Joseph Munt Langford to John Blackwood, London, [18 November 1859]
Title
Joseph Munt Langford to John Blackwood, London, [18 November 1859]
Title
Joseph Munt Langford to John Blackwood, London, [18 November 1859]
Sender
Joseph Munt Langford
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1859-11-18
Place
London
Letter Content
Joseph Munt Langford to John Blackwood, London, [18 November 1859]
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
[The first sheet of this letter has not been found.]
I longed to tell Lewes what Mudie had said but of course did not. It is not at all unlikely that the great offers that are said to have been made may turn out to be merely brag. I do not mean on G.E's part but on the part of those who made them and if you still wish to have the book a little judicious reticence may bring back the author to you. The idea of putting it into Maga seems not to be liked. I told Lewes that I could understand an insuperable objection to that upon artistic grounds but that I could not understand such an objection of that sort as could be overcome by money. He seemed to have some crotchet about your having said that you would give as much for the tale for Maga as for original separate publication and that you ought to give more for so making use of it to suit your own purpose.
Newby you will see has delayed the sequel. 392 I really do not see that we could do anything about it unless we determined to announce by an advertisement that it is not by the author of A.B. This would be effectual.
I am pleased to hear that you have good things in prospect for Maga -- the opposition is strong just now but there is no fear that she will be shaken from her pre-eminence. Macmillans have sold 10,000 and are reprinting -- still the thing is a failure and has made no impression. Thackeray's name has not met a single approval in my hearing -- every one thinks it bad and the letter which you will see they are circulating widely is very weak. . . .
Today is Murray's sale; it is expected to be a very good one. I fear we shall have a poor subscription for volume 2 of Bulwer -- the public do not seem to have found it out yet. I am, My dear Sir,
Yours respectfully
J. M. Langford.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
[The first sheet of this letter has not been found.]
I longed to tell Lewes what Mudie had said but of course did not. It is not at all unlikely that the great offers that are said to have been made may turn out to be merely brag. I do not mean on G.E's part but on the part of those who made them and if you still wish to have the book a little judicious reticence may bring back the author to you. The idea of putting it into Maga seems not to be liked. I told Lewes that I could understand an insuperable objection to that upon artistic grounds but that I could not understand such an objection of that sort as could be overcome by money. He seemed to have some crotchet about your having said that you would give as much for the tale for Maga as for original separate publication and that you ought to give more for so making use of it to suit your own purpose.
Newby you will see has delayed the sequel. 392 I really do not see that we could do anything about it unless we determined to announce by an advertisement that it is not by the author of A.B. This would be effectual.
I am pleased to hear that you have good things in prospect for Maga -- the opposition is strong just now but there is no fear that she will be shaken from her pre-eminence. Macmillans have sold 10,000 and are reprinting -- still the thing is a failure and has made no impression. Thackeray's name has not met a single approval in my hearing -- every one thinks it bad and the letter which you will see they are circulating widely is very weak. . . .
Today is Murray's sale; it is expected to be a very good one. I fear we shall have a poor subscription for volume 2 of Bulwer -- the public do not seem to have found it out yet. I am, My dear Sir,
Yours respectfully
J. M. Langford.
Signature
J. M. Langford.
Citation
Joseph Munt Langford, Joseph Munt Langford to John Blackwood, London, [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/95512