John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 28 October 1857
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 28 October 1857
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 28 October 1857
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1857-10-28
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 28 October 1857
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh | October 28/57.
My Dear Sir
I fear you will think me rather dilatory in answering your last letter. The explanation is that the past week has been what are called "The Preachings" 993 here which cut so seriously into business hours that there is no time in the Printing Office for anything but works of necessity and mercy, foremost among which of course I reckon The Magazine.
I have now however had a regular calculation made of "The Scenes" and see that they will make 2 post 8'b0ree; volumes of about 400 pages each to sell for 21/. The page will be rather sparser than I like but that cannot be helped. I wish the Series had been long enough to make the statutory 3 vols. as that would have afforded time to fix your reputation more firmly and familiarly in the public mind and given the reprint a better chance of a start at first. With this view I would have suggested a prolongation of the Series had I not thoroughly agreed in the opinion that you require a broader canvass and freedom from the trammels of your Clerical Title.
The chances of a permanent or extended sale for the Scenes must be in one volume at a moderate price, so we propose to make the first edition a short one of 750 copies and for this I beg to offer you £120. According to our calculation this is a little less than 'bd the clear profit supposing we sell the whole edition, which of course is no certainty. We have hesitated whether to make the edition 1000 994 but on the whole we think the short number the best plan as it is a desperate nuisance to be stranded with 4 or 500 copies of a book which we feel would sell better in a cheaper form.
As to the copyright of the book I wrote before publication 995 commenced saying I should consider that we had an interest in it to the extent of one half, and as a general principle this is what I think we are entitled to unless in the case of authors of very firmly established reputation whose works are sure to command an audience and an extensive sale in what ever form they are published.
I did not recollect that Lewes had mentioned your wish to retain the Copyright, but I at once agree to it and in the event of future editions, of which may there be many, I daresay we will have no difficulty in arranging about them as pleasantly as we have been able to settle everything in our intercourse hitherto.
Inclosed I have the pleasure of sending a cheque £30 in acknowledgment of the last part of Janet. I shall miss the series very much but I trust soon to see you in the field with your new Tale. Pray let me know if you begin to make way. Believe me
ever yours truly
John Blackwood.
George Eliot Esq.
P.S. Your motto is very applicable. Has it not been used before as a motto? I hope to be able to write to Lewes today with a sheet of his book but if I do not, I shall tomorrow.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Edinburgh | October 28/57.
My Dear Sir
I fear you will think me rather dilatory in answering your last letter. The explanation is that the past week has been what are called "The Preachings" 993 here which cut so seriously into business hours that there is no time in the Printing Office for anything but works of necessity and mercy, foremost among which of course I reckon The Magazine.
I have now however had a regular calculation made of "The Scenes" and see that they will make 2 post 8'b0ree; volumes of about 400 pages each to sell for 21/. The page will be rather sparser than I like but that cannot be helped. I wish the Series had been long enough to make the statutory 3 vols. as that would have afforded time to fix your reputation more firmly and familiarly in the public mind and given the reprint a better chance of a start at first. With this view I would have suggested a prolongation of the Series had I not thoroughly agreed in the opinion that you require a broader canvass and freedom from the trammels of your Clerical Title.
The chances of a permanent or extended sale for the Scenes must be in one volume at a moderate price, so we propose to make the first edition a short one of 750 copies and for this I beg to offer you £120. According to our calculation this is a little less than 'bd the clear profit supposing we sell the whole edition, which of course is no certainty. We have hesitated whether to make the edition 1000 994 but on the whole we think the short number the best plan as it is a desperate nuisance to be stranded with 4 or 500 copies of a book which we feel would sell better in a cheaper form.
As to the copyright of the book I wrote before publication 995 commenced saying I should consider that we had an interest in it to the extent of one half, and as a general principle this is what I think we are entitled to unless in the case of authors of very firmly established reputation whose works are sure to command an audience and an extensive sale in what ever form they are published.
I did not recollect that Lewes had mentioned your wish to retain the Copyright, but I at once agree to it and in the event of future editions, of which may there be many, I daresay we will have no difficulty in arranging about them as pleasantly as we have been able to settle everything in our intercourse hitherto.
Inclosed I have the pleasure of sending a cheque £30 in acknowledgment of the last part of Janet. I shall miss the series very much but I trust soon to see you in the field with your new Tale. Pray let me know if you begin to make way. Believe me
ever yours truly
John Blackwood.
George Eliot Esq.
P.S. Your motto is very applicable. Has it not been used before as a motto? I hope to be able to write to Lewes today with a sheet of his book but if I do not, I shall tomorrow.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 28 October 1857, 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/95255