George Simpson to William Blackwood, Edinburgh, 19 May 1868
Title
George Simpson to William Blackwood, Edinburgh, 19 May 1868
Title
George Simpson to William Blackwood, Edinburgh, 19 May 1868
Sender
George Simpson
Recipient
William Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1868-05-19
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
George Simpson to William Blackwood, Edinburgh, 19 May 1868
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh | 19th May 1868.
My dear Sir
I was glad to have your Uncle yesterday in a fair way to speedy recovery and in good spirits, but "Ase' Bell" says he must not travel by Rail all this week so I must struggle through as I best can. . . .
You can I think be useful at present in London in hurrying out Kinglake and in seeing how the Sub[scriptio]n, Presentation Copies, advertising etc. of it and of GE's poem is done. What is the hitch about Kinglake? Why can we not publish at the beginning of the month?
I am very much disgusted with the Ornamentation for the Spanish Gypsy. The Book is heavy and tasteless and common place. The gilt side is simply stupid, and not worth criticising for it won't do. The back might suit a volume upon the Architecture of Spain. Something very much simpler, light and graceful should be done. The sight of this would I suspect give George Eliot a sick headache.
I cannot understand how Burn 763 should have so far missed his mark. He is in general so apt at hitting the right style for a book. I have sent the Cases back to Mr. Langford with a description of what I want him to counter with Burn for an amendment. I am my dear Sir
Yours faithfully
Geo. Simpson. . . .
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh | 19th May 1868.
My dear Sir
I was glad to have your Uncle yesterday in a fair way to speedy recovery and in good spirits, but "Ase' Bell" says he must not travel by Rail all this week so I must struggle through as I best can. . . .
You can I think be useful at present in London in hurrying out Kinglake and in seeing how the Sub[scriptio]n, Presentation Copies, advertising etc. of it and of GE's poem is done. What is the hitch about Kinglake? Why can we not publish at the beginning of the month?
I am very much disgusted with the Ornamentation for the Spanish Gypsy. The Book is heavy and tasteless and common place. The gilt side is simply stupid, and not worth criticising for it won't do. The back might suit a volume upon the Architecture of Spain. Something very much simpler, light and graceful should be done. The sight of this would I suspect give George Eliot a sick headache.
I cannot understand how Burn 763 should have so far missed his mark. He is in general so apt at hitting the right style for a book. I have sent the Cases back to Mr. Langford with a description of what I want him to counter with Burn for an amendment. I am my dear Sir
Yours faithfully
Geo. Simpson. . . .
Signature
Geo. Simpson. . . .
Citation
George Simpson, George Simpson to William Blackwood, Edinburgh, 19 May 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/94254