GE to John Blackwood, Wandsworth, 23 July 1859
Title
GE to John Blackwood, Wandsworth, 23 July 1859
Title
GE to John Blackwood, Wandsworth, 23 July 1859
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1859-07-23
Place
Wandsworth
Letter Content
GE to John Blackwood, Wandsworth, 23 July 1859
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extracts published: Cross, II, 120-121.
July 23. 59.
My dear Sir
I thank you for the cheque for 'a387 . . 10, which awaited me here. You would conclude that nothing but absence 218 could be the cause of my slowness in acknowledgement. I thank you also for your offer about the money for Adam, but I have intentions of stern thrift, and mean to want as little as possible. When "Maggie" is done, and I have a month or two of leisure, I should like to transfer our present house into which we were driven by haste and economy, to some one who likes houses full of eyes all round him. I long for a house with some shade and grass close round it -- I don't care how rough -- and the sight of Swiss houses has heightened my longing. But at present I say, avaunt, to all desires.
I carried away with me the comfort of knowing that 5000 of Adam had gone in a fortnight, 219 and that was enough to console me for all the inflictions of Dixonian 220 or other enmity -- even for the inflictions of friendship, which are certainly the hardest of all.
While I think of it, let me beg of you to mention to the superintendent of your printing office, that in case of another reprint of "Adam," I beg the word "sperrit" (for "spirit") may be particularly attended to. 221 Adam never 'absays'bb said "speerit," as he is made to do in the cheaper edition, at least in one place -- his speech at the birthday dinner. This is a small matter, but it is a point I care about.
Words fail me about the not impossible pug, for some compunction at having mentioned my unreasonable wish will mingle itself paradoxically with the hope that it may be fulfilled. 222
I hope we shall have other interviews to remember this time next year, and that you will find me without aggravated symptoms of the "author's malady" -- a determination of talk to my own books, which I was alarmingly conscious of when you and the Major were here. After all, I fear authors must submit to be something of monsters not quite simple, healthy human beings; but I will keep my monstrosity within bounds if possible. With kindest remembrances to Major Blackwood, I am ever, my dear Sir,
Yours very truly
George Eliot.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extracts published: Cross, II, 120-121.
July 23. 59.
My dear Sir
I thank you for the cheque for 'a387 . . 10, which awaited me here. You would conclude that nothing but absence 218 could be the cause of my slowness in acknowledgement. I thank you also for your offer about the money for Adam, but I have intentions of stern thrift, and mean to want as little as possible. When "Maggie" is done, and I have a month or two of leisure, I should like to transfer our present house into which we were driven by haste and economy, to some one who likes houses full of eyes all round him. I long for a house with some shade and grass close round it -- I don't care how rough -- and the sight of Swiss houses has heightened my longing. But at present I say, avaunt, to all desires.
I carried away with me the comfort of knowing that 5000 of Adam had gone in a fortnight, 219 and that was enough to console me for all the inflictions of Dixonian 220 or other enmity -- even for the inflictions of friendship, which are certainly the hardest of all.
While I think of it, let me beg of you to mention to the superintendent of your printing office, that in case of another reprint of "Adam," I beg the word "sperrit" (for "spirit") may be particularly attended to. 221 Adam never 'absays'bb said "speerit," as he is made to do in the cheaper edition, at least in one place -- his speech at the birthday dinner. This is a small matter, but it is a point I care about.
Words fail me about the not impossible pug, for some compunction at having mentioned my unreasonable wish will mingle itself paradoxically with the hope that it may be fulfilled. 222
I hope we shall have other interviews to remember this time next year, and that you will find me without aggravated symptoms of the "author's malady" -- a determination of talk to my own books, which I was alarmingly conscious of when you and the Major were here. After all, I fear authors must submit to be something of monsters not quite simple, healthy human beings; but I will keep my monstrosity within bounds if possible. With kindest remembrances to Major Blackwood, I am ever, my dear Sir,
Yours very truly
George Eliot.
Signature
George Eliot.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to John Blackwood, Wandsworth, 23 July 1859, 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/92744