John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 27 February 1860
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 27 February 1860
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 27 February 1860
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1860-02-27
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 27 February 1860
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh February 27/60.
My Dear Madam
I send a further batch of proofs which have also gone to Mr. Sheard as far as page 144, 489 which I suppose embraces all that you wish to refer to him about. Except the allusion to the action of a bill in Chancery, 490 which could hardly I fancy be so prompt as you make it, I hardly think there will be any legal point to criticise.
The scenes in these pages are painted with a power and minute finish which is perfectly wonderful. I entered so keenly into the matter and felt so angry at the Dodson sisterhood that I could hardly laugh at their absurdities, intensely comical as they are. I wish you could have given them some touch of feeling to relieve the sensation of oppression. Would it not be possible to give Mrs. Tulliver some trait of feeling for her husband to enable one to sympathise in her woes? The contrast between Maggie's feelings and Tom's is exquisitely done. She is an individual character and no mistake. I begin to regret that we did not stick to our old favourite name of Sister Maggie, but it is no matter. If it was, Lewes and I should have our heads punched.
Mr. Deans' conduct is I think the shabbiest as being less in keeping with his character and position. My old friend Tulliver's difficulties were in reality so small in amount that a man like Deans could have eased him without any great expenditure of breath or coin, but this would have played the deuce with the story.
I am wearying for volume three and hope your labours are well through. Your announcement of the coming tragedy excites me greatly and I am puzzling as to the precise shape it will take.
Sir Edward's deafness is a sad bar to conversation with him. I am glad that you saw him and were favourably impressed with his kindness and sincerity. I have the same opinion of him from long experience.
ever yours truly
John Blackwood.
Mrs. M. E. Lewes.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh February 27/60.
My Dear Madam
I send a further batch of proofs which have also gone to Mr. Sheard as far as page 144, 489 which I suppose embraces all that you wish to refer to him about. Except the allusion to the action of a bill in Chancery, 490 which could hardly I fancy be so prompt as you make it, I hardly think there will be any legal point to criticise.
The scenes in these pages are painted with a power and minute finish which is perfectly wonderful. I entered so keenly into the matter and felt so angry at the Dodson sisterhood that I could hardly laugh at their absurdities, intensely comical as they are. I wish you could have given them some touch of feeling to relieve the sensation of oppression. Would it not be possible to give Mrs. Tulliver some trait of feeling for her husband to enable one to sympathise in her woes? The contrast between Maggie's feelings and Tom's is exquisitely done. She is an individual character and no mistake. I begin to regret that we did not stick to our old favourite name of Sister Maggie, but it is no matter. If it was, Lewes and I should have our heads punched.
Mr. Deans' conduct is I think the shabbiest as being less in keeping with his character and position. My old friend Tulliver's difficulties were in reality so small in amount that a man like Deans could have eased him without any great expenditure of breath or coin, but this would have played the deuce with the story.
I am wearying for volume three and hope your labours are well through. Your announcement of the coming tragedy excites me greatly and I am puzzling as to the precise shape it will take.
Sir Edward's deafness is a sad bar to conversation with him. I am glad that you saw him and were favourably impressed with his kindness and sincerity. I have the same opinion of him from long experience.
ever yours truly
John Blackwood.
Mrs. M. E. Lewes.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 27 February 1860, 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/95246