I am much obliged to you for mentioning, in your letter to Mr. Lewes, the two cases of inaccuracy (I fear there may be more) which you remembered in the "Spanish Gypsy." How I came to write Zincálo instead of Zíncalo is an instance which may be added to many sadder examples of that mental infirmity which makes our senses of little use to us in the presence of a strong prepossession. As soon as I had conceived my story with its gypsy element, I tried to learn all I could about the names by which the gypsies called themselves, feeling that I should occasionally need a musical name, remote from the vulgar English associations which cling to "gypsy." I rejected Gitana, because I found that the gypsies themselves held the name to be opprobrious; and Zíncalo—which, with a fine capacity for being wrong, I at once got into my head as Zincálo—seemed to be, both in sound and meaning, just what I wanted. Among the books from which I made notes was "Pott, die Zigeuner," etc.; and in these notes I find that I have copied the sign of the tonic accent in Romanó, while in the very same sentence I have not copied it in Zíncalo, though a renewed reference to Pott shows it in the one word as well as the other. But "my eyes were held"—by a demon prepossession—"so that I should not see it." Behold the fallibility of the human brain, and especially of George Eliot's.
I have been questioned about my use of Andalus for Andalusia, but I had a sufficient authority for that in the "Mohammedan Dynasties," translated by Gayangos.
It may interest you, who are familiar with Spanish literature, to know that after the first sketch of my book was written I read Cervantes' novel "La Gitanélla," where the hero turns gypsy for love. The novel promises well in the earlier part, but falls into sad commonplace towards the end. I have written my explanation partly to show how much I value your kind help towards correcting my error, and partly to prove that I was not careless, but simply stupid. For in authorship I hold carelessness to be a mortal sin.
SUMMARY.
JANUARY, 1868, TO DECEMBER, 1868.
Letter to Mrs. Congreve—Mr. Lewes's return from Bonn—First visit to Cambridge—Letter to Mrs. Congreve—Month's visit to Torquay—Letter to Miss Hennell—Reading the "Iliad"—Letter to John Blackwood—Title of "Spanish Gypsy"—Letter to Madame Bodichon—Women's work—Letter to Mrs. Congreve—England and Ireland—Translation of the "Politique"—Return to London from Torquay—Letter to John Blackwood—Ending of "Spanish Gypsy"—The poem finished—George Eliot's "Notes on the Spanish Gypsy and Tragedy in general"—Suggestion of the poem an Annunciation by Titian, at Venice—Motive—Hereditary conditions—Gypsy race—Determination of conduct—Nature of tragedy—Collision between the individual and the general—Greek tragedy—Hereditary misfortunes—Growth of human sympathy—Moral sanction is obedience to facts—Duty what tends to human good—Letter to Mrs. Bray on the writing of poetry instead of novels—Letter to F. Harrison presenting copy of "Spanish Gypsy"—Inscription on MS. of "Spanish Gypsy"—Letter to F. Harrison on suggestion of a poem—Six weeks' journey to Baden, etc.—Letter to John Blackwood from St. Märgen—Catholic worship—Return to London—Letters to John Blackwood—Pall Mall review of "Spanish Gypsy"—Saying of Balzac—Letter to William Blackwood—Versification—Reading Lucretius, Homer, Milton, Warton, Marcus Aurelius, Dante, Comte, Guest, Maurice—Visit to Dr. Clifford Allbut at Leeds—Visit to Newark—Letter to Mrs. Congreve—Letters to John Blackwood—Second edition of "Spanish Gypsy"—"Kinglake"—Criticisms on "Spanish Gypsy"—Visit to the Congreves—Visit to Sheffield with Mr. Benzon—Matlock—Letters to Madame Bodichon and Miss Hennell on Sheffield journey—Herbert Spencer—Meditating subject of Timoleon—Letter to Mrs. Bray—Physiological charts—Letter to Madame Bodichon on influence of friends—Letter to Mrs. Congreve—Positivism in "Spanish Gypsy"—Letter to Charles Bray on vote by ballot—Retrospect of 1868—Letter to John Blackwood—The cheap edition of novels—Letter to the Hon. Robert Lytton—Pronunciation in "Spanish Gypsy"—Cervantes' "La Gitanélla."