John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Spondon, 25 May 1862
Title
John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Spondon, 25 May 1862
Title
John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Spondon, 25 May 1862
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
Joseph Munt Langford
Date(s)
- 1862-05-25
Place
Spondon
Letter Content
John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Spondon, 25 May 1862
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Spondon | May 25/62.
My Dear Sir
The conduct of our friends in Blandford Square is certainly not pleasing nor in the long run will they find it wise however great the bribe may have been. 72 It is too bad after all the kindness she has experienced but I am sure she would do it against her inclination. The going over to the enemy without giving me any warning and with a story on which from what they both said I was fully intitled to calculate upon, sticks in my throat but I shall not quarrel -- quarrels especially literary ones are vulgar.
In reality I do not care about the defection and it has not disturbed me a bit. 73 From the voracity of Lewes I saw that there would be great difficulty in making the arrangement with them and marchanding or bidding against any one else is a thing I could not stand, so "let them go." Besides if the story is the one I suppose, I have no doubt it will be a fine thing but it was doubtful in my mind how far it would bear being given in fragments in the Magazine and certainly it would not suit the readers of the Cornhill. I intended to have decided on the form of publication when I had read the M.S.
The thought of Billings 74 is so loathsome to me that I could hardly enjoy the full humour of his position but it is highly satisfactory to see the scoundrel meeting his reward in this world.
We intend to be up on Friday to dinner at the Burlington. Let me hear any news. The country is looking lovely and we shall probably make some expeditions.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
J. M. Langford Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Spondon | May 25/62.
My Dear Sir
The conduct of our friends in Blandford Square is certainly not pleasing nor in the long run will they find it wise however great the bribe may have been. 72 It is too bad after all the kindness she has experienced but I am sure she would do it against her inclination. The going over to the enemy without giving me any warning and with a story on which from what they both said I was fully intitled to calculate upon, sticks in my throat but I shall not quarrel -- quarrels especially literary ones are vulgar.
In reality I do not care about the defection and it has not disturbed me a bit. 73 From the voracity of Lewes I saw that there would be great difficulty in making the arrangement with them and marchanding or bidding against any one else is a thing I could not stand, so "let them go." Besides if the story is the one I suppose, I have no doubt it will be a fine thing but it was doubtful in my mind how far it would bear being given in fragments in the Magazine and certainly it would not suit the readers of the Cornhill. I intended to have decided on the form of publication when I had read the M.S.
The thought of Billings 74 is so loathsome to me that I could hardly enjoy the full humour of his position but it is highly satisfactory to see the scoundrel meeting his reward in this world.
We intend to be up on Friday to dinner at the Burlington. Let me hear any news. The country is looking lovely and we shall probably make some expeditions.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
J. M. Langford Esq.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to Joseph Munt Langford, Spondon, 25 May 1862, 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/95457