GE to William Blackwood, London, 6 August 1868
Title
GE to William Blackwood, London, 6 August 1868
Title
GE to William Blackwood, London, 6 August 1868
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
William Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1868-08-06
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to William Blackwood, London, 6 August 1868
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
August 6. 68.
My dear Sir
Thanks for your letter and for the list of sales. I suppose it is too late now to hesitate about the reprint, but on seeing the reduced sales of the last fortnight and learning that there are still 70 copies on hand, I am inclined to think that we might have done without any more of the dear edition, since the return of the publishing session is not so very far off, and the publication of a cheap edition will be desirable. However, Mr. Lewes is possibly right in his judgment -- one can hardly say more about any judgment in the matter of book-sales -- and 250 is a prudent number.
Mr. Lewes is at Oxford among all the Dons of physic who are assembled there. He went by most courteous invitation and writes me word this morning that his visit is full of interest. 801
It is not possible for you, without the useless pains of examining closely, to conceive the silliness of many things that are said by reviewers who are in the helpless condition of judging without a precedent. They fling about phrases about the caesura etc. with a marvellous foolhardiness -- very much as if a man were to try and make gibberish pass for Greek without inquiring beforehand if any one of the company happened to know that ancient tongue. 802
I can imagine the glory of being on the great moors with an unbroken sky above you. Perhaps you are sharing the rain which is falling vigorously this morning, and may introduce a time of less unrelenting heat.
We saw a gentleman so like you when we were abroad that Mr. Lewes and I both exclaimed at the same moment -- "Mr. William Blackwood!" I hope he is not a double who will bring you into unmerited disgrace.
Always yours truly
M. E. Lewes.
The demand for the graver sort of books (not novels) is often so slowly continuous, that perhaps we may fairly hope a quiet ratio to go on through the next months.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
August 6. 68.
My dear Sir
Thanks for your letter and for the list of sales. I suppose it is too late now to hesitate about the reprint, but on seeing the reduced sales of the last fortnight and learning that there are still 70 copies on hand, I am inclined to think that we might have done without any more of the dear edition, since the return of the publishing session is not so very far off, and the publication of a cheap edition will be desirable. However, Mr. Lewes is possibly right in his judgment -- one can hardly say more about any judgment in the matter of book-sales -- and 250 is a prudent number.
Mr. Lewes is at Oxford among all the Dons of physic who are assembled there. He went by most courteous invitation and writes me word this morning that his visit is full of interest. 801
It is not possible for you, without the useless pains of examining closely, to conceive the silliness of many things that are said by reviewers who are in the helpless condition of judging without a precedent. They fling about phrases about the caesura etc. with a marvellous foolhardiness -- very much as if a man were to try and make gibberish pass for Greek without inquiring beforehand if any one of the company happened to know that ancient tongue. 802
I can imagine the glory of being on the great moors with an unbroken sky above you. Perhaps you are sharing the rain which is falling vigorously this morning, and may introduce a time of less unrelenting heat.
We saw a gentleman so like you when we were abroad that Mr. Lewes and I both exclaimed at the same moment -- "Mr. William Blackwood!" I hope he is not a double who will bring you into unmerited disgrace.
Always yours truly
M. E. Lewes.
The demand for the graver sort of books (not novels) is often so slowly continuous, that perhaps we may fairly hope a quiet ratio to go on through the next months.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to William Blackwood, London, 6 August 1868, 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/94207