GHL to John Blackwood, London, [25 April 1866]
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, [25 April 1866]
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, [25 April 1866]
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1866-04-25
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to John Blackwood, London, [25 April 1866]
MS: National Library of Scotland.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
Wednesday.
My dear Blackwood
In enclosing the formal acceptance of your offer let me tell you what a cordial your letter was to the drooping spirits of Mrs. Lewes, who as you know never believes there is any good in her books until somebody she can rely on (I count for nothing!) tells her so. Your first letter gave her a glass of moral champagne. The letter of this morning repeats the dose. You convince her that you have entered into the spirit of her book. When the lawyer 705 whom she consulted (and who was evidently almost as much struck by her mastery of the law of Real Property as by anything else) told me he thought it would have a greater success than any of her previous books, she concluded that to be mere friendly politeness, though she knows he is an enthusiastic admirer. But you have (for a moment) given her confidence.
Isn't it altogether a most original book? so unlike novels? -- Though the drama of the 3rd volume, will, unless I am a bad prophet, lay hold of even those frivolous readers who care only for story.
It is a great pity that it isn't quite ready for publication just in the thick of the reform discussion so many good quotable [bits] would be furnished to M.P's. 706 However the subject will not grow cold. She expects to be entirely finished by the end of May; so as to appear at the beginning of June. -- Would it be too late to insert a slip into Maga this month announcing it for June -- with the title?
I am suffering from one of my bilious attacks which makes correspondence and everything else laborious -- so if this is a little incoherent you know the cause.
Ever yours faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
Your telegram arrived three hours after your letter. The old story!
MS: National Library of Scotland.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
Wednesday.
My dear Blackwood
In enclosing the formal acceptance of your offer let me tell you what a cordial your letter was to the drooping spirits of Mrs. Lewes, who as you know never believes there is any good in her books until somebody she can rely on (I count for nothing!) tells her so. Your first letter gave her a glass of moral champagne. The letter of this morning repeats the dose. You convince her that you have entered into the spirit of her book. When the lawyer 705 whom she consulted (and who was evidently almost as much struck by her mastery of the law of Real Property as by anything else) told me he thought it would have a greater success than any of her previous books, she concluded that to be mere friendly politeness, though she knows he is an enthusiastic admirer. But you have (for a moment) given her confidence.
Isn't it altogether a most original book? so unlike novels? -- Though the drama of the 3rd volume, will, unless I am a bad prophet, lay hold of even those frivolous readers who care only for story.
It is a great pity that it isn't quite ready for publication just in the thick of the reform discussion so many good quotable [bits] would be furnished to M.P's. 706 However the subject will not grow cold. She expects to be entirely finished by the end of May; so as to appear at the beginning of June. -- Would it be too late to insert a slip into Maga this month announcing it for June -- with the title?
I am suffering from one of my bilious attacks which makes correspondence and everything else laborious -- so if this is a little incoherent you know the cause.
Ever yours faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
Your telegram arrived three hours after your letter. The old story!
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to John Blackwood, London, [25 April 1866], 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/94642