William Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 13 August 1878
Title
William Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 13 August 1878
Title
William Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 13 August 1878
Sender
William Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1878-08-13
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
William Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 13 August 1878
Text: Copy in Blackwood Letter Book. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street | Edinburgh August 13/78.
My dear Mrs. Lewes
I am glad you troubled me again about the specimen page of Spanish Gypsy as I should have been vexed afterwards had not both you and Mr. Lewes been quite satisfied with its appearance. I suspect Mr. Lewes had been comparing it along side of present edition of Spanish Gypsy which is printed on a toned paper and accordingly this specimen page would look white and ghastly. I suppose you do not wish it printed on a toned paper for Cabinet Edition as it would not then be uniform. However I have had some proofs pulled on the Cabinet Edition Paper from different types and under separate cover I send two for selection. The page marked II is printed from the same type as the prose works of the Cabinet Edition. That marked I is printed from the finer faced type which from its sharpness and clear outline printers consider well adapted for poetry. The specimen page previously shown you was printed rather light in the colour which also might have caused you to feel it as not easy to read. Of course to my sharp and young eyes still the sharp freed type seems best but we shall be very glad to adopt whichever you or Mr. Lewes prefer.
I am sorry that the binding of the birthday book has been completed and we only delayed its publication as business had got so bad and we thought a book of that peculiar nature would have a better start in October. I quite join in your condemnation of the binding but we had to consider a colonial class rather as likely to be its largest buyers and cater to their taste accordingly.
As I know you would be anxious and fretting yourself about the D. Deronda I wrote off at once but it is always a pleasure to me to write to you. You are always so considerate to save one trouble and I wish some other authors showed as much consideration for their publishers who imagine they have nothing to do but attend to their bantlings.
Always yours sincerely
(signed) W. Blackwood.
Mrs. Lewes.
Text: Copy in Blackwood Letter Book. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street | Edinburgh August 13/78.
My dear Mrs. Lewes
I am glad you troubled me again about the specimen page of Spanish Gypsy as I should have been vexed afterwards had not both you and Mr. Lewes been quite satisfied with its appearance. I suspect Mr. Lewes had been comparing it along side of present edition of Spanish Gypsy which is printed on a toned paper and accordingly this specimen page would look white and ghastly. I suppose you do not wish it printed on a toned paper for Cabinet Edition as it would not then be uniform. However I have had some proofs pulled on the Cabinet Edition Paper from different types and under separate cover I send two for selection. The page marked II is printed from the same type as the prose works of the Cabinet Edition. That marked I is printed from the finer faced type which from its sharpness and clear outline printers consider well adapted for poetry. The specimen page previously shown you was printed rather light in the colour which also might have caused you to feel it as not easy to read. Of course to my sharp and young eyes still the sharp freed type seems best but we shall be very glad to adopt whichever you or Mr. Lewes prefer.
I am sorry that the binding of the birthday book has been completed and we only delayed its publication as business had got so bad and we thought a book of that peculiar nature would have a better start in October. I quite join in your condemnation of the binding but we had to consider a colonial class rather as likely to be its largest buyers and cater to their taste accordingly.
As I know you would be anxious and fretting yourself about the D. Deronda I wrote off at once but it is always a pleasure to me to write to you. You are always so considerate to save one trouble and I wish some other authors showed as much consideration for their publishers who imagine they have nothing to do but attend to their bantlings.
Always yours sincerely
(signed) W. Blackwood.
Mrs. Lewes.
Signature
(signed) W. Blackwood.
Citation
William Blackwood, William Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 13 August 1878, 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/95641