I understand that the conveyancer who wrote to the Pall Mall is an excellent lawyer in his department, and the lecturer on Real Property at the Law Institution.
If a reviewer ever checked himself by considering that a writer whom he thinks worth praising would take some pains to know the truth about a matter which is the very hinge of said writer's story, review articles would cut a shrunken figure.
Journal, 1867.
May 5.– We went to Bouverie Street to hear the first of a course of lectures on Positivism, delivered by Dr. Congreve. There were present seventy-five people, chiefly men.
May 11.– We had Mr. and Mrs. Call to dine with us, and an evening party afterwards.
May 12.– We went to hear Dr. Congreve's second lecture. The morning was thoroughly wet; the audience smaller, but still good.
Letter to Miss Sara Hennell, 13th May, 1867.
Yesterday we went to the second of a course of lectures which Dr. Congreve is delivering on Positivism in Bouverie Street. At the first lecture on the 5th there was a considerable audience – about seventy-five, chiefly men – of various ranks, from lords and M.P.'s downwards, or upwards, for what is called social distinction seems to be in a shifting condition just now. Yesterday the wet weather doubtless helped to reduce the audience; still it was good. Curiosity brings some, interest in the subject others, and the rest go with the wish to express adhesion more or less thorough.
I am afraid you have ceased to care much about pictures, else I should wish that you could see the Exhibition of Historical Portraits at Kensington. It is really worth a little fatigue to see the English of past generations in their habit as they lived – especially when Gainsborough and Sir Joshua are the painters. But even Sir Godfrey Kneller delights me occasionally with a finely conceived portrait carefully painted. There is an unforgetable portrait of Newton by him.
Journal, 1867.
May 27.– Went with G. to the Academy Exhibition.
May 29.– Went to the Exhibition of French Pictures – very agreeable and interesting.
Letter to Mrs. Peter Taylor, 30th May, 1867.
I do sympathize with you most emphatically in the desire to see women socially elevated – educated equally with men, and secured as far as possible, along with every other breathing creature, from suffering the exercise of any unrighteous power. That is a broader ground of sympathy than agreement as to the amount and kind of result that may be hoped for from a particular measure. But on this special point I am far from thinking myself an oracle, and on the whole I am inclined to hope for much good from the serious presentation of women's claims before Parliament. I thought Mill's speech sober and judicious from his point of view – Karslake's an abomination.
À propos of what you say about Mr. Congreve, I think you have mistaken his, or rather Comte's, position. There is no denial of an unknown cause, but only a denial that such a conception is the proper basis of a practical religion. It seems to me pre-eminently desirable that we should learn not to make our personal comfort a standard of truth.
Journal, 1867.
June 1 (Saturday). – Wrote up to the moment when Fedalma appears in the Plaça.
June 5.– Blackwood dined with us, and I read to him my poem down to page 56. He showed great delight.
June 26.– We went to Niton for a fortnight, returning July 10.
July 16.– Received £2166 13s. 4d. from Blackwood, being the final instalment for "Felix Holt," and (£500) copyright for ten years.
Letter to Mrs. Congreve, 28th July, 1867.
Again we take flight! To North Germany this time, and chiefly to Dresden, where we shall be accessible through the Poste Restante. I am ashamed of saying anything about our health – we are both "objects" for compassion or contempt, according to the disposition of the subject who may contemplate us.
Mr. Beesley (I think it was he) sent us Dr. Congreve's pamphlet last night, and I read it aloud to George. We both felt a cordial satisfaction in it. We have been a good deal beset by little engagements with friends and acquaintances lately, and these, with the preparations for our journey, have been rather too much for me. Mr. Lewes is acting on the advice of Sir Henry Holland in giving up zoologizing for the present, because it obliges him to hang down his head. That is the reason we go inland, and not to the coast, as I think I hinted to you that we expected to do.
You are sympathetic enough to be glad to hear that we have had thoroughly cheerful and satisfactory letters from both our boys in Natal. They are established in their purchased farm, and are very happy together in their work. Impossible for mortals to have less trouble than we. I should have written to you earlier this week – for we start to-morrow – but that I have been laid prostrate with crushing headache one half of my time, and always going out or seeing some one the other half.
Farewell, dear. Don't write unless you have a real desire to gossip with me a little about yourself and our mutual friends. You know I always like to have news of you, but I shall not think it unkind – I shall only think you have other things to do – if you are silent.
Journal, 1867.
July 29.– We went to Dover this evening as the start on a journey into Germany (North).
Oct. 1.– We returned home after revisiting the scenes of cherished memories – Ilmenau, Dresden, and Berlin. Of new places we have seen Wetzlar, Cassel, Eisenach, and Hanover. At Ilmenau I wrote Fedalma's soliloquy after her scene with Silva, and the following dialogue between her and Juan. At Dresden I rewrote the whole scene between her and Zarca.
Oct. 9.– Reading "Los Judios en Espâna," Percy's "Reliques," "Isis," occasionally aloud.
Oct. 10.– Reading the "Iliad," Book III. Finished "Los Judios en Espâna," a wretchedly poor book.
Oct. 11.– Began again Prescott's "Ferdinand and Isabella."
Oct. 19.– George returned last evening from a walking expedition in Surrey with Mr. Spencer.
This entry is an interesting one to me, as it fixes the date of the first acquaintance with my family. Mr. Herbert Spencer was an old friend of ours, and in the course of their walk he and Mr. Lewes happened to pass through Weybridge, where my mother at that time lived. They came to dinner. Mr. Lewes, with his wonderful social powers, charmed all, and they passed a delightful evening. I was myself in America at the time, where I was in business as a banker at New York. My eldest sister had just then published a little volume of poems,1 which was kindly received by the press. On the invitation of Mr. Lewes she went shortly afterwards to see George Eliot, then in the zenith of her fame; nor did she ever forget the affectionate manner in which the great author greeted her. This was the beginning of a close friendship between the families, which lasted, and increased in intimacy, to the end. Mr. Spencer, in writing to tell me that it was he who first made Mr. Lewes acquainted with George Eliot, adds, "You will perhaps be struck by the curious coincidence that it was also by me that Lewes was introduced to your family at Weybridge and remoter issues entailed."
Letter to Miss Sara Hennell, 20th Oct. 1867.
Before I got your letter I was about to write to you and direct your attention to an article in the forthcoming (October)