GHL to William Blackwood, Wandsworth, [20 June 1859]
Title
GHL to William Blackwood, Wandsworth, [20 June 1859]
Title
GHL to William Blackwood, Wandsworth, [20 June 1859]
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
William Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1859-06-20
Place
Wandsworth
Letter Content
GHL to William Blackwood, Wandsworth, [20 June 1859]
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Holly Lodge | Monday.
My dear Major
Mr. Brown made so capital an index to Seaside Studies that I should be glad if he would undertake that of the Physiology. It would be well for him to bear in mind that particular facts and experiments need some reference in such an index.
I am sorry to find that the credulity about Liggins is not much affected. The man is a cunning impostor and has credulous fools to deal with. The necessity on the public for having some positive statement to make as to the authorship, makes the public willing listeners to what the Liggins party says. We are much disgusted; and are only comforted by the evident indifference with which you and your brother take it.
Yesterday we had our Algerine friend with us; she who alone of all friends detected the secret, and by means of a long extract in one of the papers! Her account of the intense feeling and enthusiasm excited by the book in her circle -- a very extensive and miscellaneous one -- from her coachman and old nurse, to her acquaintances, poets, artists, and great ladies -- was like a dram to G.E. it was so inspiriting. We hear of an artist who is going to send a picture as an expression of gratitude -- rather a different expression, by the way, from that in the note you forwarded, which was to offer "liberal terms" if G.E. would write a story or novel in the -- guess! -- you never will! -- the Universal Review! 161 That is fame.
G.E. begs me to add his kind remembrances.
Yours very faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
Major Blackwood.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Holly Lodge | Monday.
My dear Major
Mr. Brown made so capital an index to Seaside Studies that I should be glad if he would undertake that of the Physiology. It would be well for him to bear in mind that particular facts and experiments need some reference in such an index.
I am sorry to find that the credulity about Liggins is not much affected. The man is a cunning impostor and has credulous fools to deal with. The necessity on the public for having some positive statement to make as to the authorship, makes the public willing listeners to what the Liggins party says. We are much disgusted; and are only comforted by the evident indifference with which you and your brother take it.
Yesterday we had our Algerine friend with us; she who alone of all friends detected the secret, and by means of a long extract in one of the papers! Her account of the intense feeling and enthusiasm excited by the book in her circle -- a very extensive and miscellaneous one -- from her coachman and old nurse, to her acquaintances, poets, artists, and great ladies -- was like a dram to G.E. it was so inspiriting. We hear of an artist who is going to send a picture as an expression of gratitude -- rather a different expression, by the way, from that in the note you forwarded, which was to offer "liberal terms" if G.E. would write a story or novel in the -- guess! -- you never will! -- the Universal Review! 161 That is fame.
G.E. begs me to add his kind remembrances.
Yours very faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
Major Blackwood.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to William Blackwood, Wandsworth, [20 June 1859], 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/95104