| Transcript | Prince of Wales Hotel
Harrogate 1 Aug. 84
Dear Mr. Evans,
I enclose you Proof of the introductory sketch of George Eliots childhood: & I shall be glad if you will look it over, correcting any mistakes & suggesting any additions that may occur to you in the shape of characteristic anecdotes or recollections. I am proposing to call the book "George Eliot's life related in her letters, journals, &c" and it would be rather in contradiction of this title to start at once with other writing, except her own. I open with this "Introductory Sketch". I have had it set up in type so that we can see how it looks. The letters begin in 1838 and there is an uninterrupted series of them till Decr. 1880- There will therefore be a good deal of matter in the Book and my intention has been to give as vivid a picture as I could of the environment at Griff in this opening sketch but not to let it run to too great length. I have wanted every word in it to tell and
I have been anxious to have no unnecessary words. I mean words that are not distinctly relevant to some influence in her life. But I am very sensible of the shortcomings in my attempt and I shall be truly grateful to you for any suggestion you can make to improve it.
I need scarcely say that these sheets are strictly confidential between us. If such things get talked about they get into the papers at once & lead to a lot of trouble.
I enclose a bit of "insertion" that I intend to put in on page 19 in regard to the early readings. I think I asked you when I was at Griff if you remembered the friend who used to give your sister books when she was a little girl - but you had forgotten it.
All the Ms. of the book is now in the hands of the printers & I hope to get it out before Xmas. Will you let me have the enclosed proofs back here as soon as you can? And can you let me know if there is any really good artistic photographer at Coventry or Nuneaton as I am having illustrations of Griff done in clack & white & Blackwoods the publishers say that good artistic photographs will greatly help the artist and asked me if I know any good local man. Perhaps you can help me in this. With kindest regards to Miss Evans & the Rector & all your circle at Griff, Believe me always very sincerely yours
J. W. Cross |