John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 23 February 1859
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 23 February 1859
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 23 February 1859
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1859-02-23
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 23 February 1859
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh | February 23/59.
My Dear Sir
I return Professor Owen's letter 38 and inclose an effusion from Dr. John Brown, also one apparently from the Sage of Ecclefechan, which I should like to see.
Professor Owen is very distinct and expresses himself like a man accustomed to weigh what he says. There is however one ambiguous expression. By "peculiar among" does he mean peculiar to or singular among. I think I told you in the early days of Clerical Scenes that my suspicions pointed to the distinguished Professor as the author. There is, too, a resemblance in the hands, which by the way was very striking on the envelope addressed to you, more so than in the note itself.
I sent Dr. J.B. [an] extract from your letter which I knew would glad his heart. Your note was more in his than in your own usual style and I amused myself thinking that you must [have] unconsciously or for fun adopted it for him.
The real demand for Adam will I think begin within the next week or ten days. I hear nothing but laudatory expressions of opinion. One may interest you. Our celebrated preacher Mr. Caird 39 was to call by appointment to make Mrs. Blackwood's acquaintance. He did not appear, but arrived an hour or more after his time and said his best apology was to confess the truth that he had been so fascinated with Adam Bede as to forget time altogether. He spoke most warmly of the book, thought you too hard upon Hetty.
There have not been so many reviews yet as I should have expected but it is not a book to pronounce in a hurry upon. I send a portfolio containing such as we have collected, which please return. The best I have seen is that in the Edinburgh Courant.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
George Eliot Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh | February 23/59.
My Dear Sir
I return Professor Owen's letter 38 and inclose an effusion from Dr. John Brown, also one apparently from the Sage of Ecclefechan, which I should like to see.
Professor Owen is very distinct and expresses himself like a man accustomed to weigh what he says. There is however one ambiguous expression. By "peculiar among" does he mean peculiar to or singular among. I think I told you in the early days of Clerical Scenes that my suspicions pointed to the distinguished Professor as the author. There is, too, a resemblance in the hands, which by the way was very striking on the envelope addressed to you, more so than in the note itself.
I sent Dr. J.B. [an] extract from your letter which I knew would glad his heart. Your note was more in his than in your own usual style and I amused myself thinking that you must [have] unconsciously or for fun adopted it for him.
The real demand for Adam will I think begin within the next week or ten days. I hear nothing but laudatory expressions of opinion. One may interest you. Our celebrated preacher Mr. Caird 39 was to call by appointment to make Mrs. Blackwood's acquaintance. He did not appear, but arrived an hour or more after his time and said his best apology was to confess the truth that he had been so fascinated with Adam Bede as to forget time altogether. He spoke most warmly of the book, thought you too hard upon Hetty.
There have not been so many reviews yet as I should have expected but it is not a book to pronounce in a hurry upon. I send a portfolio containing such as we have collected, which please return. The best I have seen is that in the Edinburgh Courant.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
George Eliot Esq.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 23 February 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/95231