George Eliot's Life, as Related in Her Letters and Journals. Vol. 2 (of 3)

Journal, 1866.

Dec. 11.– Ill ever since I came home, so that the days seem to have made a muddy flood, sweeping away all labor and all growth.

Letter to Mrs. Congreve, 22d Dec. 1866.

Just before we received Dr. Congreve's letter we had changed our plans. George's increasing weakness and the more and more frequent intervals in which he became unable to work, made me at last urge him to give up the idea of "finishing," which often besets us vainly. It will really be better for the work as well as for himself that he should let it wait. However, I care about nothing just now except that he should be doing all he can to get better. So we start next Thursday for Bordeaux, staying two days in Paris on our way. Madame Mohl writes us word that she hears from friends of the delicious weather – mild, sunny weather – to be had now on the French southwestern and southeastern coast. You will all wish us well on our journey, I know. But I wish I could carry a happier thought about you than that of your being an invalid. I shall write to you when we are at Biarritz or some other place that suits us, and when I have something good to tell. No; in any case I shall write, because I shall want to hear all about you. Tell Dr. Congreve we carry the "Politique" with us. Mr. Lewes gets more and more impressed by it, and also by what he is able to understand of the "Synthèse." I am writing in the dark. Farewell. With best love to Emily, and dutiful regards to Dr. Congreve.

Journal, 1866.

Dec. 27.– Set off in the evening on our journey to the south.

SUMMARYJANUARY, 1866, TO DECEMBER, 1866

Letters to Frederic Harrison on Industrial Co-operation – Consults him about law in "Felix Holt" – Asks his opinion on other questions – Letter to Mrs. Congreve – Visit to Tunbridge Wells – Reading Comte's "Synthèse" – Letter to F. Harrison on "case" for "Felix Holt" – Letter to Miss Hennell – Joy in the world getting better – Letter to Madame Bodichon – "Felix Holt" growing like a sickly child – Want of sincerity in England – Desire for knowledge increases – Blackwood offers £5000 for "Felix Holt" – Letters to John Blackwood renewing correspondence – Thanks for encouragement – Painstaking with "Felix Holt" – Letter to F. Harrison on legal points – The book finished – Inscription – Letter of adieu to Mrs. Congreve – Letter to Mrs. Bray – Excitement of finishing "Felix Holt" – Journey to Holland and Germany – Letter to Mrs. Congreve from Schwalbach – Return to the Priory – Letter to F. Harrison asking for sympathy – Letter to John Blackwood – Colonel Hamley – Letter to Miss Hennell describing German trip – Miracle play at Antwerp – Amsterdam synagogue – Takes up drama "The Spanish Gypsy" again – Reading on Spanish subjects – Letter to F. Harrison – Need of sympathy – Æsthetic teaching – Tells him of the proposed drama – Letters to John Blackwood – Dean Ramsay – Sir Henry Holland – Article on "Felix Holt" in Macmillan's Magazine– "The Spanish Gypsy" recommenced – Reading Renan's "Histoire des Langues Sémitiques" and Ticknor's "Spanish Literature" – Visit to Tunbridge Wells for a week – Reading Cornewall Lewis's "Astronomy of the Ancients" – Ockley's "History of the Saracens," and Spanish Ballads – Letter to Miss Hennell – Enjoyment of study – Depression – Letter of adieu to Mrs. Congreve – Set off on journey to Spain.

END OF VOL. II

1

The Brays' new house.

2

He is really a charming man, is he not?

3

Picture of interior of a Lunatic Asylum.

4

"Why do you tell such lies? The result of it will be that no one will travel this way."

5

Charitable Institution for Ladies.

6

Dr. Brabant.

7

Miss Emily Bury, now Mrs. Geddes.

8

Madame Bodichon.

9

Professor Blackie.

10

Mrs. Congreve's sister.

11

"Here lies one whose name was writ in water."

12

Now in cell No. 33 in the Museo di San Marco.

13

Now in the Museo Nazionale.

14

Now in Sala Lorenzo Monaco, Uffizi.

15

The only portraits of Dante in the Uffizi are No. 1207 in the room opening out of the Tribune, by an unknown painter (Scuola Toscana); and No. 553, in the passage to the Pitti – also by an unknown painter.

16

No. 81. Pitti Gallery.

17

No. 49, by Tiberio Titti. Pitti Gallery.

18

No. 140. Pitti Gallery.

19

No. 56 Via de Faenza, Capella di Foligno.

20

Since burned.

21

Death of Madame Bodichon's father.

22

"Thoughts in Aid of Faith."

23

M. d'Albert.

24

"And how can it be otherwise than real to us, this belief that has nourished the souls of us all, and seems to have moulded actually anew their internal constitution, as well as stored them up with its infinite variety of external interests and associations! What other than a very real thing has it been in the life of the world – sprung out of, and again causing to spring forth, such volumes of human emotion – making a current, as it were, of feeling, that has drawn within its own sphere all the moral vitality of so many ages! In all this reality of influence there is indeed the testimony of Christianity having truly formed an integral portion of the organic life of humanity. The regarding it as a mere excrescence, the product of morbid, fanatical humors, is a reaction of judgment, that, it is to be hoped, will soon be seen on all hands to be in no way implied of necessity in the formal rejection of it." —Thoughts in Aid of Faith, p. 105.

25

"These sentiments, which are born within us, slumbering as it were in our nature, ready to be awakened into action immediately they are roused by hint of corresponding circumstances, are drawn out of the whole of previous human existence. They constitute our treasured inheritance out of all the life that has been lived before us, to which no age, no human being who has trod the earth and laid himself to rest, with all his mortal burden upon her maternal bosom, has failed to add his contribution. No generation has had its engrossing conflict, sorely battling out the triumphs of mind over material force, and through forms of monstrous abortions concurrent with its birth, too hideous for us now to bear in contemplation, moulding the early intelligence by every struggle, and winning its gradual powers – no single soul has borne itself through its personal trial – without bequeathing to us of its fruit. There is not a religious thought that we take to ourselves for secret comfort in our time of grief, that has not been distilled out of the multiplicity of the hallowed tears of mankind; not an animating idea is there for our fainting courage that has not gathered its inspiration from the bravery of the myriad armies of the world's heroes." —Thoughts in Aid of Faith, p. 174.

26

"Education of the Feelings." By Charles Bray. Published 1839.

27

Mr. William Blackwood.

28

Mr. Frederic Harrison, the now well-known writer, and a member of the Positivist body.

29

Lecture on Cell Forms.

30

Arthur Hugh Clough, the poet.

31

The death of Major Blackwood.

32

Mrs. Charles Hennell (now Mrs. Call).

33

Now Sir Frederic Burton, Director of the National Gallery, to whom we are indebted for the drawing of George Eliot now in the National Portrait Gallery, South Kensington, and who was a very intimate and valued friend of Mr. and Mrs. Lewes.

34

Mr. W. G. Clark, late Public Orator at Cambridge, well known as a scholar, and for his edition of Shakspeare in conjunction with Mr. Aldis Wright.

35

Some general remark of Carlyle's – Madame Bodichon cannot remember exactly what it was.

36

I regret that I have not been able to find this letter.

37

Auguste Comte's.

38

"Physiology for Schools." By Mrs. Bray.

39

Mrs. Julius Hare, who gave her Maurice's book on the Lord's Prayer.

40

A story by Mr. Robert Buchanan in the Cornhill, Feb. 1864.

41

"I always preferred to learn from the man himself what he thought, rather than to hear from some one else what he ought to have thought."