John Blackwood to GE, London, 18 June 1866
Title
John Blackwood to GE, London, 18 June 1866
Title
John Blackwood to GE, London, 18 June 1866
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1866-06-18
Place
London
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, London, 18 June 1866
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Burlington, Cork St. | June 18/66.
My Dear Madam
I hope this will find you comfortably established at Schwalbach 481 and both of you the better for the change. Favourable symptoms begin to show regarding Felix and the paeans will I am sure wax louder and louder.
The Saturday Review lead the way on Saturday with a very good review which I send to you. 482 The opinions from my private friends have hardly begun to pour in yet, but as far as they have reached me they are what I could wish and I need say no more. My wife, who for so quick minded a person is a singularly slow reader, exclaimed today "Why this is an extraordinary book. On finishing a novel generally one turns quickly to one's ordinary work but one sits and thinks over this." I found Bulwer Lytton yesterday; he had just begun the book which was in his hand, and he could only say, "Opens admirably."
As to sales we have disposed of about 3000 Mudie taking 1500 of these. It will I think be the end of this week or next before there will be a decided move. Mr. Simpson writes to me in great glee that his chief ally in Edinburgh, a most matter of fact master of a school, 483 had finished it 'bd past five that morning and was ready to go on for hours in raptures about the book. With all Simpson's over enthusiastic admiration, he despises Felix personally as a man who would have been of no use at 45 George St. and quotes his own particular henchman Roderick Nicholson from the Isle of Skye as practically a much more estimable and useful character. 484 I shall send you news as I get it and hoping to hear from you soon I am
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
Willie has returned from Torquay but I do not know that Simpson would pronounce him a man fit for work at 45 George St. He left his hat in the Opera box the other night and you may imagine the winks and grins of General Steuart.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Burlington, Cork St. | June 18/66.
My Dear Madam
I hope this will find you comfortably established at Schwalbach 481 and both of you the better for the change. Favourable symptoms begin to show regarding Felix and the paeans will I am sure wax louder and louder.
The Saturday Review lead the way on Saturday with a very good review which I send to you. 482 The opinions from my private friends have hardly begun to pour in yet, but as far as they have reached me they are what I could wish and I need say no more. My wife, who for so quick minded a person is a singularly slow reader, exclaimed today "Why this is an extraordinary book. On finishing a novel generally one turns quickly to one's ordinary work but one sits and thinks over this." I found Bulwer Lytton yesterday; he had just begun the book which was in his hand, and he could only say, "Opens admirably."
As to sales we have disposed of about 3000 Mudie taking 1500 of these. It will I think be the end of this week or next before there will be a decided move. Mr. Simpson writes to me in great glee that his chief ally in Edinburgh, a most matter of fact master of a school, 483 had finished it 'bd past five that morning and was ready to go on for hours in raptures about the book. With all Simpson's over enthusiastic admiration, he despises Felix personally as a man who would have been of no use at 45 George St. and quotes his own particular henchman Roderick Nicholson from the Isle of Skye as practically a much more estimable and useful character. 484 I shall send you news as I get it and hoping to hear from you soon I am
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
Willie has returned from Torquay but I do not know that Simpson would pronounce him a man fit for work at 45 George St. He left his hat in the Opera box the other night and you may imagine the winks and grins of General Steuart.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, London, 18 June 1866, 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/95307