GHL to John Blackwood, [London, 7 September 1871]
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, [London, 7 September 1871]
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, [London, 7 September 1871]
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1871-09-07
Place
[London]
Letter Content
GHL to John Blackwood, [London, 7 September 1871]
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Thursday.
My dear Blackwood
If I thought there could be the least damage to the effect in England I should sacrifice the sum (£1200) willingly; but not only do I concur with you that a little tittilation of the public curiosity will do good rather than harm, I do not believe there is any chance of that good; since if we publish as agreed on, only two weekly parts could reach England (or newspapers containing accounts of the two parts) before we publish. It takes at least a fortnight to come from Boston here. If they begin printing on the 4 November and we publish on the 1 or 5 December, only what has appeared on the 4th and 11th November could get over here. So you see the good which might accrue is reduced to a minimum.
I think it would be well to advertize in Maga next month.
As it is eminently desirable to get the printing through as soon as possible I will send the m.s.s. of part I when you tell me whether it would better be sent direct to Edinburgh or to you at Strathtyrum.
We have added on to the end of part I that portion of part II which closes with the scene at the miserly uncle's -- a capital bit to end with; and this new arrangement not only pitches the interest forward into part II and prepares the way for the people and for Dodo's absence from part II, but also equalizes quantities better, though making part I rather longer than II which however is desirable.
By the way a thought strikes me. Would it not be well to have an advertisement sheet bound up with each part -- as Dickens and Thackeray had with their parts? (though not of course on the covers). This would not only bring in some hard cash, it would help to make the volume look bigger for the 5/- which in British eyes is a consideration not to be neglected.
Mrs. Lewes is not at all well -- depressed in spirits and in liver -- I hope to see a favorable turn soon, but perhaps gestation is more favorable when so much emotion accompanies it. 359
Ever yours
G. H. L.
We both thought the [speech] capital and heard your accent in it. Though I suppose a good skinful of wine preceeded?
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Thursday.
My dear Blackwood
If I thought there could be the least damage to the effect in England I should sacrifice the sum (£1200) willingly; but not only do I concur with you that a little tittilation of the public curiosity will do good rather than harm, I do not believe there is any chance of that good; since if we publish as agreed on, only two weekly parts could reach England (or newspapers containing accounts of the two parts) before we publish. It takes at least a fortnight to come from Boston here. If they begin printing on the 4 November and we publish on the 1 or 5 December, only what has appeared on the 4th and 11th November could get over here. So you see the good which might accrue is reduced to a minimum.
I think it would be well to advertize in Maga next month.
As it is eminently desirable to get the printing through as soon as possible I will send the m.s.s. of part I when you tell me whether it would better be sent direct to Edinburgh or to you at Strathtyrum.
We have added on to the end of part I that portion of part II which closes with the scene at the miserly uncle's -- a capital bit to end with; and this new arrangement not only pitches the interest forward into part II and prepares the way for the people and for Dodo's absence from part II, but also equalizes quantities better, though making part I rather longer than II which however is desirable.
By the way a thought strikes me. Would it not be well to have an advertisement sheet bound up with each part -- as Dickens and Thackeray had with their parts? (though not of course on the covers). This would not only bring in some hard cash, it would help to make the volume look bigger for the 5/- which in British eyes is a consideration not to be neglected.
Mrs. Lewes is not at all well -- depressed in spirits and in liver -- I hope to see a favorable turn soon, but perhaps gestation is more favorable when so much emotion accompanies it. 359
Ever yours
G. H. L.
We both thought the [speech] capital and heard your accent in it. Though I suppose a good skinful of wine preceeded?
Signature
G. H. L.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to John Blackwood, [London, 7 September 1871], 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/94585