John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 15 February 1858
Title
John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 15 February 1858
Title
John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 15 February 1858
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Henry Lewes
Date(s)
- 1858-02-15
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 15 February 1858
Text: Copy in Blackwood Letter Book, National Library of Scotland.
Edinburgh February 15/58.
My dear Lewes
I enclose the proof of Food and Drink which I shall be glad to have back as soon as possible.
I have read this first instalment with much pleasure although being introductory I daresay it is not altogether so interesting as the other two parts. It will be liked. If on going over the proof you think there are any portions which could in the meantime be left out without disadvantage, reserve these for the book, as at present the paper has rather too much the air of a fragment of a systematic work on the subject for a magazine paper. Follow your own opinion about this however. I cannot tell what is necessary for a ground work for the development of your further views so I speak with diffidence. I see you are generally "I." I think, on the whole, it will be better to stick to the mystic "we." 368
I have no recent intelligence of the Studies or Scenes from London so I suppose Langford has no particular feature to mention.
I was delighted to hear from G.E. that I might so soon hope to see something like a volume of his new Tale. I am very sanguine.
I sent a copy of the Studies to the little Doctor (Simpson) 369 and hear he is going about in raptures about the book. I daresay he will deliver himself of a note by and bye.
I am glad you like the appearance of the book so much. It is I think a particularly handsome volume so much so that when I saw it I felt we had been weak in not making the rascally public stump up 12/6 for it.
Always yours truly
John Blackwood.
G. H. Lewes Esq.
Text: Copy in Blackwood Letter Book, National Library of Scotland.
Edinburgh February 15/58.
My dear Lewes
I enclose the proof of Food and Drink which I shall be glad to have back as soon as possible.
I have read this first instalment with much pleasure although being introductory I daresay it is not altogether so interesting as the other two parts. It will be liked. If on going over the proof you think there are any portions which could in the meantime be left out without disadvantage, reserve these for the book, as at present the paper has rather too much the air of a fragment of a systematic work on the subject for a magazine paper. Follow your own opinion about this however. I cannot tell what is necessary for a ground work for the development of your further views so I speak with diffidence. I see you are generally "I." I think, on the whole, it will be better to stick to the mystic "we." 368
I have no recent intelligence of the Studies or Scenes from London so I suppose Langford has no particular feature to mention.
I was delighted to hear from G.E. that I might so soon hope to see something like a volume of his new Tale. I am very sanguine.
I sent a copy of the Studies to the little Doctor (Simpson) 369 and hear he is going about in raptures about the book. I daresay he will deliver himself of a note by and bye.
I am glad you like the appearance of the book so much. It is I think a particularly handsome volume so much so that when I saw it I felt we had been weak in not making the rascally public stump up 12/6 for it.
Always yours truly
John Blackwood.
G. H. Lewes Esq.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 15 February 1858, 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/95367