GE to William Allingham, London, 13 February 1877
Title
GE to William Allingham, London, 13 February 1877
Title
GE to William Allingham, London, 13 February 1877
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
William Allingham
Date(s)
- 1877-02-13
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to William Allingham, London, 13 February 1877
MS: Yale. Published: Letters to William Allingham, ed. H. Allingham and E. Baumer Williams, 1911, pp. 177-178.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
February 13. 77.
Dear Mr. Allingham
I don't know how far Mrs. Allingham may be able to think of business just now, so I address you on a subject which directly concerns her, that you may communicate or reserve it according to circumstances.
Mr. Blackwood is going to include [Romola] in the cheap edition of my books (Smith and Elder having only the right to continue its publication in the one format which they have finally chosen), and as that edition has unhappily made for itself the precedent of [illustrations] it is needful to get for [Romola] two drawings from the story and a vignette for the title-page, in correspondence with the other volumes.
I mentioned to Mr. Blackwood my wish that, if it were possible, the desired drawings should be executed by Mrs. Allingham, and he has asked me to ascertain for him whether she can consent to undertake this minor work and also whether her professional charges would come within the publisher's economical calculations for a 3/6 book.
If Mrs. Allingham wished to avoid the subjects chosen by Mr. Leighton, I trust that it would not be impossible to find two additional scenes sufficiently pictorial. Miss Martineau 607 I believe made a pretty thing out of Romola finding little Lillo on the sunshiny pavement. But her picture was not memorable enough to make a reason against repeating the subject.
However, on all these points Mrs. Allingham is the only proper judge, if she chooses to trouble herself about the matter. There is no immediate hurry for the drawings, as the book has to be printed.
We are full of sympathy with you under that exasperating affair of the [Echo.] 608 It is certainly worse to have letters forged for one than opinions. But this latter injury happens to people every week. The other, I should have thought, might be brought under the head of libel by a sufficiently ingenious judge.
Always yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
MS: Yale. Published: Letters to William Allingham, ed. H. Allingham and E. Baumer Williams, 1911, pp. 177-178.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
February 13. 77.
Dear Mr. Allingham
I don't know how far Mrs. Allingham may be able to think of business just now, so I address you on a subject which directly concerns her, that you may communicate or reserve it according to circumstances.
Mr. Blackwood is going to include [Romola] in the cheap edition of my books (Smith and Elder having only the right to continue its publication in the one format which they have finally chosen), and as that edition has unhappily made for itself the precedent of [illustrations] it is needful to get for [Romola] two drawings from the story and a vignette for the title-page, in correspondence with the other volumes.
I mentioned to Mr. Blackwood my wish that, if it were possible, the desired drawings should be executed by Mrs. Allingham, and he has asked me to ascertain for him whether she can consent to undertake this minor work and also whether her professional charges would come within the publisher's economical calculations for a 3/6 book.
If Mrs. Allingham wished to avoid the subjects chosen by Mr. Leighton, I trust that it would not be impossible to find two additional scenes sufficiently pictorial. Miss Martineau 607 I believe made a pretty thing out of Romola finding little Lillo on the sunshiny pavement. But her picture was not memorable enough to make a reason against repeating the subject.
However, on all these points Mrs. Allingham is the only proper judge, if she chooses to trouble herself about the matter. There is no immediate hurry for the drawings, as the book has to be printed.
We are full of sympathy with you under that exasperating affair of the [Echo.] 608 It is certainly worse to have letters forged for one than opinions. But this latter injury happens to people every week. The other, I should have thought, might be brought under the head of libel by a sufficiently ingenious judge.
Always yours sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to William Allingham, London, 13 February 1877, 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/94170