GE to William Blackwood, London, 17 December 1879
Title
GE to William Blackwood, London, 17 December 1879
Title
GE to William Blackwood, London, 17 December 1879
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
William Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1879-12-17
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to William Blackwood, London, 17 December 1879
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
December 17. 79.
My dear Mr. William
The M.S. of Theophrastus came yesterday afternoon in its beautiful fragrant binding which corresponds with the Deronda and Middlemarch. I feel very much your kind attention to this matter among your many cares and am greatly obliged to you.
General Hamley came to see me last Sunday and while we were alone we began to talk of you and your present responsibilities, but before we had ended our talk some one else came in. 348 He is only one of the many excellent friends you possess, whose sympathy is likely to be practically useful. Among the good auguries I should desire for Maga would be the avoidance of easily written criticism -- a writing about and about, in place of giving an account of books. I think that mere criticism unless it be of the very highest order is the least beneficent of all writing, stimulating the practice of ignorant lazy judgment apart from any genuine impression. Excuse this gratuitous delivery of opinion. I am led to it by my constant conviction that the perpetual swallowing of criticism instead of knowledge is the curse of the time -- no better than the Tartar fashion of swallowing a paper prescription instead of curative juices.
Thank you for mentioning that Mrs. John Blackwood is a little better. I am wonderfully well, considering the sharp transitions of the weather. I hope you will keep strong and be able to send me good news of yourself.
Yours always sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
December 17. 79.
My dear Mr. William
The M.S. of Theophrastus came yesterday afternoon in its beautiful fragrant binding which corresponds with the Deronda and Middlemarch. I feel very much your kind attention to this matter among your many cares and am greatly obliged to you.
General Hamley came to see me last Sunday and while we were alone we began to talk of you and your present responsibilities, but before we had ended our talk some one else came in. 348 He is only one of the many excellent friends you possess, whose sympathy is likely to be practically useful. Among the good auguries I should desire for Maga would be the avoidance of easily written criticism -- a writing about and about, in place of giving an account of books. I think that mere criticism unless it be of the very highest order is the least beneficent of all writing, stimulating the practice of ignorant lazy judgment apart from any genuine impression. Excuse this gratuitous delivery of opinion. I am led to it by my constant conviction that the perpetual swallowing of criticism instead of knowledge is the curse of the time -- no better than the Tartar fashion of swallowing a paper prescription instead of curative juices.
Thank you for mentioning that Mrs. John Blackwood is a little better. I am wonderfully well, considering the sharp transitions of the weather. I hope you will keep strong and be able to send me good news of yourself.
Yours always sincerely
M. E. Lewes.
Signature
M. E. Lewes.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to William Blackwood, London, 17 December 1879, 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/94190