John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 17 May 1868
Title
John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 17 May 1868
Title
John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 17 May 1868
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1868-05-17
Place
St. Andrews
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 17 May 1868
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Strathtyrum | St. Andrews | N.B.
May 17/68.
My Dear Madam
I am glad you stated your doubts about the terms proposed for The Spanish Gypsy and I can readily understand your surprise at the larger terms per 1000 that we were able to offer for Silas Marner, but the difference is easily explainable. The calculations for Silas were made for the immediate sale of a much larger number. The printing of The Gypsy for 2000 costs about a third more than Silas, the paper above a third more, the binding above a third more, and the advertising we calculate should be more than double what we allowed for Silas. Our rough calculation was that selling 2000 of The Gypsy the profit to us would be a little over £100.
I confess that I was myself disappointed at the smallness of the result, but on looking into the matter I do not see how much difference could be made in our offer, and I hope this explanation will be satisfactory to you. From the way in which the book is got up it would bear 14/- as selling price, but I do not think it would be wise to make it more than the 12/6.
I have been looking into the Poem very often and I am more and more convinced that you have achieved a great and permanent success. I think I like the opening and the end best, but every other page throughout arrests one and discloses something new each time. I am writing a line to Lewes to whom I will explain how I have not written sooner.
Wishing all success for your debut as a Poet, I am
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
Mrs. Lewes.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Strathtyrum | St. Andrews | N.B.
May 17/68.
My Dear Madam
I am glad you stated your doubts about the terms proposed for The Spanish Gypsy and I can readily understand your surprise at the larger terms per 1000 that we were able to offer for Silas Marner, but the difference is easily explainable. The calculations for Silas were made for the immediate sale of a much larger number. The printing of The Gypsy for 2000 costs about a third more than Silas, the paper above a third more, the binding above a third more, and the advertising we calculate should be more than double what we allowed for Silas. Our rough calculation was that selling 2000 of The Gypsy the profit to us would be a little over £100.
I confess that I was myself disappointed at the smallness of the result, but on looking into the matter I do not see how much difference could be made in our offer, and I hope this explanation will be satisfactory to you. From the way in which the book is got up it would bear 14/- as selling price, but I do not think it would be wise to make it more than the 12/6.
I have been looking into the Poem very often and I am more and more convinced that you have achieved a great and permanent success. I think I like the opening and the end best, but every other page throughout arrests one and discloses something new each time. I am writing a line to Lewes to whom I will explain how I have not written sooner.
Wishing all success for your debut as a Poet, I am
always yours truly
John Blackwood.
Mrs. Lewes.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 17 May 1868, 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/95325