John Blackwood to GHL, St. Andrews, 31 October 1861
Title
John Blackwood to GHL, St. Andrews, 31 October 1861
Title
John Blackwood to GHL, St. Andrews, 31 October 1861
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Henry Lewes
Date(s)
- 1861-10-31
Place
St. Andrews
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GHL, St. Andrews, 31 October 1861
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Strathtyrum | St. Andrews | N.B.
October 31 /61.
My Dear Lewes
I have not the data here to enable me to answer your note with precision, but you may rely upon it that Mrs. Lewes will have all the benefit that the repeal of paper duty or the difference in the expense of producing the shorter works can give.
The difference will not I should think be so great as you imagine, as for example the binding will be about the same in all the cases, and that in a case of large sales is as heavy an element of expense as the printing. Also to keep up uniformity and justify us in charging the same price for each of the works we must print the shorter works on a sparser page and probably thicker paper.
I thought of the thing when I wrote to Mrs. Lewes but did not think it worth while to say anything as I had no details to enable me to speak to the point, and writing without them before, I made a blunder against myself about the 12/- editions. I intend to be in Edinburgh next week and will then write, and in the meantime I hope you have sent the corrected copy 864 down and Mr. Simpson will be busy setting specimens etc.
I am extremely sorry to hear that Mrs. Lewes is so poorly and can only hope that you have had as fine weather as we have been blessed with here to put her to rights again.
We have been in a perfect jubilee of happiness over the return from India of my brother Archie, 865 my school and bedfellow until we both went forth into the world, and the companion of my heart all the days of my life. I was very glad to find that he had gone to pay his respects to Mrs. Lewes. He was charmed with her, as every man of sense and feeling should be. I cannot help saying isn't he like a soldier and a gentleman, every hairbreadth of him, and he is as good as he looks. At all events I do not know a better in N.B. This is written before dinner, but Archie and I have been lounging about all day talking about past happiness and sorrows and I could not help speaking. Mrs. Lewes will, I am sure, forgive me the family egotism.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
To G. H. Lewes Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Strathtyrum | St. Andrews | N.B.
October 31 /61.
My Dear Lewes
I have not the data here to enable me to answer your note with precision, but you may rely upon it that Mrs. Lewes will have all the benefit that the repeal of paper duty or the difference in the expense of producing the shorter works can give.
The difference will not I should think be so great as you imagine, as for example the binding will be about the same in all the cases, and that in a case of large sales is as heavy an element of expense as the printing. Also to keep up uniformity and justify us in charging the same price for each of the works we must print the shorter works on a sparser page and probably thicker paper.
I thought of the thing when I wrote to Mrs. Lewes but did not think it worth while to say anything as I had no details to enable me to speak to the point, and writing without them before, I made a blunder against myself about the 12/- editions. I intend to be in Edinburgh next week and will then write, and in the meantime I hope you have sent the corrected copy 864 down and Mr. Simpson will be busy setting specimens etc.
I am extremely sorry to hear that Mrs. Lewes is so poorly and can only hope that you have had as fine weather as we have been blessed with here to put her to rights again.
We have been in a perfect jubilee of happiness over the return from India of my brother Archie, 865 my school and bedfellow until we both went forth into the world, and the companion of my heart all the days of my life. I was very glad to find that he had gone to pay his respects to Mrs. Lewes. He was charmed with her, as every man of sense and feeling should be. I cannot help saying isn't he like a soldier and a gentleman, every hairbreadth of him, and he is as good as he looks. At all events I do not know a better in N.B. This is written before dinner, but Archie and I have been lounging about all day talking about past happiness and sorrows and I could not help speaking. Mrs. Lewes will, I am sure, forgive me the family egotism.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
To G. H. Lewes Esq.
Signature
always yours truly
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GHL, St. Andrews, 31 October 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/95442