John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 24 July 1859
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 24 July 1859
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 24 July 1859
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1859-07-24
Place
Colinsburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 24 July 1859
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Gebliston 227 House | Colinsburgh, Fife | July 24/59.
My Dear George Eliot
I am glad to hear of your safe return and rejoice to think that you can so well afford to laugh at and despise all the Dixons in the world.
From what you and Lewes say I feel confident the new novel will go on swimmingly now and the more I think of what I read of it the higher does my opinion rise.
The gallant and indefatigable Colonel has secured a Pug and the best way to get it will be for Lewes to write a line to Langford to bring it to you or to say that he will call at P. N. Row for it. The animal is I believe under charge of Mr. Cherry 228 the veterinary of the Mounted Police, and I believe a squadron of that vigilant body is in daily watch over it, as the dog is well known to the Fancy and the responsibility of seeing to its safety has nearly crushed the Colonel. I do not think
Jhansi 229 or any other of his campaigns ever weighed so heavily upon him. He spent three days in Bethnal Green on the quest amid a very singular variety of ruffians, and when he brought it off in triumph he passed two hours at the house of a friend in the City lest the cabman should carry intelligence to Bethnal Green as to where the treasure was to be found.
The Colonel, I need not say, is a character as well as an excellent fellow and I think I must send him up to you some day to give his narrative which I am told occupies two hours.
I hope the dog will turn out what you want and justify the superhuman exertions of the worthy Colonel. If you knew him as well as I do you would sympathise with the fits of laughter which his adventures with the dog have caused to all of us.
One of his schemes for securing the safety of the animal when he was prostrated by hearing that you had gone abroad and could not receive the dog at once was to go himself with it down to Dorchester where he keeps his horses, and he also made an attempt to get a friend of mine who was coming down to Edinburgh to bring it with him to me. I trust Mr. Cherry and the Mounted Police have been able to protect the creature. I have ordered a photograph to be sent to me. We have been here for the last ten days and very enjoyable it is. I do not intend to be much in Edinburgh until November.
Tell Lewes I will write him soon. This is written in the drawing [room] full of people, your note having only reached me today, and I hear one of my brothers suggesting that a tray with the elements of natural conviviality should be brought up at once (a little earlier than usual) this being Sunday evening.
ever yours truly
John Blackwood.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Gebliston 227 House | Colinsburgh, Fife | July 24/59.
My Dear George Eliot
I am glad to hear of your safe return and rejoice to think that you can so well afford to laugh at and despise all the Dixons in the world.
From what you and Lewes say I feel confident the new novel will go on swimmingly now and the more I think of what I read of it the higher does my opinion rise.
The gallant and indefatigable Colonel has secured a Pug and the best way to get it will be for Lewes to write a line to Langford to bring it to you or to say that he will call at P. N. Row for it. The animal is I believe under charge of Mr. Cherry 228 the veterinary of the Mounted Police, and I believe a squadron of that vigilant body is in daily watch over it, as the dog is well known to the Fancy and the responsibility of seeing to its safety has nearly crushed the Colonel. I do not think
Jhansi 229 or any other of his campaigns ever weighed so heavily upon him. He spent three days in Bethnal Green on the quest amid a very singular variety of ruffians, and when he brought it off in triumph he passed two hours at the house of a friend in the City lest the cabman should carry intelligence to Bethnal Green as to where the treasure was to be found.
The Colonel, I need not say, is a character as well as an excellent fellow and I think I must send him up to you some day to give his narrative which I am told occupies two hours.
I hope the dog will turn out what you want and justify the superhuman exertions of the worthy Colonel. If you knew him as well as I do you would sympathise with the fits of laughter which his adventures with the dog have caused to all of us.
One of his schemes for securing the safety of the animal when he was prostrated by hearing that you had gone abroad and could not receive the dog at once was to go himself with it down to Dorchester where he keeps his horses, and he also made an attempt to get a friend of mine who was coming down to Edinburgh to bring it with him to me. I trust Mr. Cherry and the Mounted Police have been able to protect the creature. I have ordered a photograph to be sent to me. We have been here for the last ten days and very enjoyable it is. I do not intend to be much in Edinburgh until November.
Tell Lewes I will write him soon. This is written in the drawing [room] full of people, your note having only reached me today, and I hear one of my brothers suggesting that a tray with the elements of natural conviviality should be brought up at once (a little earlier than usual) this being Sunday evening.
ever yours truly
John Blackwood.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Colinsburgh, 24 July 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/95164