GHL to John Blackwood, London, 2 September [1871]
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, 2 September [1871]
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, 2 September [1871]
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1871-09-02
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to John Blackwood, London, 2 September [1871]
MS: National Library of Scotland.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
September.
My dear Blackwood
Home again and not sorry once for a while to enjoy the [comforts of the saut market.] 44
My arrangement with America is very simple and cannot in the least interfere with England. 45 The advance sheets are to be sent to Osgood & Co. who will begin to print in their weekly paper at such a time as will allow their last instalment to be out before Part 1 reaches America. That is to say although we publish Part 1 in England a fortnight before they publish their last weekly instalment of the same, they will have the advantage of really being before the other Americans, though not before us. Only two copies of the paper come to England, one to me. These are posted. The slight advance in point of time given to them though of great importance to them will be of none to us. If they waited till we published in England before they began to publish they would of course be forced to print it as we do all at once. It is to give them their weekly advantage that the plan has been devised; and they pay for it.
As respects terms I think prudence rightly suggests that you should not take the risk when the adventure is so novel. But I also think that in that case the alternative I proposed is the only proper one. If the adventure is a failure your modified proposal would leave you at a disadvantage. If a success it would leave us at a disadvantage. Since the expences are certain to be more than covered, my plan leaves us both a risk only of diminished profit, with the chance of a good one.
Mrs. Lewes begs her kindest regards and says Mr. Simpson did not send The Speech 46 -- or it did not come!
Ever yours truly
G. H. Lewes.
MS: National Library of Scotland.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
September.
My dear Blackwood
Home again and not sorry once for a while to enjoy the [comforts of the saut market.] 44
My arrangement with America is very simple and cannot in the least interfere with England. 45 The advance sheets are to be sent to Osgood & Co. who will begin to print in their weekly paper at such a time as will allow their last instalment to be out before Part 1 reaches America. That is to say although we publish Part 1 in England a fortnight before they publish their last weekly instalment of the same, they will have the advantage of really being before the other Americans, though not before us. Only two copies of the paper come to England, one to me. These are posted. The slight advance in point of time given to them though of great importance to them will be of none to us. If they waited till we published in England before they began to publish they would of course be forced to print it as we do all at once. It is to give them their weekly advantage that the plan has been devised; and they pay for it.
As respects terms I think prudence rightly suggests that you should not take the risk when the adventure is so novel. But I also think that in that case the alternative I proposed is the only proper one. If the adventure is a failure your modified proposal would leave you at a disadvantage. If a success it would leave us at a disadvantage. Since the expences are certain to be more than covered, my plan leaves us both a risk only of diminished profit, with the chance of a good one.
Mrs. Lewes begs her kindest regards and says Mr. Simpson did not send The Speech 46 -- or it did not come!
Ever yours truly
G. H. Lewes.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to John Blackwood, London, 2 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/94686