Your letter yesterday morning helped to inspire me for the last eleven pages, if they have any inspiration in them. They were written in a furor, but I dare say there is not a word different from what it would have been if I had written them at the slowest pace.
We expect to start on Saturday morning, and to be in Rome by Palm Sunday, or else by the following Tuesday. Of course we shall write to you when we know what will be our address in Rome. In the meantime news will gather.
I don't mean to send "The Mill on the Floss" to any one except to Dickens, who has behaved with a delicate kindness in a recent matter, which I wish to acknowledge.
I am grateful and yet rather sad to have finished—sad that I shall live with my people on the banks of the Floss no longer. But it is time that I should go and absorb some new life and gather fresh ideas.
SUMMARY.
JANUARY, 1859, TO MARCH, 1860.
Looking for cases of inundation in Annual Register—New House—Holly Lodge, Wandsworth—Letter to John Blackwood—George Eliot fears she has not characteristics of "the popular author"—Subscription to "Adam Bede" 730 copies—Appreciation by a cabinet-maker—Dr. John Brown sends "Rab and his Friends" with an inscription—Letter to Blackwood thereon—Tries to be hopeful—Letters to Miss Hennell—Description of Holly Lodge—Miss Nightingale—Thoughts on death—Scott—Mrs. Clarke writes—Mr. and Mrs. Congreve—Letter to Mrs. Bray on effects of anxiety—Mrs. Clarke dying—Letter to John Blackwood—Wishes Carlyle to read "Adam Bede"—"Life of Frederic" painful—Susceptibility to newspaper criticism—Edinburgh more encouraging than London—Letter to Blackwood to stop puffing notices—Letter from E. Hall, working-man, asking for cheap editions—Sale of "Adam Bede"—Death of Mrs. Clarke—1800 copies of "Adam Bede" sold—Letter to Blackwood—Awakening to fame—Letter to Froude—Mrs. Poyser quoted in House of Commons by Mr. Charles Buxton—Opinions of Charles Reade, Shirley Brooks, and John Murray—Letter to John Blackwood—Warwickshire correspondent insists that Liggins is author of "Adam Bede"—Not flushed with success—Visit to Isle of Wight—Letter to Miss Hennell on rewriting, and pleasure in Mr. and Mrs. Congreve—Letter to Times, denying that Liggins is the author—Letter to Blackwood—The Liggins myth—Letter from Bulwer—Finished "The Lifted Veil"—Writing "The Tullivers"—Mrs. Congreve—Letter to Mrs. Congreve—Faith in her—Letter from Madame Bodichon—Reply breathing joy in sympathy—Letter to Major Blackwood—Mr. Anders's apology for the Liggins business—"Adam Bede" worth writing—Dulwich gallery—Blackwood gives £400 more in acknowledgment of "Adam Bede's" success—Letter to Miss Hennell on Mrs. Congreve—On difficulty of getting cheap music in England—Professor Aytoun on "Adam Bede"—Letter to Major Blackwood—Liggins—Mrs. Gaskell—Letter to Mrs. Congreve—Dislike of Wandsworth—To Crystal Palace to hear "Messiah," and reveals herself to Brays as author of "Adam Bede"—Letter to Brays—Bad effect of talking of her books—Letter to Charles Bray—Melancholy that her writing does not produce effect intended—Letter to Mrs. Congreve—To Switzerland by Paris—At Schweizerhof, Lucerne, with Congreves—Mr. Lewes goes to Hofwyl—Return to Richmond by Bâle and Paris—Fourth edition of "Adam Bede" (5000) sold in a fortnight—Letter to Mrs. Bray on Mrs. Congreve—On the effect of her books and fame—Herbert Spencer on "Adam Bede"—Pamphlet to prove that Scott's novels were written by Thomas Scott—Letter from Dickens on "Adam Bede" referred to—Letter to John Blackwood on "Pug"—Letter to Charles Lewes—"The Physiology of Common Life"—American proposition for a story for £1200—Letter to Madame Bodichon—Distance from experience artistically necessary—Letter to John Blackwood—Development of stories—Visit to Penmaenmawr—Return by Lichfield to Weymouth—Sixth edition of "Adam Bede"—Back to Richmond—Anxiety about new novel—Journey to Gainsboro', Lincolnshire—Letter to Miss Hennell—End of Liggins business—Letter to John Blackwood—A correspondent suggests a sequel to "Adam Bede"—Susceptibility to outside opinion—Seventh edition of "Adam Bede"—Blackwood proposes to pay £800 beyond the bargain for success of "Adam Bede"—Dickens dines at Holly Lodge—Letter to Miss Hennell—Quotes letter from Mrs. Gaskell—Miss Martineau—Dickens asks for story for All the Year Round—"Adam Bede, Junior"—Reading Darwin on "Origin of Species"—Bunyan—Letter to Mr. Bray—Article on "Adam Bede" in Bentley—In Revue des Deux Mondes, by Emile Montégut—Reviews generally—16,000 of "Adam Bede" sold in year—Darwin's book—Letter to Charles Lewes—Mentions fondness of algebra—Letter to Madame Bodichon quoting Mrs. Gaskell's letter—Rewards of the artist lie apart from everything personal—Darwin's book—Molière—Letter to Miss Hennell—Likes to see Shakspeare acted—Hears from M. and Mme. d'Albert—Cornhill Magazine—Blackwood's terms for "Mill on the Floss"—Christmas-day with Congreves—Letter of sympathy from Professor Blackie—Third edition of "Clerical Scenes"—Letters to Blackwood—Thanks for concession of copyright of "Adam Bede"—Title of new novel considered—Suggestion of the "Mill on the Floss" accepted—The third volume of "Adam Bede" written in six weeks—Depression with the "Mill"—Sir Edward Lytton—"Adam Bede" translated into Hungarian and German—"Mill on the Floss" finished—Letter to Blackwood—Sad at finishing—Start for Italy.