GE to John Blackwood, London, 11 September 1866
Title
GE to John Blackwood, London, 11 September 1866
Title
GE to John Blackwood, London, 11 September 1866
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1866-09-11
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to John Blackwood, London, 11 September 1866
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extract published: Cross, II, 444.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
September 11. 66.
My dear Sir
Mr. Lewes agrees entirely with you and Mr. Simpson in preferring the 2 volumes at 12/, and I have always thought that an attractive form. I shall look through Felix to see if there are any other corrections to be made besides one or two which I have already in my mind, and I will send them to Mr. Simpson. It vexes me that you have not sold all the three volumed copies, 528 but the librarians are so accustomed to get books almost for nothing that I suppose they are irritated with "people" who are determined to do business only in a genuine way. Mr. Chapman, of Chapman and Hall, told Mr. Lewes that W. Smith 529 said to him, "They are tearing us to pieces for Felix Holt." "Then why don't you get more copies?" "Why, do you know what we give for them? -- twenty-two and sixpence" (with slow emphasis). "Now," said Mr. Fred. Chapman, "I should do differently -- I should offer it at 15/s per copy, and they would take no end." Mr. Lewes said, "I think Blackwoods are right." 530 -- But one understands how, in the prevalent system, subscribers to libraries can get nineteen books they don't want, and can't get the twentieth which they do want. I am quite for trying a new experiment when we publish anything again -- if we can get Mr. Simpson's caution to consent.
We are feeling ourselves a comfortable old couple now our last boy has gone to take care of himself, and Mr. Lewes is certainly much better in health than he had been for many months before our journey.
I am glad to know that Dean Ramsay is a friend of yours. His sympathy was worth having, and I at once wrote to thank him. Another wonderfully lively old man -- Sir Henry Holland 531 -- came to see me about two Sundays ago, to bid me goodbye before going on an excursion to -- North America! -- and to tell me that he had just been re-reading Adam Bede for the fourth time. "I often read in it, you know, besides. But this is the fourth time quite through." I, of course, with the mother's egoism on behalf of the youngest born, was jealous for Felix. Is there any possibility of satisfying an author? But one or two things that George read out to me from an article in Macmillan's Magazine by Mr. Morley, 532 did satisfy me. And yet I sicken again with despondency under the sense that the most carefully written books lie, both outside and inside people's minds, deep undermost in a heap of trash. I suppose the reason my 6/ editions are never on the railway stalls is partly of the same kind that hinders the free distribution of Felix. They are not so attractive to the majority as "The Trail of the Serpent"; still a minority might sometimes buy them if they were there. My mind is not much molested by these things, but writing to you, I am betrayed into this gossip about my authorship's affairs.
I should have liked to be present at the scene of the currant tart and cholic. There is really a dramatic "point" in the terrible brevity of that answer -- "I've got one."
Always yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
John Blackwood Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extract published: Cross, II, 444.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
September 11. 66.
My dear Sir
Mr. Lewes agrees entirely with you and Mr. Simpson in preferring the 2 volumes at 12/, and I have always thought that an attractive form. I shall look through Felix to see if there are any other corrections to be made besides one or two which I have already in my mind, and I will send them to Mr. Simpson. It vexes me that you have not sold all the three volumed copies, 528 but the librarians are so accustomed to get books almost for nothing that I suppose they are irritated with "people" who are determined to do business only in a genuine way. Mr. Chapman, of Chapman and Hall, told Mr. Lewes that W. Smith 529 said to him, "They are tearing us to pieces for Felix Holt." "Then why don't you get more copies?" "Why, do you know what we give for them? -- twenty-two and sixpence" (with slow emphasis). "Now," said Mr. Fred. Chapman, "I should do differently -- I should offer it at 15/s per copy, and they would take no end." Mr. Lewes said, "I think Blackwoods are right." 530 -- But one understands how, in the prevalent system, subscribers to libraries can get nineteen books they don't want, and can't get the twentieth which they do want. I am quite for trying a new experiment when we publish anything again -- if we can get Mr. Simpson's caution to consent.
We are feeling ourselves a comfortable old couple now our last boy has gone to take care of himself, and Mr. Lewes is certainly much better in health than he had been for many months before our journey.
I am glad to know that Dean Ramsay is a friend of yours. His sympathy was worth having, and I at once wrote to thank him. Another wonderfully lively old man -- Sir Henry Holland 531 -- came to see me about two Sundays ago, to bid me goodbye before going on an excursion to -- North America! -- and to tell me that he had just been re-reading Adam Bede for the fourth time. "I often read in it, you know, besides. But this is the fourth time quite through." I, of course, with the mother's egoism on behalf of the youngest born, was jealous for Felix. Is there any possibility of satisfying an author? But one or two things that George read out to me from an article in Macmillan's Magazine by Mr. Morley, 532 did satisfy me. And yet I sicken again with despondency under the sense that the most carefully written books lie, both outside and inside people's minds, deep undermost in a heap of trash. I suppose the reason my 6/ editions are never on the railway stalls is partly of the same kind that hinders the free distribution of Felix. They are not so attractive to the majority as "The Trail of the Serpent"; still a minority might sometimes buy them if they were there. My mind is not much molested by these things, but writing to you, I am betrayed into this gossip about my authorship's affairs.
I should have liked to be present at the scene of the currant tart and cholic. There is really a dramatic "point" in the terrible brevity of that answer -- "I've got one."
Always yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
John Blackwood Esq.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to John Blackwood, London, 11 September 1866, 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/92601