To Mr. Charles and Mrs. Caroline Bray, Geneva [15 February 1850]
Title
To Mr. Charles and Mrs. Caroline Bray, Geneva [15 February 1850]
Title
To Mr. Charles and Mrs. Caroline Bray, Geneva [15 February 1850]
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Mr. Charles and Mrs. Caroline Bray
Date(s)
- 1850-02-15
Place
Geneva
Letter Content
To Mr. Charles and Mrs. Caroline Bray, Geneva [15 February 1850]
MS: Yale. Address: Charles Bray Esq | Rosehill | Coventry | England. Postmarks: GENEVE | 15 | FEVR | 50 | 8'bds; COVENTRY | FE 19 | 1850. Extracts published: Cross, 1, 246-248.
Rue des Chanoines | Geneva.
Dear Friends
If you saw the Jura today! The snow reveals its forests ravines and precipices, and it stands in relief against a pure blue sky. The snow is on the mountains only now, and one is tempted to walk all day, particularly when one lies in bed till 10, as your exemplary friend sometimes does. Do not pity me too much, dear Cara, I have positively had no evils to endure but such as have arisen from the state of my health and spirits. I have had no discipline, and shall return to you more of a spoiled child than ever. Indeed I think I am destined to be so to the end -- one of the odious swarm of voracious caterpillars, soon to be swept away from the earth by a tempest. Your stories about the wolves and the snow are apocryphal. The Radicals are the only wild beasts of whom the good citizens of Geneva [ar]e in fear, and the winter here, though severe, has been less so than [a]t Trieste, for example, and other places farther south.
I am getting [bet]ter -- bodily. I have much less head-ache, but the least excitement [fa]tigues me. Certainly if one cannot have a malady to carry one [off] rapidly, the only sensible thing is to get well and fat, and I believe I [sh]all be driven to that alternative. Do you know if Mrs. [Pear]s has received my letter, written a few days after the arrival [of] the one you sent me from her? I unhappily mislaid her letter [and] forgot her direction, so I was obliged to put Leamington merely. Tell me some news of her when you write again. I congratulate you on the birthday pleasures. It is amusing enough to see how those small celebrities, the Cowden Clarkes, 888 make their living out of Shakspeare.
You know that George Sand writes for the theatre? Her Fran'e7ois le Champi, une comédie, 889 is simplicity and purity itself. The seven devils are cast out. We are going to have more acting here on Wednesday. M. Chancel's talent makes Maman's soirées quite brilliant. You will be amused to hear that I am sitting for my portrait -- at M. D'Albert's request -- not mine. If it turns out well, I shall long to steal it to give to you -- but M. D'Albert talks of painting a second [ten words deleted] and in that case I shall certainly beg one. 890
The idea of making a study of my visage is droll enough.
I have the kindest possible letters from my brother and sisters promising me the warmest welcome. This helps to give me courage for the journey, but the strongest magnet of all is a certain little group of three persons whom I hope to find together at Rose-hill. I shall be quite disappointed if Sara be not with you when I arrive. 891 Something has been said of M. D'Albert's accompanying me to Paris, but I am afraid he cannot afford the journey -- and alas! I cannot afford to pay for him.
I am saddened when I think of all the horrible anxieties of trade. M. D'A. tells me that a large proportion of the trade of St. Etienne has transported itself to Basle. If I had children I would make them carpenters and shoemakers -- that is the way to make them Messiahs and Jacob Boehms. As for us who are dependent on carpets and easy chairs -- we are reprobates, and shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven. I go to the Genevese churches every Sunday and nourish my heterodoxy with orthodox sermons. However there are some clever men here in the church, and I am fortunate in being here at a time when the very cleverest is giving a series of conferences.
I think I have never told you that we have a long German youth of seventeen in the house -- he has been here ever since Christmas -- the most taciturn and awkward of lads. He said very na'efvely when I reproached him for not talking to a German young lady in a soirée, when he was seated next her at table, "Je ne savais que faire de mes jambes." They had placed the poor gar'e7on against one of those card-tables -- all legs, like himself. Write to me again soon a little scrap like mine. I enclose a little letter for Mr. Bray all to himself, to put him in a good humour. I shall annihilate little Cara with kisses, drown Sara with my eyes -- and not quarrel with Mr. Bray all the first evening.
Your affectionate
Pollian.
MS: Yale. Address: Charles Bray Esq | Rosehill | Coventry | England. Postmarks: GENEVE | 15 | FEVR | 50 | 8'bds; COVENTRY | FE 19 | 1850. Extracts published: Cross, 1, 246-248.
Rue des Chanoines | Geneva.
Dear Friends
If you saw the Jura today! The snow reveals its forests ravines and precipices, and it stands in relief against a pure blue sky. The snow is on the mountains only now, and one is tempted to walk all day, particularly when one lies in bed till 10, as your exemplary friend sometimes does. Do not pity me too much, dear Cara, I have positively had no evils to endure but such as have arisen from the state of my health and spirits. I have had no discipline, and shall return to you more of a spoiled child than ever. Indeed I think I am destined to be so to the end -- one of the odious swarm of voracious caterpillars, soon to be swept away from the earth by a tempest. Your stories about the wolves and the snow are apocryphal. The Radicals are the only wild beasts of whom the good citizens of Geneva [ar]e in fear, and the winter here, though severe, has been less so than [a]t Trieste, for example, and other places farther south.
I am getting [bet]ter -- bodily. I have much less head-ache, but the least excitement [fa]tigues me. Certainly if one cannot have a malady to carry one [off] rapidly, the only sensible thing is to get well and fat, and I believe I [sh]all be driven to that alternative. Do you know if Mrs. [Pear]s has received my letter, written a few days after the arrival [of] the one you sent me from her? I unhappily mislaid her letter [and] forgot her direction, so I was obliged to put Leamington merely. Tell me some news of her when you write again. I congratulate you on the birthday pleasures. It is amusing enough to see how those small celebrities, the Cowden Clarkes, 888 make their living out of Shakspeare.
You know that George Sand writes for the theatre? Her Fran'e7ois le Champi, une comédie, 889 is simplicity and purity itself. The seven devils are cast out. We are going to have more acting here on Wednesday. M. Chancel's talent makes Maman's soirées quite brilliant. You will be amused to hear that I am sitting for my portrait -- at M. D'Albert's request -- not mine. If it turns out well, I shall long to steal it to give to you -- but M. D'Albert talks of painting a second [ten words deleted] and in that case I shall certainly beg one. 890
The idea of making a study of my visage is droll enough.
I have the kindest possible letters from my brother and sisters promising me the warmest welcome. This helps to give me courage for the journey, but the strongest magnet of all is a certain little group of three persons whom I hope to find together at Rose-hill. I shall be quite disappointed if Sara be not with you when I arrive. 891 Something has been said of M. D'Albert's accompanying me to Paris, but I am afraid he cannot afford the journey -- and alas! I cannot afford to pay for him.
I am saddened when I think of all the horrible anxieties of trade. M. D'A. tells me that a large proportion of the trade of St. Etienne has transported itself to Basle. If I had children I would make them carpenters and shoemakers -- that is the way to make them Messiahs and Jacob Boehms. As for us who are dependent on carpets and easy chairs -- we are reprobates, and shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven. I go to the Genevese churches every Sunday and nourish my heterodoxy with orthodox sermons. However there are some clever men here in the church, and I am fortunate in being here at a time when the very cleverest is giving a series of conferences.
I think I have never told you that we have a long German youth of seventeen in the house -- he has been here ever since Christmas -- the most taciturn and awkward of lads. He said very na'efvely when I reproached him for not talking to a German young lady in a soirée, when he was seated next her at table, "Je ne savais que faire de mes jambes." They had placed the poor gar'e7on against one of those card-tables -- all legs, like himself. Write to me again soon a little scrap like mine. I enclose a little letter for Mr. Bray all to himself, to put him in a good humour. I shall annihilate little Cara with kisses, drown Sara with my eyes -- and not quarrel with Mr. Bray all the first evening.
Your affectionate
Pollian.
Signature
Pollian
Citation
George Eliot, To Mr. Charles and Mrs. Caroline Bray, Geneva [15 February 1850], 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/95628