GE to Alexander Macmillan, Blackbrook, 18 September 1873
Title
GE to Alexander Macmillan, Blackbrook, 18 September 1873
Title
GE to Alexander Macmillan, Blackbrook, 18 September 1873
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Alexander Macmillan
Date(s)
- 1873-09-18
Place
Blackbrook
Letter Content
GE to Alexander Macmillan, Blackbrook, 18 September 1873
MS: University of California Los Angeles. Partly published: V, 434.
Blackbrook | Bickley | Kent.
September 18. 73.
My dear Sir
I venture to send you as the publisher of our most successful books for boys, a M.S. story written by my friend Mrs. Charles Bray.
The want of some book placing duty to animals on the true basis of sympathy and written so as to rouse the interest of poorly-taught children, had been mentioned to me by several persons who are good judges on such a subject -- among the rest, by Mrs. Schwabe, who would be glad to get such a book translated into Italian for the benefit of the small Neapolitans who are great tormentors of smaller animals than themselves.
I therefore suggested to Mrs. C. Bray -- who has had abundant opportunity of observing what sort of narrative can win its way into rather stupid and ignorant young heads -- that she should try her hand at a longer story of the same kind as a certain short one which she had already written, and as a result she has just sent me the said M.S., which I have read through and have found interesting, as well as thoroughly sound in feeling.
Will you also, for the sake of that precious element in education which the story is meant to enforce, read it through and let me know whether you judge it to be of a kind suitable to appear in your list?
Possibly you may conclude that it would be more properly classed in a catalogue devoted to books for children and schools of the humbler sort. In this case you would perhaps be kind enough to advise me as to the most suitable publisher.
I remain, my dear Sir,
Yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
MS: University of California Los Angeles. Partly published: V, 434.
Blackbrook | Bickley | Kent.
September 18. 73.
My dear Sir
I venture to send you as the publisher of our most successful books for boys, a M.S. story written by my friend Mrs. Charles Bray.
The want of some book placing duty to animals on the true basis of sympathy and written so as to rouse the interest of poorly-taught children, had been mentioned to me by several persons who are good judges on such a subject -- among the rest, by Mrs. Schwabe, who would be glad to get such a book translated into Italian for the benefit of the small Neapolitans who are great tormentors of smaller animals than themselves.
I therefore suggested to Mrs. C. Bray -- who has had abundant opportunity of observing what sort of narrative can win its way into rather stupid and ignorant young heads -- that she should try her hand at a longer story of the same kind as a certain short one which she had already written, and as a result she has just sent me the said M.S., which I have read through and have found interesting, as well as thoroughly sound in feeling.
Will you also, for the sake of that precious element in education which the story is meant to enforce, read it through and let me know whether you judge it to be of a kind suitable to appear in your list?
Possibly you may conclude that it would be more properly classed in a catalogue devoted to books for children and schools of the humbler sort. In this case you would perhaps be kind enough to advise me as to the most suitable publisher.
I remain, my dear Sir,
Yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Alexander Macmillan, Blackbrook, 18 September 1873, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/91976