GHL to John Blackwood, London, [27 February 1877]
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, [27 February 1877]
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, London, [27 February 1877]
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1877-02-27
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to John Blackwood, London, [27 February 1877]
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
Tuesday.
My dear Blackwood
For the last month I have been laid up by an attack of rheumatic gout, and as soon as I began to get about again -- though feebly -- Mrs. Lewes was laid low by a return of her old malady. She I am happy to say seems decidedly on the mend now, but has had a bad time of it. 613
In my wearisome seclusion from work and friends I read Dowden's article on Middlemarch and Deronda with intense gratification -- it made me regret the contretemps which had prevented his carrying out his idea of a book, and I dare say he might still be induced to resume that idea if you thought fit to nudge his elbow a little.
I also read Romola again with fresh delight. Mrs. Allingham is unable to undertake the illustrations, and we should both prefer the republication without anything more than a frontispiece.
I have been "dallying with the faint surmise" 614 of a new and uniform edition of the works of G.E. to begin with Romola -- to continue with Silas Marner -- with Brother Jacob and Lifted Veil. Each volume to be six shillings (except Silas -- Middlemarch and Deronda) -- the type of the present edition would do very well but a larger margin and a new cover, would disguise this. My belief is that the public is always attracted by a novelty -- be it only that of the binding! -- and that six shillings would be just as freely paid as 2/6 by a great many people. This need not interfere with the cheap edition. The main difficulty is about Deronda. When do you think we ought to issue the 7/6 edition? It would of course be made to range with the edition I speak of.
While Mrs. Henry Wood, Miss Braddon, Wilkie Collins 615 etc. sell their novels at 6/- surely G.E. may expect a public?
I send the corrected Romola by post. With our kindest regards to you and yours believe me
Yours ever
G. H. L.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
Tuesday.
My dear Blackwood
For the last month I have been laid up by an attack of rheumatic gout, and as soon as I began to get about again -- though feebly -- Mrs. Lewes was laid low by a return of her old malady. She I am happy to say seems decidedly on the mend now, but has had a bad time of it. 613
In my wearisome seclusion from work and friends I read Dowden's article on Middlemarch and Deronda with intense gratification -- it made me regret the contretemps which had prevented his carrying out his idea of a book, and I dare say he might still be induced to resume that idea if you thought fit to nudge his elbow a little.
I also read Romola again with fresh delight. Mrs. Allingham is unable to undertake the illustrations, and we should both prefer the republication without anything more than a frontispiece.
I have been "dallying with the faint surmise" 614 of a new and uniform edition of the works of G.E. to begin with Romola -- to continue with Silas Marner -- with Brother Jacob and Lifted Veil. Each volume to be six shillings (except Silas -- Middlemarch and Deronda) -- the type of the present edition would do very well but a larger margin and a new cover, would disguise this. My belief is that the public is always attracted by a novelty -- be it only that of the binding! -- and that six shillings would be just as freely paid as 2/6 by a great many people. This need not interfere with the cheap edition. The main difficulty is about Deronda. When do you think we ought to issue the 7/6 edition? It would of course be made to range with the edition I speak of.
While Mrs. Henry Wood, Miss Braddon, Wilkie Collins 615 etc. sell their novels at 6/- surely G.E. may expect a public?
I send the corrected Romola by post. With our kindest regards to you and yours believe me
Yours ever
G. H. L.
Signature
G. H. L.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to John Blackwood, London, [27 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/94649