John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 January 1857
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 January 1857
Title
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 January 1857
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1857-01-30
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 January 1857
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extracts published: M. Blind, George Eliot, 1883, p. 96, and William Blackwood, II, 437-438.
Edinburgh | January 30/57.
My Dear Amos
I have the pleasure of sending to the care of our friend Mr. Lewes a copy of the February number of the Magazine containing the conclusion of the history of the poor parson. A good many people will be disappointed at finding his history so speedily wound up, but I trust that you will quickly do away with any such regrets by sending me down an assistant and successor who shall eclipse the worthy Curate of Shepperton.
The public is a very curious animal and those who are most accustomed to feel its pulse know best how difficult it is to tell what will hit the bull's eye, but I shall be much astonished if the death of Milly does not go to the hearts of all readers. It is a most touching death bed scene.
Critics are a good deal divided about the first part of Amos, but they generally are about anything of real merit. Some of my friends praise it very much; others condemn. I was rather startled by two of my familiars -- about the best men going -- declaring dead against Amos. They have rather modified their opinions now and I think may probably end by agreeing with me. They were the first men who had seen the Magazine after it was published and finding two such lads against me it required all the self reliance, without which an Editor would be the most miserable dog alive, to make me feel quite easy and satisfied that
I was right. With one of them, Colonel Hamley, 787 I do not recollect of ever differing in opinion before. He thought the Author very possibly a man of Science but not a practised writer. The idea of a man of Science had occurred to me before from some of the illustrations.
I forget whether I told you or Lewes that I had shown part of the M.S. to Thackeray. He was staying with me 788 and, having been out at dinner, came in about eleven o'clock when I had just finished your M.S. and was busy talking about it to Mrs. Blackwood. I said to him "Do you know I think I have lighted upon a new Author who is uncommonly like a first class passenger." I showed him a page or two, I think the passage where the Curate returns home and Milly is first introduced. 789 He would not pronounce whether it came up to my ideas but remarked afterwards that he would have liked to have read more, which I thought a good sign. The Newspapers generally have I think been very favourable, but I do not attach very much weight to what they say until they catch the general echo.
Hoping soon to hear from you with M.S. and, with remembrances to Lewes, I am
yours very truly
John Blackwood.
To the Author of Amos Barton.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Extracts published: M. Blind, George Eliot, 1883, p. 96, and William Blackwood, II, 437-438.
Edinburgh | January 30/57.
My Dear Amos
I have the pleasure of sending to the care of our friend Mr. Lewes a copy of the February number of the Magazine containing the conclusion of the history of the poor parson. A good many people will be disappointed at finding his history so speedily wound up, but I trust that you will quickly do away with any such regrets by sending me down an assistant and successor who shall eclipse the worthy Curate of Shepperton.
The public is a very curious animal and those who are most accustomed to feel its pulse know best how difficult it is to tell what will hit the bull's eye, but I shall be much astonished if the death of Milly does not go to the hearts of all readers. It is a most touching death bed scene.
Critics are a good deal divided about the first part of Amos, but they generally are about anything of real merit. Some of my friends praise it very much; others condemn. I was rather startled by two of my familiars -- about the best men going -- declaring dead against Amos. They have rather modified their opinions now and I think may probably end by agreeing with me. They were the first men who had seen the Magazine after it was published and finding two such lads against me it required all the self reliance, without which an Editor would be the most miserable dog alive, to make me feel quite easy and satisfied that
I was right. With one of them, Colonel Hamley, 787 I do not recollect of ever differing in opinion before. He thought the Author very possibly a man of Science but not a practised writer. The idea of a man of Science had occurred to me before from some of the illustrations.
I forget whether I told you or Lewes that I had shown part of the M.S. to Thackeray. He was staying with me 788 and, having been out at dinner, came in about eleven o'clock when I had just finished your M.S. and was busy talking about it to Mrs. Blackwood. I said to him "Do you know I think I have lighted upon a new Author who is uncommonly like a first class passenger." I showed him a page or two, I think the passage where the Curate returns home and Milly is first introduced. 789 He would not pronounce whether it came up to my ideas but remarked afterwards that he would have liked to have read more, which I thought a good sign. The Newspapers generally have I think been very favourable, but I do not attach very much weight to what they say until they catch the general echo.
Hoping soon to hear from you with M.S. and, with remembrances to Lewes, I am
yours very truly
John Blackwood.
To the Author of Amos Barton.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, Edinburgh, 30 January 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/95270