John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 29 September 1878
Title
John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 29 September 1878
Title
John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 29 September 1878
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Eliot
Date(s)
- 1878-09-29
Place
St. Andrews
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 29 September 1878
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
Strathtyrum | St. Andrews | N.B.
September 29/78.
My Dear Mrs. Lewes
Your kind letter is most welcome and it touches me much to think of your cordial feeling about me. I am truly thankful to say that my health has gone on improving all summer and after having been so ill as I was it is an enjoyment to be able to walk twice round the Links without halting and panting behind my old companions as was the case with me when I came here at the end of June. I wish much that your letter gave me a better account of the health of both of you. My friend Mr. Lucas Collins went from here to Braemar and found your friend Andrew Clark there practising what he preached as to Scotch Air. I hope that your Doctor will send you also to Scotland next year. When I get a letter from you it is curious that I feel as if you knew all the ways of this house as well as our most frequent guests and by this time next year I hope you will know them practically. We have had a magnificent summer as to weather and have been very fortunate in our guests despite the blank in our expectations that you were compelled to make. Julian Sturgis was here. He is a fine fellow and talked much of you. I am greatly taken with a little thing he has written this month "Fire Flies." Will you let me know what you think of it and also of The New Ordeal. 135
This has been the Golf Meeting Week as you will see from the Field. Scot's patriotism was rather upset by some Saxons from Westward Ho who beat several of our most famous Golf Champions. Yesterday afternoon however at the close of the Meeting Scotland as usual showed she had "a man as good" by producing "a couple of Lambs" two noble brothers with the purest and most undefiled Scotch accent who beat the Devonshire champions. I walked round with the match trembling for the honour of Scotland. There was an Exodus from St. Andrews yesterday of sorrowing golfers waving their handkerchiefs from every train to their happier friends who were still left upon the Links. This house too was partially cleared but any blank was soon made up by the goodly presence of Principal Tulloch who arrived between 8 and 9 last night. Willie and his sister, Miss Blandford and Jamie White too are still here so it is not exactly a solitude.
My daughter has had her full share of dancing fun at the Inverness Meeting on the previous week where reels are danced madly and here the same kind of thing was going on. I am sleeping so beautifully that I never heard them come in at 4 in the morning although they made noise enough to rouse Abou Hassan. 136 Coming from Inverness on the Highland Line Mary distinguished herself by the polite information she gave to an English Traveller. To his asking the name of the mountains she replied with great sweetness "There are many mountains about here and they have no particular names." Soon after a fellow with an accent in the opposite corner of the carriage remarked to his companion "I never saw Ben Mac Dhui 137 lookin' better." She ought to have been covered with confusion but I fear could not resist laughing.
Jack is well and since he has been in the Fife Militia has a most decidedly military appearance. The Truefit of St. Andrews cutting my hair the other morning remarked "That feather is a sore trouble to Mr. John." I suppose some rebellious hairs on my head made him think of this hereditary taint. My world renowned Caddie from Musselburgh who signs himself "Commonly called Fiery" was over here for the Meeting Week. His parting from me was graceful. "I met Mrs. Blackwood ridin' on her horse. I am ra'al pleased to see ye baith lookin' sae weel."
The news from India is very grave and there is no Peace anywhere. I hope our friend in India has a good adviser along side of him. He is very dependant on that. The short reign of John Forster broke up my intimacy with him and had it lasted we would have come to a quarrel.
Your Books will form part of History so you need not think them small whatever wars may be going on. The sale of the cheap edition of your Novels is going on steadily and for the Cabinet Edition I think we shall have a good demand when we are able to sell it complete. Willie tells me they are ready in the printing office for the additional matter you propose for the second volume of poetry so will you send it to Edinburgh. He joins me in best remembrances to Lewes and you and believe me
ever yours Truly
John Blackwood.
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
Strathtyrum | St. Andrews | N.B.
September 29/78.
My Dear Mrs. Lewes
Your kind letter is most welcome and it touches me much to think of your cordial feeling about me. I am truly thankful to say that my health has gone on improving all summer and after having been so ill as I was it is an enjoyment to be able to walk twice round the Links without halting and panting behind my old companions as was the case with me when I came here at the end of June. I wish much that your letter gave me a better account of the health of both of you. My friend Mr. Lucas Collins went from here to Braemar and found your friend Andrew Clark there practising what he preached as to Scotch Air. I hope that your Doctor will send you also to Scotland next year. When I get a letter from you it is curious that I feel as if you knew all the ways of this house as well as our most frequent guests and by this time next year I hope you will know them practically. We have had a magnificent summer as to weather and have been very fortunate in our guests despite the blank in our expectations that you were compelled to make. Julian Sturgis was here. He is a fine fellow and talked much of you. I am greatly taken with a little thing he has written this month "Fire Flies." Will you let me know what you think of it and also of The New Ordeal. 135
This has been the Golf Meeting Week as you will see from the Field. Scot's patriotism was rather upset by some Saxons from Westward Ho who beat several of our most famous Golf Champions. Yesterday afternoon however at the close of the Meeting Scotland as usual showed she had "a man as good" by producing "a couple of Lambs" two noble brothers with the purest and most undefiled Scotch accent who beat the Devonshire champions. I walked round with the match trembling for the honour of Scotland. There was an Exodus from St. Andrews yesterday of sorrowing golfers waving their handkerchiefs from every train to their happier friends who were still left upon the Links. This house too was partially cleared but any blank was soon made up by the goodly presence of Principal Tulloch who arrived between 8 and 9 last night. Willie and his sister, Miss Blandford and Jamie White too are still here so it is not exactly a solitude.
My daughter has had her full share of dancing fun at the Inverness Meeting on the previous week where reels are danced madly and here the same kind of thing was going on. I am sleeping so beautifully that I never heard them come in at 4 in the morning although they made noise enough to rouse Abou Hassan. 136 Coming from Inverness on the Highland Line Mary distinguished herself by the polite information she gave to an English Traveller. To his asking the name of the mountains she replied with great sweetness "There are many mountains about here and they have no particular names." Soon after a fellow with an accent in the opposite corner of the carriage remarked to his companion "I never saw Ben Mac Dhui 137 lookin' better." She ought to have been covered with confusion but I fear could not resist laughing.
Jack is well and since he has been in the Fife Militia has a most decidedly military appearance. The Truefit of St. Andrews cutting my hair the other morning remarked "That feather is a sore trouble to Mr. John." I suppose some rebellious hairs on my head made him think of this hereditary taint. My world renowned Caddie from Musselburgh who signs himself "Commonly called Fiery" was over here for the Meeting Week. His parting from me was graceful. "I met Mrs. Blackwood ridin' on her horse. I am ra'al pleased to see ye baith lookin' sae weel."
The news from India is very grave and there is no Peace anywhere. I hope our friend in India has a good adviser along side of him. He is very dependant on that. The short reign of John Forster broke up my intimacy with him and had it lasted we would have come to a quarrel.
Your Books will form part of History so you need not think them small whatever wars may be going on. The sale of the cheap edition of your Novels is going on steadily and for the Cabinet Edition I think we shall have a good demand when we are able to sell it complete. Willie tells me they are ready in the printing office for the additional matter you propose for the second volume of poetry so will you send it to Edinburgh. He joins me in best remembrances to Lewes and you and believe me
ever yours Truly
John Blackwood.
Signature
John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GE, St. Andrews, 29 September 1878, 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/95336