George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 3 November 1859
Title
George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 3 November 1859
Title
George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 3 November 1859
Sender
George Simpson
Recipient
Joseph Munt Langford
Date(s)
- 1859-11-03
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 3 November 1859
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Confidential
Edin. November 3 1859.
My dear Sir
When the time came to make an offer to GE. we all had the matter under consideration. The Major thought a good sum to accord with a payment of so much per 1000 sold. Mr. John said he was determined to have it, so much would it help Maga to have it in her pages, and he wrote us from Gibliston that he would offer a sum that he thought could not be refused for the same number of years I believe as we had A.B. that sum was 'a33000. A reply came immediately couched in very stiff terms, stating that GE had determined to keep the new work in his own hands.
Mr. John had said that of course he had no doubt of the success of a second work by the same hand, although there was always a risk, for he instanced the Scenes of Cler. Life as an example of another Book equally good in many respects and yet how far short it had fallen of the public favour.
Some allusion was made in GE's letter to this expression of Mr. John's, but which I cannot recollect precisely, it may be that GE's sensitive nature has recoiled at this, or which I think more likely his disposition is inordinately greedy and he expects some wonderful price from a Routledge or Smith Elder and Co.
Mr. Blackwood made no reply, and lately having occasion to remit the second pay[men]t of AB. took occasion to say how grateful he was to see the continued popularity of the Book and reminding GE of the additional Sum we had voluntarily added to the stipulated price some months ago when we found the work more popular than at first we had expected, now had the pleasure of saying that another bonus would be added of the same amount viz. 'a3800 + 400 + 400.
The acknowledgment for this was even more cold and insensible than the letter first alluded to. Not a single expression of gratitude or acknowledgment of Mr. B's handsome conduct. The result is that both Mr. John and Major B are utterly disgusted and I do think would now decline the new book if it were offered them. Mr. John has been most thoroughly hood-winked. His enthusiasm about GE was extraordinary, and his feeling of sympathy for his unfortunate position most heartfelt, but I must say the reaction is very great.
All this time Lewes has said never a word, which looks queer. He is corresponding about other things but says nothing about GE. Read me the riddle if you can, but address to my house 5 Lothian Road, when you write about it.
I have told you all not knowing how much you knew before but depend upon your not mentioning even to your bosom friend what I tell you, but I do think you should now know considering your position towards Lewes. John would I daresay have written to you about [it], but he is excessively sore on the subject and I am really sorry for him.
What do you think of the sum offered? I thought it handsome, but I am sure he would have give more rather than lost it, but what do you also think of the house continuing to publish by a party held in small estimation by People like Mr. Brown of Longman and Co.
G. S.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Confidential
Edin. November 3 1859.
My dear Sir
When the time came to make an offer to GE. we all had the matter under consideration. The Major thought a good sum to accord with a payment of so much per 1000 sold. Mr. John said he was determined to have it, so much would it help Maga to have it in her pages, and he wrote us from Gibliston that he would offer a sum that he thought could not be refused for the same number of years I believe as we had A.B. that sum was 'a33000. A reply came immediately couched in very stiff terms, stating that GE had determined to keep the new work in his own hands.
Mr. John had said that of course he had no doubt of the success of a second work by the same hand, although there was always a risk, for he instanced the Scenes of Cler. Life as an example of another Book equally good in many respects and yet how far short it had fallen of the public favour.
Some allusion was made in GE's letter to this expression of Mr. John's, but which I cannot recollect precisely, it may be that GE's sensitive nature has recoiled at this, or which I think more likely his disposition is inordinately greedy and he expects some wonderful price from a Routledge or Smith Elder and Co.
Mr. Blackwood made no reply, and lately having occasion to remit the second pay[men]t of AB. took occasion to say how grateful he was to see the continued popularity of the Book and reminding GE of the additional Sum we had voluntarily added to the stipulated price some months ago when we found the work more popular than at first we had expected, now had the pleasure of saying that another bonus would be added of the same amount viz. 'a3800 + 400 + 400.
The acknowledgment for this was even more cold and insensible than the letter first alluded to. Not a single expression of gratitude or acknowledgment of Mr. B's handsome conduct. The result is that both Mr. John and Major B are utterly disgusted and I do think would now decline the new book if it were offered them. Mr. John has been most thoroughly hood-winked. His enthusiasm about GE was extraordinary, and his feeling of sympathy for his unfortunate position most heartfelt, but I must say the reaction is very great.
All this time Lewes has said never a word, which looks queer. He is corresponding about other things but says nothing about GE. Read me the riddle if you can, but address to my house 5 Lothian Road, when you write about it.
I have told you all not knowing how much you knew before but depend upon your not mentioning even to your bosom friend what I tell you, but I do think you should now know considering your position towards Lewes. John would I daresay have written to you about [it], but he is excessively sore on the subject and I am really sorry for him.
What do you think of the sum offered? I thought it handsome, but I am sure he would have give more rather than lost it, but what do you also think of the house continuing to publish by a party held in small estimation by People like Mr. Brown of Longman and Co.
G. S.
Signature
G. S.
Citation
George Simpson, George Simpson to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 3 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/94253