John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 14 January 1876
Title
John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 14 January 1876
Title
John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 14 January 1876
Sender
John Blackwood
Recipient
George Henry Lewes
Date(s)
- 1876-01-14
Place
Edinburgh
Letter Content
John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 14 January 1876
Text: Copy in Blackwood Letter Book. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street | Edinburgh January 14/76.
My Dear Lewes
We have today telegraphed to Harper's according to your instructions asking them whether they wished the publication of Deronda postponed until March. We did not do so in Telegram we sent on Wednesday as our doing so seemed merely suggesting this awkward step to them. I hope sincerely they will not propose the delay and if they reflect I hardly think they will.
I am excessively vexed that the proofs had not been sent at the time, but unless Harper's were going to publish long before the end of the month the delay can only cause a very trifling inconvenience. Their note too does not seem to indicate anything more than inconvenience and I think you are troubling yourself too much about the matter.
I do not think you reflect sufficiently upon the extreme danger of a copy getting afloat too early in that country where I suppose it could be reprinted in all directions. However I have sent off part today as you direct. I am sorry they are going to publish Deronda in their Magazine 386 as there will be greater difficulty in keeping it out of this country than if it appeared as an independent publication.
Hoping that this little trouble will blow over pleasantly and not interfere with the launch of the goodly ship, I am
ever yours truly
(Signed) John Blackwood.
Frost has come back upon us and really I think it agrees better with my cold than the milder weather.
Text: Copy in Blackwood Letter Book. Hitherto unpublished.
George Street | Edinburgh January 14/76.
My Dear Lewes
We have today telegraphed to Harper's according to your instructions asking them whether they wished the publication of Deronda postponed until March. We did not do so in Telegram we sent on Wednesday as our doing so seemed merely suggesting this awkward step to them. I hope sincerely they will not propose the delay and if they reflect I hardly think they will.
I am excessively vexed that the proofs had not been sent at the time, but unless Harper's were going to publish long before the end of the month the delay can only cause a very trifling inconvenience. Their note too does not seem to indicate anything more than inconvenience and I think you are troubling yourself too much about the matter.
I do not think you reflect sufficiently upon the extreme danger of a copy getting afloat too early in that country where I suppose it could be reprinted in all directions. However I have sent off part today as you direct. I am sorry they are going to publish Deronda in their Magazine 386 as there will be greater difficulty in keeping it out of this country than if it appeared as an independent publication.
Hoping that this little trouble will blow over pleasantly and not interfere with the launch of the goodly ship, I am
ever yours truly
(Signed) John Blackwood.
Frost has come back upon us and really I think it agrees better with my cold than the milder weather.
Signature
(Signed) John Blackwood.
Citation
John Blackwood, John Blackwood to GHL, Edinburgh, 14 January 1876, 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/95365