John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 18 November 1859
Title
John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 18 November 1859
Title
John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 18 November 1859
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
Joseph Munt Langford
Date(s)
- 1859-11-18
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 18 November 1859
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished
Edinburgh | November 18/59.
My Dear Sir
Lewes is absurd about this Adam Bede Junr. It can do no harm and is not worth while making a fuss about it. Aytoun and our Lawyers here all think so and besides I do not think it is going on.
I am disappointed at the tone in which my offer for the new book has been replied to. I offered 'a33000 for copyright for 4 years when I should have seen the next batch of M.S. and to publish anonymously in the Magazine. They may possibly have been upset by some large absurd offer, but however that may be I was entitled to a very different style of reply.
I think my offer was a very fair one and I certainly shall make no other. I do not much care about the matter and am more vexed at being disappointed in G.E. If some very large sum has been offered she should have told me, and she has sense enough to know that I am the last person in the world to stand between any one making the best they can of their work. Our kindness too in doubling the original price of Adam Bede has been acknowledged in the most painfully unhandsome way with hardly thanks.
There may be some crotchet at the bottom of it, as her letters have been in such marked contrast to her warm written and spoken thanks. Possibly my saying that I would publish the book anonymously may have caused some suspicion but I did not care to use her name. You will of course consider all this strictly private, but I write it as I think you should know how we stand. . . .
I am curious to see how old Thackeray gets on. That man Masson must be even a greater muff than I supposed him. 391 . . .
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
J. M. Langford Esq.
I wrote this note in a great hurry and see I did not explain that not only did we give the first 'a3400 extra for Adam Bede but in sending the instalment also intimated our intention of sending a further sum of 'a3400. I did not do this until after our offer had been rejected as we did not wish to do it while a negociation for the other book was pending.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished
Edinburgh | November 18/59.
My Dear Sir
Lewes is absurd about this Adam Bede Junr. It can do no harm and is not worth while making a fuss about it. Aytoun and our Lawyers here all think so and besides I do not think it is going on.
I am disappointed at the tone in which my offer for the new book has been replied to. I offered 'a33000 for copyright for 4 years when I should have seen the next batch of M.S. and to publish anonymously in the Magazine. They may possibly have been upset by some large absurd offer, but however that may be I was entitled to a very different style of reply.
I think my offer was a very fair one and I certainly shall make no other. I do not much care about the matter and am more vexed at being disappointed in G.E. If some very large sum has been offered she should have told me, and she has sense enough to know that I am the last person in the world to stand between any one making the best they can of their work. Our kindness too in doubling the original price of Adam Bede has been acknowledged in the most painfully unhandsome way with hardly thanks.
There may be some crotchet at the bottom of it, as her letters have been in such marked contrast to her warm written and spoken thanks. Possibly my saying that I would publish the book anonymously may have caused some suspicion but I did not care to use her name. You will of course consider all this strictly private, but I write it as I think you should know how we stand. . . .
I am curious to see how old Thackeray gets on. That man Masson must be even a greater muff than I supposed him. 391 . . .
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
J. M. Langford Esq.
I wrote this note in a great hurry and see I did not explain that not only did we give the first 'a3400 extra for Adam Bede but in sending the instalment also intimated our intention of sending a further sum of 'a3400. I did not do this until after our offer had been rejected as we did not wish to do it while a negociation for the other book was pending.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Edinburgh, 18 November 1859, 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/95452