GHL to Alexander Main, London, 26 March 1873
Title
GHL to Alexander Main, London, 26 March 1873
Title
GHL to Alexander Main, London, 26 March 1873
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Alexander Main
Date(s)
- 1873-03-26
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to Alexander Main, London, 26 March 1873
Text: Main's copy owned by Mr. John R. Sprunt. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
March 73.
My dear Main
Reflecting on what means I had of furthering your views, as expressed in your last, the idea occurred to me that you might carry out an old scheme of mine with profit to yourself in many ways. The scheme is this:
"Boswell's Johnson," although one of the most delightful of books to skip, is rarely read, because of its bulk and tedious "connective tissue." If a new work were founded on it taking in not only all the truly good bits of Boswell, but also those of Mrs. Thrale etc. and leaving out all that in these writers never was interesting and much that has ceased now to have interest, and retelling in simple, brief, intelligent language the story of Johnson's Life, so as to paint a picture full of moral significance and literary interest, the thing would surely succeed and would be well worth doing.
Now I propose that you should do this. Your aim and title is to be "Life and Conversations of Dr. Johnson, founded on Boswell, Thrale, etc." You will have to throw Boswell overboard entirely, taking simply the facts he has collected, and giving the best bits of the conversation (without his comments) in their chronological order. Your own labour will be confined to rewriting the connecting narrative, and rearranging the matter. The whole must be compressed into one volume 8vo. of about 450 or 500 pages. You must not dissertate but narrate, and so contrive the narrative and the conversations as to bring out the moral picture. If the book were a mere abridgement of "Boswell" it would not do. The public would always prefer the original though refusing to read it. But Boswell is an excellent quarry.
It is because I felt convinced that you could do this conscientiously and effectively that I expounded my views at full length to Chapman and Hall who said if I would write a preface to the book they were willing to engage in it. 759 I had a long debate with them about the terms, not liking that you should take anything more in the shape of risk than the risk of getting less than a definite sum. Half-profits -- especially when profits are vague -- did not seem to me to meet your case. I accordingly induced C. and H. to agree to terms which appear to me fair to both and what may ultimately prove very good for you. At any rate the book if well done will be the forerunner of others for you. Enclosed is C. and H.'s formal offer. You had better write to him (Chapman) a formal acceptance.
Mrs. Lewes and I both hope that you will find this an agreeable and profitable bit of work. She is somewhat better than she was but until summer comes and with it country repose I don't expect any great change. I am unusually well and horribly busy.
Ever yours faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
Alexr. Main Esq.
Text: Main's copy owned by Mr. John R. Sprunt. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
March 73.
My dear Main
Reflecting on what means I had of furthering your views, as expressed in your last, the idea occurred to me that you might carry out an old scheme of mine with profit to yourself in many ways. The scheme is this:
"Boswell's Johnson," although one of the most delightful of books to skip, is rarely read, because of its bulk and tedious "connective tissue." If a new work were founded on it taking in not only all the truly good bits of Boswell, but also those of Mrs. Thrale etc. and leaving out all that in these writers never was interesting and much that has ceased now to have interest, and retelling in simple, brief, intelligent language the story of Johnson's Life, so as to paint a picture full of moral significance and literary interest, the thing would surely succeed and would be well worth doing.
Now I propose that you should do this. Your aim and title is to be "Life and Conversations of Dr. Johnson, founded on Boswell, Thrale, etc." You will have to throw Boswell overboard entirely, taking simply the facts he has collected, and giving the best bits of the conversation (without his comments) in their chronological order. Your own labour will be confined to rewriting the connecting narrative, and rearranging the matter. The whole must be compressed into one volume 8vo. of about 450 or 500 pages. You must not dissertate but narrate, and so contrive the narrative and the conversations as to bring out the moral picture. If the book were a mere abridgement of "Boswell" it would not do. The public would always prefer the original though refusing to read it. But Boswell is an excellent quarry.
It is because I felt convinced that you could do this conscientiously and effectively that I expounded my views at full length to Chapman and Hall who said if I would write a preface to the book they were willing to engage in it. 759 I had a long debate with them about the terms, not liking that you should take anything more in the shape of risk than the risk of getting less than a definite sum. Half-profits -- especially when profits are vague -- did not seem to me to meet your case. I accordingly induced C. and H. to agree to terms which appear to me fair to both and what may ultimately prove very good for you. At any rate the book if well done will be the forerunner of others for you. Enclosed is C. and H.'s formal offer. You had better write to him (Chapman) a formal acceptance.
Mrs. Lewes and I both hope that you will find this an agreeable and profitable bit of work. She is somewhat better than she was but until summer comes and with it country repose I don't expect any great change. I am unusually well and horribly busy.
Ever yours faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
Alexr. Main Esq.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Alexander Main, London, 26 March 1873, 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/94417