GE to John Blackwood, London, 30 January 1877
Title
GE to John Blackwood, London, 30 January 1877
Title
GE to John Blackwood, London, 30 January 1877
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1877-01-30
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to John Blackwood, London, 30 January 1877
MS: National Library of Scotland. Mostly published: Cross, III, 301-303.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
January 30. 77.
My dear Mr. Blackwood
Now that you are untethered from next month's Maga, I am not too merciful to write to you on business.
What are we to do about [Romola]? It ought to range with the cheap edition of my books -- which, exceptis excipiendis, is a beautiful edition -- as well as with any handsomer series which the world's affairs may encourage us to publish. And this edition is sufficiently distinguished from the 2/6 form which Smith and Elder have chosen. Also, I find that [Romola] will make a volume about 50 pp. thicker than [The Mill,] which is a sheet or so thicker than [Adam] -- and hence the volume ought to be priced rather higher. The only difficulty lies in the illustrations required for uniformity. The illustrations in the other volumes are, as Mr. Lewes says, not queerer than those which amuse us in Scott and Miss Austin [sic] -- with one exception, namely, that where Adam is making love to Dinah, which really enrages me with its unctuousness. I would gladly pay something to be rid of it. The next worst is that of Adam in the wood with Arthur Donnithorne. The rest are endurable to a mind well accustomed to resignation. And the vignettes on the title-pages are charming. But if an illustrator is wanted, I know one whose work is exquisite -- Mrs. Allingham.
This is not a moment for new ventures, but it will take some time to prepare [Romola.] I should like to see proofs, feeling bound to take care of my text. And I have lately been glancing into a book on Italian things where almost every citation I alighted on was incorrectly printed. Mr. Simpson must, I think, have mistaken the intention for the act when he imagined that he had asked me for corrections of [Daniel Deronda,] which it grieves me sorely to think of as uncorrected even in its melancholy repose.
I have just read through the cheap edition of [Romola,] and though I have only made a few alterations of an unimportant kind -- the printing being unusually correct -- it would be well for me to send this copy to be printed from. I think it must be nearly ten years since I read the book before, but 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. It has made me often sob with a sort of painful joy as I have read the sentences which had faded from my memory. This helps one to bear false representations with patience, for I really don't love any gentleman who undertakes to state my opinions, well enough to desire that I should find myself all wrong in order to justify his statement.
I wish, whenever it is expedient, to add "The Lifted Veil" and "Brother Jacob," and so fatten the volume containing "Silas Marner," which would thus become about 100 pp. thicker.
Will you kindly think and consult over these matters and let me know when you have come to any clear result?
Always yours truly
M. E. Lewes.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Mostly published: Cross, III, 301-303.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
January 30. 77.
My dear Mr. Blackwood
Now that you are untethered from next month's Maga, I am not too merciful to write to you on business.
What are we to do about [Romola]? It ought to range with the cheap edition of my books -- which, exceptis excipiendis, is a beautiful edition -- as well as with any handsomer series which the world's affairs may encourage us to publish. And this edition is sufficiently distinguished from the 2/6 form which Smith and Elder have chosen. Also, I find that [Romola] will make a volume about 50 pp. thicker than [The Mill,] which is a sheet or so thicker than [Adam] -- and hence the volume ought to be priced rather higher. The only difficulty lies in the illustrations required for uniformity. The illustrations in the other volumes are, as Mr. Lewes says, not queerer than those which amuse us in Scott and Miss Austin [sic] -- with one exception, namely, that where Adam is making love to Dinah, which really enrages me with its unctuousness. I would gladly pay something to be rid of it. The next worst is that of Adam in the wood with Arthur Donnithorne. The rest are endurable to a mind well accustomed to resignation. And the vignettes on the title-pages are charming. But if an illustrator is wanted, I know one whose work is exquisite -- Mrs. Allingham.
This is not a moment for new ventures, but it will take some time to prepare [Romola.] I should like to see proofs, feeling bound to take care of my text. And I have lately been glancing into a book on Italian things where almost every citation I alighted on was incorrectly printed. Mr. Simpson must, I think, have mistaken the intention for the act when he imagined that he had asked me for corrections of [Daniel Deronda,] which it grieves me sorely to think of as uncorrected even in its melancholy repose.
I have just read through the cheap edition of [Romola,] and though I have only made a few alterations of an unimportant kind -- the printing being unusually correct -- it would be well for me to send this copy to be printed from. I think it must be nearly ten years since I read the book before, but 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. It has made me often sob with a sort of painful joy as I have read the sentences which had faded from my memory. This helps one to bear false representations with patience, for I really don't love any gentleman who undertakes to state my opinions, well enough to desire that I should find myself all wrong in order to justify his statement.
I wish, whenever it is expedient, to add "The Lifted Veil" and "Brother Jacob," and so fatten the volume containing "Silas Marner," which would thus become about 100 pp. thicker.
Will you kindly think and consult over these matters and let me know when you have come to any clear result?
Always yours truly
M. E. Lewes.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to John Blackwood, London, 30 January 1877, 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/92675