Attractive binding hand-painted to reflect the setting of Romola, Florence.
George Eliot struggled to realise the idealism she wished to portray in “Romola” which is set in 15th century Florence - in the course of composition she wrote to her friend Sara Hennell: “Of necessity, the book is addressed to fewer readers than my previous works, and I myself have never expected - I might rather say intended - that the book should be as ‘popular’ in the same sense as the others. If one is to have freedom to write out one’s own varying unfolding self, and not be a machine always grinding out the same material or spinning the same sort of web, one cannot always write for the same public. I forewarned the proprietor of the Cornhill on that point, read a large portion to him, and made him fully aware what the book was to be - but he is confident and happy - so I am acquitted of all scruple or anxiety except the grand anxiety of doing my work worthily. Alas, I want to do something very much better than I ever can do it - if fasting and scourging oneself would make one a fit organ, there would be more positive comfort”.
When the book was finished Sara wrote to Eliot, describing “Romola” as “pure idealism … you have painted a goddess, and not a woman”. Eliot replied: “You are right in saying that Romola is ideal - I feel it acutely in the reproof my own soul is constantly getting from the image it has made. My own books scourge me”.
In 1877 Eliot told Blackwood that “there is no book of mine about which I more thoroughly feel that I could swear by every sentence as having been written with my best blood, such as it is, and with the most ardent care for veracity of which my nature is capable”.
Leslie Stephen in DNB wrote: “‘Romola’ has been regarded as her masterpiece, and it certainly represents her reflective powers at their ripest. Whether any labour could make the reproduction of literary studies equal to her previous reproductions of personal experience is another question. No one can deny the intellectual powers displayed, but the personages are scarcely alive, except Tito Melema, who is one of her finest feminine characters”.
With Christmas ink inscription - “To dear Ruby” “from Alice. 1944.” on verso of flyleaf. A beautiful creation, in very good order.
