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

Letter to Charles Bray, Christmas Day, 1858.

The well-flavored mollusks came this morning. It was very kind of you; and if you remember how fond I am of oysters, your good-nature will have the more pleasure in furnishing my gourmandise with the treat. I have a childish delight in any little act of genuine friendliness towards us – and yet not childish, for how little we thought of people's goodness towards us when we were children. It takes a good deal of experience to tell one the rarity of a thoroughly disinterested kindness.

Letter to John Blackwood, 28th Dec. 1858.

I see with you entirely about the preface: indeed I had myself anticipated the very effects you predict. The deprecatory tone is not one I can ever take willingly, but I am conscious of a shrinking sort of pride which is likely to warp my judgment in many personal questions, and on that ground I distrusted my own opinion.

Mr. Lewes went to Vernon Hill yesterday for a few days' change of air, but before he went he said, "Ask Mr. Blackwood what he thinks of putting a mere advertisement at the beginning of the book to this effect: As the story of 'Adam Bede' will lose much of its effect if the development is foreseen, the author requests those critics who may honor him with a notice to abstain from telling the story." I write my note of interrogation accordingly "?"

Pray do not begin to read the second volume until it is all in print. There is necessarily a lull of interest in it to prepare for the crescendo. I am delighted that you like my Mrs. Poyser. I'm very sorry to part with her and some of my other characters – there seems to be so much more to be done with them. Mr. Lewes says she gets better and better as the book goes on; and I was certainly conscious of writing her dialogue with heightening gusto. Even in our imaginary worlds there is the sorrow of parting.

I hope the Christmas weather is as bright in your beautiful Edinburgh as it is here, and that you are enjoying all other Christmas pleasures too without disturbance.

I have not yet made up my mind what my next story is to be, but I must not lie fallow any longer when the new year is come.

Journal, 1858.

Dec. 25 (Christmas Day). – George and I spent this wet day very happily alone together. We are reading Scott's life in the evenings with much enjoyment. I am reading through Horace in this pause.

Dec. 31. – The last day of the dear old year, which has been full of expected and unexpected happiness. "Adam Bede" has been written, and the second volume is in type. The first number of George's "Physiology of Common Life" – a work in which he has had much happy occupation – is published to-day; and both his position as a scientific writer and his inward satisfaction in that part of his studies have been much heightened during the past year. Our double life is more and more blessed – more and more complete.

I think this chapter cannot more fitly conclude than with the following extract from Mr. G. H. Lewes's Journal, with which Mr. Charles Lewes has been good enough to furnish me:

Jan. 28, 1859. – Walked along the Thames towards Kew to meet Herbert Spencer, who was to spend the day with us, and we chatted with him on matters personal and philosophical. I owe him a debt of gratitude. My acquaintance with him was the brightest ray in a very dreary, wasted period of my life. I have given up all ambition whatever, lived from hand to mouth, and thought the evil of each day sufficient. The stimulus of his intellect, especially during our long walks, roused my energy once more and revived my dormant love of science. His intense theorizing tendency was contagious, and it was only the stimulus of a theory which could then have induced me to work. I owe Spencer another and a deeper debt. It was through him that I learned to know Marian – to know her was to love her – and since then my life has been a new birth. To her I owe all my prosperity and all my happiness. God bless her!

Times reviews "Scenes of Clerical Life" – Helps's opinion – Subscription to the "Scenes" – Letter from Dickens, 18th Jan. 1858 – Letter from Froude, 17th Jan. – Letter to Miss Hennell – Mr. Wm. Smith, author of "Thorndale" – Ruskin – Reading the "Eumenides" and Wordsworth – Letter to John Blackwood on Dickens's Letter – Letter from Mrs. Carlyle – Letter from Faraday – "Clerical Scenes" moving – John Blackwood calls, and George Eliot reveals herself – Takes MS. of first part of "Adam Bede" – Letters to Charles Bray on reports of authorship – Visit to Germany – Description of Nürnberg – The Frauen-Kirche – Effect of the music – Albert Dürer's house – Munich – Lodgings – Pinacothek – Rubens – Crucifixion – Theresien Wiese – Schwanthaler's "Bavaria" – The Alps – Letter to Miss Hennell – Contrast between Catholic and Protestant worship – Glyptothek – Pictures – Statues – Cornelius frescoes – Herr Oldenburg – Kaulbach – Bodenstedt – Professor Wagner – Martius – Liebig – Geibel – Heyse – Carrière – Prince Radziwill's "Faust" – Professor Löher – Baron Schack – Genelli – Professor Bluntschli – Letter to Miss Hennell – Description of Munich life – Kaulbach's pictures – The Siebolds – The Neue Pinacothek – Pictures and porcelain painting – Mme. Bodenstedt – Letter to Blackwood – Combinations of artist in writing – Hears "William Tell" – Expedition to Grosshesselohe – Progress with "Adam Bede" – Letter to Miss Hennell on death of her mother – Mr. Lewes goes to Hofwyl – Frau Knapp – Mr. Lewes returns – Leave Munich for Traunstein – Salzburg – Ischl – Linz – By Danube to Vienna – St. Stephen's – Belvedere pictures – Liechtenstein collection – Hyrtl the anatomist – Prague – Jewish burial-ground and the old synagogue – To Dresden – Latter half of second volume of "Adam Bede" written – First impression of Sistine Madonna – The Tribute money – Holbein's Madonna – The Correggios – Dutch school – Murillo – Letter to Miss Hennell – Description of life at Dresden – Health improved – Mention of Strauss at Munich – Dresden to Leipzig – Home to Richmond – Letter to Miss Hennell – Opinion of Buckle – Blackwood offers £800 for "Adam Bede" – Wilkie Collins and Mr. Pigott – History of "Adam Bede" – Letter to Charles Bray – Disinterested kindness – Letter to Blackwood suggesting preface to "Adam Bede" – Reading Scott's Life and Horace – Review of year – Extract from G. H. Lewes's Journal.

Journal, 1859.

Jan. 12. – We went into town to-day and looked in the "Annual Register" for cases of inundation . Letter from Blackwood to-day, speaking of renewed delight in "Adam Bede," and proposing 1st Feb. as the day of publication. Read the article in yesterday's Times on George's "Sea-side Studies" – highly gratifying. We are still reading Scott's life with great interest; and G. is reading to me Michelet's book "De l'Amour."

Jan. 15. – I corrected the last sheets of "Adam Bede," and we afterwards walked to Wimbledon to see our new house, which we have taken for seven years. I hired the servant – another bit of business done: and then we had a delightful walk across Wimbledon Common and through Richmond Park homeward. The air was clear and cold – the sky magnificent.

Jan. 31. – Received a check for £400 from Blackwood, being the first instalment of the payment for four years' copyright of "Adam Bede." To-morrow the book is to be subscribed, and Blackwood writes very pleasantly – confident of its "great success." Afterwards we went into town, paid money into the bank, and ordered part of our china and glass towards house-keeping.