
Title
Thornton Arnott Lewes to GE, Edinburgh, 14 April 1861
Title
Thornton Arnott Lewes to GE, Edinburgh, 14 April 1861
Sender
Thornton Arnott Lewes
Recipient
Thornton Arnott Lewes
Date(s)
- 1861-04-14
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
Thornton Lewes to GE, Edinburgh, 14 April 1861
MS: Yale.
1. Duncan Street | Newington | Edinburgh. | April 14. 1861.
Dear Mother,
I am very sorry that you did not enjoy your trip to Hastings very much, but of course you will like your voyage to Italy all the better. I should like uncommonly to go with you as far as Switzerland and then stick at Hofwyl till you came back, as I eschew Italy, as a land where there is no water to be got to drink, no butterflies to be caught, no plants to be found, nothing but straight roads 6 miles long to walk on, nothing but dust to eat (when walking, that is to say), etc. etc. etc.
I am extremely obliged for your birthday present, but it will be more convenient, if you send down the tin as I can get it here at a much cheaper rate than you can, as a quantity of shops give a reduction of 2 pence in the shilling. But if you send it, for goodness sake do not send the coloured edition, as it is very badly coloured and costs a good deal. Take the edition published in Bohn's illustrated Library!
Thank Father extremely for the 16/. and inform him, that it would be a most difficult thing to tell him how I had enjoyed myself at Dundee, considering that I start for it on Tuesday the 23rd inst. I will give you however an eight page description of it when I return, when I know your address in Italy. Our Session ends at the end of July. Please tell me the route you intend taking, and please Mother dear, look after stamps when you are in Italy, as I will not trouble Pater with them this year, as he bought just the wrong ones last year, though perhaps I did not express clearly what I wanted and what I did not want. If you go through Parma and Modena, please get me all the stamps, there are not more than 5 of each, and if you go to Sicily, and if there are different ones there from the Neapolitan, send as many as you like. And please put, when you are at Rome stamps of 'bd, 1, 2, 3 baj on the letters to me.
You heard of course that Major Blackwood is dead. I did not know it, till yesterday when I went to call on Mr. Simpson, to ask how the Major was, and he then told me that he had died on Wednesday or Monday 536 I forget which.
Silas Marner is splendid. I like it extremely, prefering it to Adam Bede or the "Scenes." And when I had come to the last page I almost got angry at there being no more of it. There is a very good article on it in the Saturday Review of yesterday. 537
How is Charlie getting on? Thumping I suppose all day long. Pat him on the back and tell him from me that he is a "good little boy" for delivering my message to Empson, who wrote me a very nice letter on Thursday, in which he says he supposes Master Charles must have stolen his first letter to me, at the post-office, to prevent my getting it. I, of course, decidedly coincide with his opinion. Pater is out about my not writing in cos as 'ow he (Empson) had not sent any stamps, for otherwise I should be sadly off for correspondance.
I am writing to Grandmamma today. You will of course go to see Bertie when coming back from Italy. How long is he to remain at Hofwyl? Yesterday I kept my birthday and Mrs. Robertson gave me a grand dinner and a bottle of sherry, and I invited 3 friends of mine, and Mr. Robertson's two sisters were there and the whole company enjoyed themselves very much, and I was not least in that respect. I got 3 birthday presents viz: 2 portraits, and a pot of homemade marmalade, the latter given me by a Mrs. Gregor a great friend of mine, with whom I enjoy the title of son.
Having nothing more to say, I remain, Dear Mother
Your affectionate Son
Thornie.
MS: Yale.
1. Duncan Street | Newington | Edinburgh. | April 14. 1861.
Dear Mother,
I am very sorry that you did not enjoy your trip to Hastings very much, but of course you will like your voyage to Italy all the better. I should like uncommonly to go with you as far as Switzerland and then stick at Hofwyl till you came back, as I eschew Italy, as a land where there is no water to be got to drink, no butterflies to be caught, no plants to be found, nothing but straight roads 6 miles long to walk on, nothing but dust to eat (when walking, that is to say), etc. etc. etc.
I am extremely obliged for your birthday present, but it will be more convenient, if you send down the tin as I can get it here at a much cheaper rate than you can, as a quantity of shops give a reduction of 2 pence in the shilling. But if you send it, for goodness sake do not send the coloured edition, as it is very badly coloured and costs a good deal. Take the edition published in Bohn's illustrated Library!
Thank Father extremely for the 16/. and inform him, that it would be a most difficult thing to tell him how I had enjoyed myself at Dundee, considering that I start for it on Tuesday the 23rd inst. I will give you however an eight page description of it when I return, when I know your address in Italy. Our Session ends at the end of July. Please tell me the route you intend taking, and please Mother dear, look after stamps when you are in Italy, as I will not trouble Pater with them this year, as he bought just the wrong ones last year, though perhaps I did not express clearly what I wanted and what I did not want. If you go through Parma and Modena, please get me all the stamps, there are not more than 5 of each, and if you go to Sicily, and if there are different ones there from the Neapolitan, send as many as you like. And please put, when you are at Rome stamps of 'bd, 1, 2, 3 baj on the letters to me.
You heard of course that Major Blackwood is dead. I did not know it, till yesterday when I went to call on Mr. Simpson, to ask how the Major was, and he then told me that he had died on Wednesday or Monday 536 I forget which.
Silas Marner is splendid. I like it extremely, prefering it to Adam Bede or the "Scenes." And when I had come to the last page I almost got angry at there being no more of it. There is a very good article on it in the Saturday Review of yesterday. 537
How is Charlie getting on? Thumping I suppose all day long. Pat him on the back and tell him from me that he is a "good little boy" for delivering my message to Empson, who wrote me a very nice letter on Thursday, in which he says he supposes Master Charles must have stolen his first letter to me, at the post-office, to prevent my getting it. I, of course, decidedly coincide with his opinion. Pater is out about my not writing in cos as 'ow he (Empson) had not sent any stamps, for otherwise I should be sadly off for correspondance.
I am writing to Grandmamma today. You will of course go to see Bertie when coming back from Italy. How long is he to remain at Hofwyl? Yesterday I kept my birthday and Mrs. Robertson gave me a grand dinner and a bottle of sherry, and I invited 3 friends of mine, and Mr. Robertson's two sisters were there and the whole company enjoyed themselves very much, and I was not least in that respect. I got 3 birthday presents viz: 2 portraits, and a pot of homemade marmalade, the latter given me by a Mrs. Gregor a great friend of mine, with whom I enjoy the title of son.
Having nothing more to say, I remain, Dear Mother
Your affectionate Son
Thornie.
Signature
Thornie.
Citation
Thornton Arnott Lewes, Thornton Arnott Lewes to GE, Edinburgh, 14 April 1861, 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/95626