George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 19 November 1859
Title
George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 19 November 1859
Title
George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 19 November 1859
Sender
George Simpson
Recipient
Joseph Munt Langford
Date(s)
- 1859-11-19
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 19 November 1859
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh 19th November 1859.
My dear Sir
There was a very awkward letter from Lewes today. He and his friend are evidently in a fix. I fear L is not highminded. His conduct in this matter is most disingenuous. He makes a great fuss about no notice being taken of the Publishers of Newby's Ad[vertisemen]t and says that the paragraph in the 'abCourt Journal'bb Daily News is not his, which I would swear it to be, and that he does not think any one has seen it. Mr Blackwood told him that he had consulted the lawyers here and was assured by them that no prosecutable offence was committed but still Lewes urges us to move in the matter. Why should we? what further interest have we in the author's productions?
He makes an absurd remark just the sort of thing the Ladies have such a knack of doing. After saying that he is pestered on all hands to contribute to new Magazines etc. he adds that "numerous attempts are also made to seduce George Eliot"! I say no wonder when Mr. Lewes has shown them the way.!
He says you tell him Clerical Scenes is O.P. and urges a 5/ ed[itio]n for Christmas. What a muff! No cheap edition of it or AB should be talked of till the new Novel is published, and we must have our hands totally cleared of the present Edition for which we have paid handsomely. 394
He also asks if we are preparing the Plates for Sea-side Studies. I have not, nor have Messrs B., heard that this must be done afresh. Are the old ones not to be recovered? I do not think you should speak to him about them, but tell me if you cannot hear of the artist who did them, and I shall set about getting them reproduced at least expense.
I wish you had told him what Mudie has said. 395 I am sure you are right that the secret was published by him to gratify his vanity, but I think the penalty will be enormous.
I am quite enrag'e9 that Mr John did not write you earlier. I urged him till he got obstinate, but he now regrets it, I see. He was indeed so disgusted that it was natural he should be unwilling to approach the subject.
The title of Thackeray's Magazine conveys to me the idea of Banks Stockbrokers, and Assurance Companies not of Literature, How lucky for Macmillan that this has at once realised a perfect failure. Had it gone on dubiously they might have been led into a heavy loss. Of course they will stop in time.?
I asked the same question as you do when I looked at the article on Tennyson, 396 for I was disgusted at seeing it almost verbatim of what I saw said elsewhere, the Major tells me it is a new Contributor a Lady in the N. of England and that when about to return it he was so struck with its originality and right feeling that he read it again and urged Mr. John to insert it. I should like to hear what you say of it. I am my dear Sir
Yours faithfully
Geo. Simpson.
Mr. Langford.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh 19th November 1859.
My dear Sir
There was a very awkward letter from Lewes today. He and his friend are evidently in a fix. I fear L is not highminded. His conduct in this matter is most disingenuous. He makes a great fuss about no notice being taken of the Publishers of Newby's Ad[vertisemen]t and says that the paragraph in the 'abCourt Journal'bb Daily News is not his, which I would swear it to be, and that he does not think any one has seen it. Mr Blackwood told him that he had consulted the lawyers here and was assured by them that no prosecutable offence was committed but still Lewes urges us to move in the matter. Why should we? what further interest have we in the author's productions?
He makes an absurd remark just the sort of thing the Ladies have such a knack of doing. After saying that he is pestered on all hands to contribute to new Magazines etc. he adds that "numerous attempts are also made to seduce George Eliot"! I say no wonder when Mr. Lewes has shown them the way.!
He says you tell him Clerical Scenes is O.P. and urges a 5/ ed[itio]n for Christmas. What a muff! No cheap edition of it or AB should be talked of till the new Novel is published, and we must have our hands totally cleared of the present Edition for which we have paid handsomely. 394
He also asks if we are preparing the Plates for Sea-side Studies. I have not, nor have Messrs B., heard that this must be done afresh. Are the old ones not to be recovered? I do not think you should speak to him about them, but tell me if you cannot hear of the artist who did them, and I shall set about getting them reproduced at least expense.
I wish you had told him what Mudie has said. 395 I am sure you are right that the secret was published by him to gratify his vanity, but I think the penalty will be enormous.
I am quite enrag'e9 that Mr John did not write you earlier. I urged him till he got obstinate, but he now regrets it, I see. He was indeed so disgusted that it was natural he should be unwilling to approach the subject.
The title of Thackeray's Magazine conveys to me the idea of Banks Stockbrokers, and Assurance Companies not of Literature, How lucky for Macmillan that this has at once realised a perfect failure. Had it gone on dubiously they might have been led into a heavy loss. Of course they will stop in time.?
I asked the same question as you do when I looked at the article on Tennyson, 396 for I was disgusted at seeing it almost verbatim of what I saw said elsewhere, the Major tells me it is a new Contributor a Lady in the N. of England and that when about to return it he was so struck with its originality and right feeling that he read it again and urged Mr. John to insert it. I should like to hear what you say of it. I am my dear Sir
Yours faithfully
Geo. Simpson.
Mr. Langford.
Signature
Geo. Simpson.
Citation
George Simpson, George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 19 November 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/94252