GE to John Blackwood, Richmond, 17 October 1857
Title
GE to John Blackwood, Richmond, 17 October 1857
Title
GE to John Blackwood, Richmond, 17 October 1857
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1857-10-17
Place
Richmond
Letter Content
GE to John Blackwood, Richmond, 17 October 1857
MS: National Library of Scotland. Mostly published: Cross, I, 465-466.
Saturday | October 17. 57.
My dear Sir
I am very much gratified that my Janet has won your heart and kept up your interest in her to the end. I return the proof by today's post.
My new story haunts me a good deal, and I shall set about it without delay. 987 It will be a country story -- full of the breath of cows and the scent of hay. But I shall not ask you to look at it till I have written a volume or more, and then you will be able to judge whether you will prefer printing it in the Magazine, or publishing it as a separate novel when it is completed.
By the way, the sheets of the "Clerical Scenes" are not come, but I shall not want to make any other than verbal and literal corrections, so that it will hardly be necessary for me to go through the sheets and the proofs, which I must of course see.
I enclose a title page with a motto. But if you don't like the motto, I give it up. 988 I've not set my heart on it.
I leave the number of copies to be published, and the style of getting up, entirely to your discretion. As to the terms, I wish to retain the copyright, according to the stipulation made for me by Lewes when he sent "Amos Barton," and whatever you can afford to give me for the first edition, I shall prefer having as a definite payment rather than as half profits.
You stated, in a letter about "Amos Barton," your willingness to accede to either plan, so I have no hesitation in expressing my wishes. I remain, my dear Sir,
Always yours truly
George Eliot.
J. Blackwood Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Mostly published: Cross, I, 465-466.
Saturday | October 17. 57.
My dear Sir
I am very much gratified that my Janet has won your heart and kept up your interest in her to the end. I return the proof by today's post.
My new story haunts me a good deal, and I shall set about it without delay. 987 It will be a country story -- full of the breath of cows and the scent of hay. But I shall not ask you to look at it till I have written a volume or more, and then you will be able to judge whether you will prefer printing it in the Magazine, or publishing it as a separate novel when it is completed.
By the way, the sheets of the "Clerical Scenes" are not come, but I shall not want to make any other than verbal and literal corrections, so that it will hardly be necessary for me to go through the sheets and the proofs, which I must of course see.
I enclose a title page with a motto. But if you don't like the motto, I give it up. 988 I've not set my heart on it.
I leave the number of copies to be published, and the style of getting up, entirely to your discretion. As to the terms, I wish to retain the copyright, according to the stipulation made for me by Lewes when he sent "Amos Barton," and whatever you can afford to give me for the first edition, I shall prefer having as a definite payment rather than as half profits.
You stated, in a letter about "Amos Barton," your willingness to accede to either plan, so I have no hesitation in expressing my wishes. I remain, my dear Sir,
Always yours truly
George Eliot.
J. Blackwood Esq.
Signature
George Eliot.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to John Blackwood, Richmond, 17 October 1857, 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/92708