John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 9 March 1874
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 9 March 1874
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 9 March 1874
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1874-03-09
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 9 March 1874
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street, | Edinburgh.
March 9/74.
My Dear Mrs. Lewes
Your welcome note with the poems came safely on Saturday and by a mistake between Willie and myself their receipt was not acknowledged.
It will make a most delightful volume and will I am pretty sure be a success. Before sending the "copy" into the Printing Office I have been looking through the Poems. They are truly good and have their meaning. 51 Mr. Simpson got the edition of Keats you mentioned out of the Advocates Library. The look of it took me back to the days of my youth. Do you think we should have the paper so narrow? The type to be used will enable us to submit it to you in both forms, like Keats and a little broader.
Willie is going up to London tomorrow so hopes to see you very soon. He is still very lame but otherwise well. He will be at the Burlington. Mary's ball came off on Friday and was a tremendous success. The Missionary came to see the supper his wife had so efficiently prepared. Gunter 52 could not have beat it. She is the same of whom I told you the story long ago. The clergyman whom we got in to speak to her was one of our best and luckily came from the same part of Roxburghshire where Gipsy blood is a large element. For the ball the artful Mary had secured more dancing men than ladies so that all were provided with partners. She amused me with her description of one of her partners who "held me at arm's length and kicked me all round the room so that I was afraid my ankles were bleeding, but he was so pleasant that I forgave him." This must be a dangerous fellow.
One feature since she came out tickles me -- in the streets I am constantly being saluted by the sort of youngsters whom I remember 30 years ago coming into my room saying "Won't you have a turn, old fellow." Collins has sent me the inclosed photo. of his Lowick Church and Rectory. Isn't it English all over?
I am sincerely grieved about the Lyttons' loss. It will press hard upon them. I hope you will write to him or her. Hoping to get good accounts of you from my nephew, I am always
yours very truly
John Blackwood.
I read Mr. Forster's most outrageous attack upon Lewes' Dickens Article. 53 It looks like an outbreak of bad health and worse temper.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street, | Edinburgh.
March 9/74.
My Dear Mrs. Lewes
Your welcome note with the poems came safely on Saturday and by a mistake between Willie and myself their receipt was not acknowledged.
It will make a most delightful volume and will I am pretty sure be a success. Before sending the "copy" into the Printing Office I have been looking through the Poems. They are truly good and have their meaning. 51 Mr. Simpson got the edition of Keats you mentioned out of the Advocates Library. The look of it took me back to the days of my youth. Do you think we should have the paper so narrow? The type to be used will enable us to submit it to you in both forms, like Keats and a little broader.
Willie is going up to London tomorrow so hopes to see you very soon. He is still very lame but otherwise well. He will be at the Burlington. Mary's ball came off on Friday and was a tremendous success. The Missionary came to see the supper his wife had so efficiently prepared. Gunter 52 could not have beat it. She is the same of whom I told you the story long ago. The clergyman whom we got in to speak to her was one of our best and luckily came from the same part of Roxburghshire where Gipsy blood is a large element. For the ball the artful Mary had secured more dancing men than ladies so that all were provided with partners. She amused me with her description of one of her partners who "held me at arm's length and kicked me all round the room so that I was afraid my ankles were bleeding, but he was so pleasant that I forgave him." This must be a dangerous fellow.
One feature since she came out tickles me -- in the streets I am constantly being saluted by the sort of youngsters whom I remember 30 years ago coming into my room saying "Won't you have a turn, old fellow." Collins has sent me the inclosed photo. of his Lowick Church and Rectory. Isn't it English all over?
I am sincerely grieved about the Lyttons' loss. It will press hard upon them. I hope you will write to him or her. Hoping to get good accounts of you from my nephew, I am always
yours very truly
John Blackwood.
I read Mr. Forster's most outrageous attack upon Lewes' Dickens Article. 53 It looks like an outbreak of bad health and worse temper.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 9 March 1874, 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/95299