GE to George Smith, London, 26 July 1867
Title
GE to George Smith, London, 26 July 1867
Title
GE to George Smith, London, 26 July 1867
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
George Smith
Date(s)
- 1867-07-26
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to George Smith, London, 26 July 1867
MS: Sir John Murray. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
July 26. 67.
My dear Sir
Mr. Lewes has given me your letter to read. If I could send a satisfactory answer, I should feel much happier in writing it, for it will always seem to me a good that befals me if I am able to gratify a serious wish of yours.
The book I am writing is not a novel, and is likely to be dead against the taste of that large public which a publisher is for the most part obliged (rather unhappily) to take into account. Whether I shall ever be able to give the finish to my work which would so far satisfy me as to make me willing to print it, is still doubtful. But if every other obstacle were removed, I believe it would be quite ineligible for publication in the "Cornhill."
I rejoice to see how many valuable articles you get for the Magazine. I don't read the fiction, but if that is at all in keeping with the good matter I often find in other contributions it will be a public benefit if "natural selection" turns out to be in favour of the Cornhill. But natural selection is not always good, and depends (see Darwin) on many caprices of very foolish animals.
Always yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
MS: Sir John Murray. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
July 26. 67.
My dear Sir
Mr. Lewes has given me your letter to read. If I could send a satisfactory answer, I should feel much happier in writing it, for it will always seem to me a good that befals me if I am able to gratify a serious wish of yours.
The book I am writing is not a novel, and is likely to be dead against the taste of that large public which a publisher is for the most part obliged (rather unhappily) to take into account. Whether I shall ever be able to give the finish to my work which would so far satisfy me as to make me willing to print it, is still doubtful. But if every other obstacle were removed, I believe it would be quite ineligible for publication in the "Cornhill."
I rejoice to see how many valuable articles you get for the Magazine. I don't read the fiction, but if that is at all in keeping with the good matter I often find in other contributions it will be a public benefit if "natural selection" turns out to be in favour of the Cornhill. But natural selection is not always good, and depends (see Darwin) on many caprices of very foolish animals.
Always yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to George Smith, London, 26 July 1867, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/92509