GHL to John Blackwood, London, 23 October 1876
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, 23 October 1876
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, 23 October 1876
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1876-10-23
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to John Blackwood, London, 23 October 1876
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
October 76.
My dear Blackwood
We have been duly pondering your liberal offer for another ten years lease of the novels, but the various considerations which present themselves keep us in a fluctuating state, and we must have another week before finally deciding. In any case be assured that we are as anxious as you can be that the books should continue to appear under the old flag. Mrs. Lewes begs me to add that she is quite sure there will be no difference in our views whatever the ultimate arrangement may be.
You are quite correct as to the termination of the old lease in December. Only one doubt remains which I wish to put before you, namely whether we are to have any of the contingent advantage notified in the old agreement? Your proposal was either 2 thirds of the profit -- or 1000 £ with 500 £ contingent on success "should the edition prove a success i.e. sell at any time during the next five years within an average of 2000 sets." Well, during the first five years that success was not achieved, but was it not during the next five? Does not the sale of copies in those five years -- and of 73,398 in the whole ten years -- pretty well accord with the notion you had of a success? Perhaps you have already considered this point; perhaps not; at any rate I bring it before you just as it lies in my mind.
Yours faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
John Blackwood Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
October 76.
My dear Blackwood
We have been duly pondering your liberal offer for another ten years lease of the novels, but the various considerations which present themselves keep us in a fluctuating state, and we must have another week before finally deciding. In any case be assured that we are as anxious as you can be that the books should continue to appear under the old flag. Mrs. Lewes begs me to add that she is quite sure there will be no difference in our views whatever the ultimate arrangement may be.
You are quite correct as to the termination of the old lease in December. Only one doubt remains which I wish to put before you, namely whether we are to have any of the contingent advantage notified in the old agreement? Your proposal was either 2 thirds of the profit -- or 1000 £ with 500 £ contingent on success "should the edition prove a success i.e. sell at any time during the next five years within an average of 2000 sets." Well, during the first five years that success was not achieved, but was it not during the next five? Does not the sale of copies in those five years -- and of 73,398 in the whole ten years -- pretty well accord with the notion you had of a success? Perhaps you have already considered this point; perhaps not; at any rate I bring it before you just as it lies in my mind.
Yours faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
John Blackwood Esq.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to John Blackwood, London, 23 October 1876, 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/94690