John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 5 March 1861
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 5 March 1861
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 5 March 1861
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1861-03-05
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 5 March 1861
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street | Edinburgh
March 5/61.
My Dear Madam
On coming here this morning I found the M.S. of Silas pp. 233 to 308 and of course sat down at once to it. What a picture or series of pictures you place before the reader. It is quite delightful. The association of the old man and the child and its effect upon him is beautifully done, and Mrs. Winthrop is a jewel in every sense.
Silas' attempt to inflict punishment and the "toal hole" 710 quite affected me, as I had a somewhat similar incident this very morning at breakfast. The children were making too much noise (a very trying thing at that time) and I shouted "Silence or you go out of the room" in a voice that might have struck horror into a giant, when the smallest offender replied "Naughty old Reekie" (Smoky, my nickname).
I should have liked to see more of Miss Priscilla, but what there is of her is perfect and Nancy is very natural. The disposal of the reprobate Dunsey and the discovery of his remains 711 is I think the most skilful thing you have done in the way of plot.
I was in hopes at one part that you were going to introduce a clergyman to the help of Mrs. Winthrop and that we should have another picture of character, but I suppose you had not a good one at hand as sometimes happens in this life. The motto giving to some extent the keynote to the story does not I think signify in this case, as whenever the child appears her mission is felt.
You may I am sure make your mind easy about this story and rejoice in the prospect of another success. The M.S. is in the Printer's hands.
I am sorry to see you write so cheerlessly about your health, but I trust to hear soon that you feel all right. There is very little change in my brother since I last wrote. Thanks for your kind expressions of interest in him. The more you knew of him the more highly you would have thought of him.
ever, my Dear Madam yours very truly
John Blackwood.
Mrs. Lewes.
Tell Lewes I am very glad to hear he likes Petherick 712 so much. My idea was that by seeing him he might be better able to fill in a sketch of this remarkable specimen. He is a most original character.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street | Edinburgh
March 5/61.
My Dear Madam
On coming here this morning I found the M.S. of Silas pp. 233 to 308 and of course sat down at once to it. What a picture or series of pictures you place before the reader. It is quite delightful. The association of the old man and the child and its effect upon him is beautifully done, and Mrs. Winthrop is a jewel in every sense.
Silas' attempt to inflict punishment and the "toal hole" 710 quite affected me, as I had a somewhat similar incident this very morning at breakfast. The children were making too much noise (a very trying thing at that time) and I shouted "Silence or you go out of the room" in a voice that might have struck horror into a giant, when the smallest offender replied "Naughty old Reekie" (Smoky, my nickname).
I should have liked to see more of Miss Priscilla, but what there is of her is perfect and Nancy is very natural. The disposal of the reprobate Dunsey and the discovery of his remains 711 is I think the most skilful thing you have done in the way of plot.
I was in hopes at one part that you were going to introduce a clergyman to the help of Mrs. Winthrop and that we should have another picture of character, but I suppose you had not a good one at hand as sometimes happens in this life. The motto giving to some extent the keynote to the story does not I think signify in this case, as whenever the child appears her mission is felt.
You may I am sure make your mind easy about this story and rejoice in the prospect of another success. The M.S. is in the Printer's hands.
I am sorry to see you write so cheerlessly about your health, but I trust to hear soon that you feel all right. There is very little change in my brother since I last wrote. Thanks for your kind expressions of interest in him. The more you knew of him the more highly you would have thought of him.
ever, my Dear Madam yours very truly
John Blackwood.
Mrs. Lewes.
Tell Lewes I am very glad to hear he likes Petherick 712 so much. My idea was that by seeing him he might be better able to fill in a sketch of this remarkable specimen. He is a most original character.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 5 March 1861, 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/95280