John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 21 September 1859
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 21 September 1859
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 21 September 1859
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1859-09-21
Place
Colinsburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 21 September 1859
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Gibliston | September 21/59.
My Dear George Eliot
I wish to have your new novel for the Magazine as from what I read of the story I feel confident that it will be admirably adapted for publication there. Publishing in that form we will give you at least as much as we would for it to publish in any other way.
In such a case it is very difficult to make up one's mind 316 as to what it is right and prudent to offer and my brother and I have been puzzling over the matter.
Our intention is to offer you Three Thousand Pounds for the right to publish the tale in the Magazine and for the copyright for four years after the completion of its publication there. 317
We hope that this sum will meet your views. The prospects of the book are great but there is no certainty under the sun. Who would have supposed that Clerical Scenes, admirable as they are, would not have been carried off in thousands by the flood tide of Adam's popularity.
In the Magazine we would not put any author's name, and it would be great fun to watch the speculations as to the author's life. 318 The style would be to me easily recognisable but no one, especially of the puffing writing and publishing order, would suppose that we would throw away such an advantage as putting the magic words by George Eliot at the head of a series of papers. In the long run however ours is the wisest course, as nothing equals the excitement of uncertainty.
If the above offer is satisfactory to you we would settle the matter after seeing the next batch of M.S. and arrange the dates of payment.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
George Eliot Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Gibliston | September 21/59.
My Dear George Eliot
I wish to have your new novel for the Magazine as from what I read of the story I feel confident that it will be admirably adapted for publication there. Publishing in that form we will give you at least as much as we would for it to publish in any other way.
In such a case it is very difficult to make up one's mind 316 as to what it is right and prudent to offer and my brother and I have been puzzling over the matter.
Our intention is to offer you Three Thousand Pounds for the right to publish the tale in the Magazine and for the copyright for four years after the completion of its publication there. 317
We hope that this sum will meet your views. The prospects of the book are great but there is no certainty under the sun. Who would have supposed that Clerical Scenes, admirable as they are, would not have been carried off in thousands by the flood tide of Adam's popularity.
In the Magazine we would not put any author's name, and it would be great fun to watch the speculations as to the author's life. 318 The style would be to me easily recognisable but no one, especially of the puffing writing and publishing order, would suppose that we would throw away such an advantage as putting the magic words by George Eliot at the head of a series of papers. In the long run however ours is the wisest course, as nothing equals the excitement of uncertainty.
If the above offer is satisfactory to you we would settle the matter after seeing the next batch of M.S. and arrange the dates of payment.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
George Eliot Esq.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 21 September 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/95163