John Blackwood to GE, London, 14 June 1857
Title
John Blackwood to GE, London, 14 June 1857
Title
John Blackwood to GE, London, 14 June 1857
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1857-06-14
Place
London
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, London, 14 June 1857
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Jermyn St. | June 14/57.
My Dear Sir
Your long and interesting letter of the 11th affords me much pleasure as it gives me great confidence that in spite of my objections to this first part of Janet's Repentance the Tale as it goes on will prove one of your best. Indeed the glimpse of what was coming in the last pages left this impression on my mind at first.
I do not fall in with George Eliots every day and the idea of stopping the Series as suggested in your letter gave me "quite a turn" to use one of Thackeray's favourite phrases. There is nothing in the part that can make me "afraid" to publish it. On the contrary no one can read it without being impressed by the ability and truth of the individual pictures, and I only wished to convey my fear that you are wasting power in sketching in so many figures who would not help on or add to the popularity of your story.
From the tone of this first part I do not think that it will be much liked, but you know what ground work you require, and when I have not seen the whole of your M.S. you must always take my remarks as those of one writing to some extent in the dark. I wish much now that I had the rest of your M.S. as I feel sure that it would enable me to write and heartily congratulate you upon a new success.
I liked the religious feeling in Gilfil much, and I am very glad to see what you say on that head in your letter. I feel sure that we shall agree in disliking canters of all creeds and respecting real religious feeling whatever form it takes. Send the proof direct to Edinburgh where I hope to be on Thursday.
I leave this "damned distracting Town" tomorrow morning and, many friends as I have in it, I am not sorry to get away. For the next two days I shall be in a remarkably rural district of Derbyshire and tell Lewes that while there I shall reread his literary Zouave friend's M.S. and write to him on the subject.
Thackeray was here today to say good bye to Mrs. Blackwood and had there not been some other parties in the room I would have read what you said about him, as I do not think it would have been otherwise than gratifying to the old Trojan.
In continuing to write for the Magazine I beg of all things that you will not consider yourself hampered in any way. Of course I will say when I think you are failing to produce the effect you intend or otherwise missing the mark, but unless you write entirely from the bent of your own genius or knowledge or observation it would not be worth my while to make any comments at all.
The cordial tone of your letters gives me great pleasure, and after reading your last I should have liked very much to have shaken hands with you and expressed the hope which I now write that there are many years of happy friendly and literary intercourse before us.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
To the Author of Clerical Scenes.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Jermyn St. | June 14/57.
My Dear Sir
Your long and interesting letter of the 11th affords me much pleasure as it gives me great confidence that in spite of my objections to this first part of Janet's Repentance the Tale as it goes on will prove one of your best. Indeed the glimpse of what was coming in the last pages left this impression on my mind at first.
I do not fall in with George Eliots every day and the idea of stopping the Series as suggested in your letter gave me "quite a turn" to use one of Thackeray's favourite phrases. There is nothing in the part that can make me "afraid" to publish it. On the contrary no one can read it without being impressed by the ability and truth of the individual pictures, and I only wished to convey my fear that you are wasting power in sketching in so many figures who would not help on or add to the popularity of your story.
From the tone of this first part I do not think that it will be much liked, but you know what ground work you require, and when I have not seen the whole of your M.S. you must always take my remarks as those of one writing to some extent in the dark. I wish much now that I had the rest of your M.S. as I feel sure that it would enable me to write and heartily congratulate you upon a new success.
I liked the religious feeling in Gilfil much, and I am very glad to see what you say on that head in your letter. I feel sure that we shall agree in disliking canters of all creeds and respecting real religious feeling whatever form it takes. Send the proof direct to Edinburgh where I hope to be on Thursday.
I leave this "damned distracting Town" tomorrow morning and, many friends as I have in it, I am not sorry to get away. For the next two days I shall be in a remarkably rural district of Derbyshire and tell Lewes that while there I shall reread his literary Zouave friend's M.S. and write to him on the subject.
Thackeray was here today to say good bye to Mrs. Blackwood and had there not been some other parties in the room I would have read what you said about him, as I do not think it would have been otherwise than gratifying to the old Trojan.
In continuing to write for the Magazine I beg of all things that you will not consider yourself hampered in any way. Of course I will say when I think you are failing to produce the effect you intend or otherwise missing the mark, but unless you write entirely from the bent of your own genius or knowledge or observation it would not be worth my while to make any comments at all.
The cordial tone of your letters gives me great pleasure, and after reading your last I should have liked very much to have shaken hands with you and expressed the hope which I now write that there are many years of happy friendly and literary intercourse before us.
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
To the Author of Clerical Scenes.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, London, 14 June 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/95305