Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton to John Blackwood, London, 20 June 1866
Title
Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton to John Blackwood, London, 20 June 1866
Title
Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton to John Blackwood, London, 20 June 1866
Sender
Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton
Recipient
M
Date(s)
- 1866-06-20
Place
London
Letter Content
Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton to John Blackwood, London, 20 June 1866
MS: National Library of Scotland.
H of P June 20 1866.
My dear Sir
You found me reading Felix Holt in a critical moment of Political Party, and I did not stop till I had finished it. This is the best testimony to the highest merit of the Novel qua a Novel, viz. Interest.
Besides that merit, the Book has the higher order of "saleable value" -- the interest is of intellectual quality. Beyond the question of interest, it has the excellence of good writing: Composition, parts of which are of very high rank -- bits of poetic description and bits of quiet irony, are first-rate specimens of diction.
On the other hand, the work has to my mind faults; -- faults of Construction, which confuse faults of Character and faults in the conception of Human Nature. -- But it is idle to dwell on these, 1st because they are not likely to affect the run of the Book with the Public, 2ndly because my estimate of the persons who review books and are called Critics is so low that I doubt if any one of them can discover the faults which would be obvious to a man who had studied art or knew the ABC of Criticism. -- Therefore you and the author may rest quite satisfied.
Yours most truly
E. B. L.
MS: National Library of Scotland.
H of P June 20 1866.
My dear Sir
You found me reading Felix Holt in a critical moment of Political Party, and I did not stop till I had finished it. This is the best testimony to the highest merit of the Novel qua a Novel, viz. Interest.
Besides that merit, the Book has the higher order of "saleable value" -- the interest is of intellectual quality. Beyond the question of interest, it has the excellence of good writing: Composition, parts of which are of very high rank -- bits of poetic description and bits of quiet irony, are first-rate specimens of diction.
On the other hand, the work has to my mind faults; -- faults of Construction, which confuse faults of Character and faults in the conception of Human Nature. -- But it is idle to dwell on these, 1st because they are not likely to affect the run of the Book with the Public, 2ndly because my estimate of the persons who review books and are called Critics is so low that I doubt if any one of them can discover the faults which would be obvious to a man who had studied art or knew the ABC of Criticism. -- Therefore you and the author may rest quite satisfied.
Yours most truly
E. B. L.
Signature
E. B. L.
Citation
Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton to John Blackwood, London, 20 June 1866, 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/95602