John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 April 1877
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 April 1877
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 April 1877
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1877-04-30
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 April 1877
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street, | Edinburgh.
April 30/77.
My Dear Mrs. Lewes
After much puzzling and consideration we have pretty well come to the old conclusion that the handiest and most handsome form for your works will be an edition in 19 or 20 volumes somewhat similar to the 2 volume edition of Adam and Felix. We have been further assisted to this conclusion by looking at a set of your novels which had been bound and cut to as near as might be a uniform size to catch the eye of some of your worshippers here. This set I send to you by rail and I think it will look well in the library or drawing room in Town or country.
This continual North East wind has again made Simpson's throat a little rough and he is keeping to the house for a day or two but the inclosed note and calculations will show you that he is busy as usual. The calculations will assist Lewes and you in coming to a decision. The only other form would be the novels in one volume octavo but it is impossible to make that a handy volume to read by the fireside. You will see that Simpson shrinks from making the vols. 5/- but I incline for the five and so does Willie. I expect to reach London by the 10th or so when we can talk over all these matters.
So there is War at last 657 and where it will end none can tell. On coming into the breakfast room the other morning I exclaimed to my daughter "The Russians have crossed the Pruth and entered Jassy. It seems but as yesterday (although 24 years since) that I read these same words in this room, and papa would have gone to the Crimea but he had met Mama and was going to visit some of her friends in Derbyshire." History is repeating itself with a vengeance. It is impossible to say how long we may be able to keep out of the mischief.
This is the Golf Spring meeting week and I am going to St. Andrews for a few days to brace myself for the London campaign. I go en garcon to join some other golfing maniacs in lodgings. I hope this will find Lewes and you well and believe me
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street, | Edinburgh.
April 30/77.
My Dear Mrs. Lewes
After much puzzling and consideration we have pretty well come to the old conclusion that the handiest and most handsome form for your works will be an edition in 19 or 20 volumes somewhat similar to the 2 volume edition of Adam and Felix. We have been further assisted to this conclusion by looking at a set of your novels which had been bound and cut to as near as might be a uniform size to catch the eye of some of your worshippers here. This set I send to you by rail and I think it will look well in the library or drawing room in Town or country.
This continual North East wind has again made Simpson's throat a little rough and he is keeping to the house for a day or two but the inclosed note and calculations will show you that he is busy as usual. The calculations will assist Lewes and you in coming to a decision. The only other form would be the novels in one volume octavo but it is impossible to make that a handy volume to read by the fireside. You will see that Simpson shrinks from making the vols. 5/- but I incline for the five and so does Willie. I expect to reach London by the 10th or so when we can talk over all these matters.
So there is War at last 657 and where it will end none can tell. On coming into the breakfast room the other morning I exclaimed to my daughter "The Russians have crossed the Pruth and entered Jassy. It seems but as yesterday (although 24 years since) that I read these same words in this room, and papa would have gone to the Crimea but he had met Mama and was going to visit some of her friends in Derbyshire." History is repeating itself with a vengeance. It is impossible to say how long we may be able to keep out of the mischief.
This is the Golf Spring meeting week and I am going to St. Andrews for a few days to brace myself for the London campaign. I go en garcon to join some other golfing maniacs in lodgings. I hope this will find Lewes and you well and believe me
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 April 1877, 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/95268