John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 7 September 1872
Title
John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 7 September 1872
Title
John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 7 September 1872
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1872-09-07
Place
St. Andrews
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 7 September 1872
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extracts published: John Blackwood, p. 382.
Strathtyrum | St. Andrews | N.B.
September 7/72.
My Dear Mrs. Lewes
I am so sorry to hear from Lewes that you are still poorly and I do wish your wonderful Picture was ended, that you might get away to health-restoring Homburg.
How you do paint and dissect Bulstrode's feelings. It is a terrible picture of the attempt to love God and Mammon, for you throw in a touch of reality in the wretch's religion which removes him from the ordinary religious hypocrite of his school. In the struggle that night he, as it were, hardly knew himself that he was committing murder when he gave the brandy. 588 That is the impression you have left I think.
This 7th Book leaves Dr. Lydgate in a terrible mesh out of which it is difficult to see his way unscathed, but with Dorothea to the rescue I was glad to see hope.
The gossiping Middlemarch harpies gathering to the prey is fine. 589 It makes one's flesh creep to think of any good man's character in their hands. My own reflection reminds me of a story. A humorous old bachelor, relative of mine, had retired from business to live about 20 miles from Edinburgh, and one Sunday had out a batch of his old Lawyer cronies. Late at night when they had ably dissected their various acquaintances, the liquor in the dining room ran short. My friend said "Gentlemen, there is the key of the cellar and any of you may go and get up whatever you like, but damn me if I'll leave my character in your hands for five minutes."
My wife and daughter have read Book 7 and are in a great state of excitement. They feel ahead of the rest of the world. We have the most abominable rainy weather. Our harvest prospects are very bad.
With best regards to Lewes and hoping to get good accounts of you soon I am always
yours truly
John Blackwood.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extracts published: John Blackwood, p. 382.
Strathtyrum | St. Andrews | N.B.
September 7/72.
My Dear Mrs. Lewes
I am so sorry to hear from Lewes that you are still poorly and I do wish your wonderful Picture was ended, that you might get away to health-restoring Homburg.
How you do paint and dissect Bulstrode's feelings. It is a terrible picture of the attempt to love God and Mammon, for you throw in a touch of reality in the wretch's religion which removes him from the ordinary religious hypocrite of his school. In the struggle that night he, as it were, hardly knew himself that he was committing murder when he gave the brandy. 588 That is the impression you have left I think.
This 7th Book leaves Dr. Lydgate in a terrible mesh out of which it is difficult to see his way unscathed, but with Dorothea to the rescue I was glad to see hope.
The gossiping Middlemarch harpies gathering to the prey is fine. 589 It makes one's flesh creep to think of any good man's character in their hands. My own reflection reminds me of a story. A humorous old bachelor, relative of mine, had retired from business to live about 20 miles from Edinburgh, and one Sunday had out a batch of his old Lawyer cronies. Late at night when they had ably dissected their various acquaintances, the liquor in the dining room ran short. My friend said "Gentlemen, there is the key of the cellar and any of you may go and get up whatever you like, but damn me if I'll leave my character in your hands for five minutes."
My wife and daughter have read Book 7 and are in a great state of excitement. They feel ahead of the rest of the world. We have the most abominable rainy weather. Our harvest prospects are very bad.
With best regards to Lewes and hoping to get good accounts of you soon I am always
yours truly
John Blackwood.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 7 September 1872, 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/95343