John Blackwood to GE, Arbury, 2-4 December 1859
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Arbury, 2-4 December 1859
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Arbury, 2-4 December 1859
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1859-12-02–<br /> 1859-12-04
Place
Arbury
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Arbury, 2-4 December 1859
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Arbury December 2/59.
My Dear Madam
Your letter reached me yesterday morning a few minutes before starting for this place. There has been a misunderstanding on both sides and I am glad you have so written that I hope it can be cleared away and leave nothing but our long continued and cordial correspondence to think of. I am much vexed that anything I may have said or left unsaid should have hurt your feelings for a moment.
From not referring more specifically to your letter from Weymouth when I made our offer I suspect I had not your letter beside me, and our offer, subject to any modifications we might mutually agree upon, was more than we would have proposed as a certainty separate from publication in the Magazine. I cannot think what I said in any way depreciatory of the new novel as my proposition showed my confidence in it by wishing to publish in the way which would most surely make it stand on its own merits and by which the publisher ran the greatest risk. As to proposing that the Tale should be anonymous in the Magazine, it is our usual custom and is I think the wisest plan. We departed from it in the case of My Novel and What Will as they were a sort of series and Sir Edward wished Pisistratus to be prefixed to them. 413 I now see how with your susceptibilities painfully excited by your persecution the proposition might fall disagreeably upon you and I wish I had said more than I did in explanation.
I regretted the partial removal of the incognito but I never thought of ceasing to be your publisher on that account nor did I dream that such an idea would ever occur to you. 414 As to the effect of the spread of the secret on the new book there must be, and I know there are, different opinions. My opinion is that George Eliot has only to write her book quietly without disturbing herself about what people are saying and she can command success.
As to our not writing to the Times I think Lewes and you might give the Major and me more credit for knowing when it is worth while to speak on a matter of business affecting your interests or our own. I had written to Lewes twice expressing my opinion that it was better to let the rubbish die a natural death and adding that I would consult legal and literary friends whom afterwards I found still more strongly of the same opinion. I thought that the book had so died, and Lewes might have written to me further after my first notes as you were so bent on doing something. You have no idea what a bitter pill it was to me to write a civil note to that hound the editor of the Athenaeum, and I do not think you could have refrained from laughing had you heard the expletives with which the composition of the note was accompanied. I wrote it because I thought it might satisfy you and, the advertisement giving the ground, it seemed the most natural place for attaining the object without causing a fuss which I am sure it was desirable in every way to avoid.
I intend to be in London on Monday night and will be free on Wednesday or Thursday as may best suit Lewes and you. If we cannot agree in our opinions as to a fair sum for Maggie possibly we may arrange some plan for a certain payment in the first instance and further instalments according to the sale of the book.
It gives me pleasure to know from your last letter that I was mistaken as to the spirit of your reply to our offer and to think that your feeling is the same as my brother's and my own, that a connection which has gone on so pleasantly and advantageously to both parties should not be broken if it can be avoided.
December 4. The above was written on Friday when I found myself too late for the post, but my note to Lewes would warn you that you could not hear from me at once.
I need not describe this fine quaint old place to you, of all people in the world. Our hosts are very kind. Newdegate who is, as I daresay you know, tolerably persistent, insisted on my hunting yesterday. I had not hunted for some 10 years and intended merely to look on, but of course when the noise began forgot all prudence. However I was splendidly mounted and came to no grief, enjoying it much. Today I am stiff as a post horn and like Mr. Squeers can hardly hold a pen in my hand. 415 Our hosts are very kind people. 416
Address to me at the Cavendish, Jermyn St. and believe me, Dear Madam,
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
Mrs. Lewes.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Arbury December 2/59.
My Dear Madam
Your letter reached me yesterday morning a few minutes before starting for this place. There has been a misunderstanding on both sides and I am glad you have so written that I hope it can be cleared away and leave nothing but our long continued and cordial correspondence to think of. I am much vexed that anything I may have said or left unsaid should have hurt your feelings for a moment.
From not referring more specifically to your letter from Weymouth when I made our offer I suspect I had not your letter beside me, and our offer, subject to any modifications we might mutually agree upon, was more than we would have proposed as a certainty separate from publication in the Magazine. I cannot think what I said in any way depreciatory of the new novel as my proposition showed my confidence in it by wishing to publish in the way which would most surely make it stand on its own merits and by which the publisher ran the greatest risk. As to proposing that the Tale should be anonymous in the Magazine, it is our usual custom and is I think the wisest plan. We departed from it in the case of My Novel and What Will as they were a sort of series and Sir Edward wished Pisistratus to be prefixed to them. 413 I now see how with your susceptibilities painfully excited by your persecution the proposition might fall disagreeably upon you and I wish I had said more than I did in explanation.
I regretted the partial removal of the incognito but I never thought of ceasing to be your publisher on that account nor did I dream that such an idea would ever occur to you. 414 As to the effect of the spread of the secret on the new book there must be, and I know there are, different opinions. My opinion is that George Eliot has only to write her book quietly without disturbing herself about what people are saying and she can command success.
As to our not writing to the Times I think Lewes and you might give the Major and me more credit for knowing when it is worth while to speak on a matter of business affecting your interests or our own. I had written to Lewes twice expressing my opinion that it was better to let the rubbish die a natural death and adding that I would consult legal and literary friends whom afterwards I found still more strongly of the same opinion. I thought that the book had so died, and Lewes might have written to me further after my first notes as you were so bent on doing something. You have no idea what a bitter pill it was to me to write a civil note to that hound the editor of the Athenaeum, and I do not think you could have refrained from laughing had you heard the expletives with which the composition of the note was accompanied. I wrote it because I thought it might satisfy you and, the advertisement giving the ground, it seemed the most natural place for attaining the object without causing a fuss which I am sure it was desirable in every way to avoid.
I intend to be in London on Monday night and will be free on Wednesday or Thursday as may best suit Lewes and you. If we cannot agree in our opinions as to a fair sum for Maggie possibly we may arrange some plan for a certain payment in the first instance and further instalments according to the sale of the book.
It gives me pleasure to know from your last letter that I was mistaken as to the spirit of your reply to our offer and to think that your feeling is the same as my brother's and my own, that a connection which has gone on so pleasantly and advantageously to both parties should not be broken if it can be avoided.
December 4. The above was written on Friday when I found myself too late for the post, but my note to Lewes would warn you that you could not hear from me at once.
I need not describe this fine quaint old place to you, of all people in the world. Our hosts are very kind. Newdegate who is, as I daresay you know, tolerably persistent, insisted on my hunting yesterday. I had not hunted for some 10 years and intended merely to look on, but of course when the noise began forgot all prudence. However I was splendidly mounted and came to no grief, enjoying it much. Today I am stiff as a post horn and like Mr. Squeers can hardly hold a pen in my hand. 415 Our hosts are very kind people. 416
Address to me at the Cavendish, Jermyn St. and believe me, Dear Madam,
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
Mrs. Lewes.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Arbury, 2-4 December 1859, 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/95161