Chapman, John (1821-1894)
Title
Chapman, John (1821-1894)
Description
John Chapman owned various publishing businesses and after meeting George Eliot through their mutual friends, the Brays, he convinced her to join him in editing the Westminster Review in 1851. She had already won his admiration through her translation of D.H. Strauss' Das Leben Jesu, which was published anonymously through one of Chapman's earlier forays into publication. In addition, Eliot had also published 'Poetry and Prose from the Notebook of an Eccentric' serially in the Coventry Herald and Observer.
Eliot boarded at Chapman's home when she first moved to London to work for the Review and may have had a brief affair with him, to the irritation of Chapman's wife and mistress. After a short period during which she returned to Coventry, Chapman convinced her to return to his London home, apparently promising that their relationship would henceforth be strictly professional.
A testament to their close friendship, Chapman was one of the few people Eliot told about her relationship with Lewes before leaving for Germany with him. In the years of George Eliot's rising fame, Chapman pushed to discover and then revealed to others that Mary Ann Evans was actually George Eliot, the secret author of Adam Bede. This betrayal drew the ire of Lewes and others who had gone to great lengths to protect Eliot's identity from a biased and harshly judgmental public.
Eliot boarded at Chapman's home when she first moved to London to work for the Review and may have had a brief affair with him, to the irritation of Chapman's wife and mistress. After a short period during which she returned to Coventry, Chapman convinced her to return to his London home, apparently promising that their relationship would henceforth be strictly professional.
A testament to their close friendship, Chapman was one of the few people Eliot told about her relationship with Lewes before leaving for Germany with him. In the years of George Eliot's rising fame, Chapman pushed to discover and then revealed to others that Mary Ann Evans was actually George Eliot, the secret author of Adam Bede. This betrayal drew the ire of Lewes and others who had gone to great lengths to protect Eliot's identity from a biased and harshly judgmental public.
Publisher
George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org
Letters Exchanged
To:
GE to John Chapman, [Coventry], 15 June [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Bishop's Teignton, 1 August [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 11 September [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 12 June 1851
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 14 September [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 18 September [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 20 June [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 4 April [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 9 May [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Broadstairs, [24-25 July 1852]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, [27 October 1852]
GE to John Chapman, [London], 13 May 1853
GE to John Chapman, Tunbridge Wells, 30 July 1853
GE to John Chapman, London, [2 December 1853]
GE to John Chapman, [London, 17? December 1853]
GE to John Chapman, London, [19 December 1853]
GHL to John Chapman, London, [1 February 1854]
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 30 August 1854
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, [4 October 1854]
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 30 October [1854]
GE to John Chapman, Berlin, 9 January [1855]
GE to John Chapman, Dover, 20 March 1855
GE to John Chapman, London, 29 April 1855
GE to John Chapman, East Sheen, 25 June [1855]
GE to John Chapman, East Sheen, 27 June [1855]
GE to John Chapman, Tenby, 5 July 1856
GE to John Chapman, Tenby, 20 July 1856
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 27 September 1857
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 12 January 1858
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 26 January 1858
GHL to John Chapman, Dresden, 23 July 1858
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 5 November 1858
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 1 January 1859
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 4 January 1859
GHL to John Chapman, Wandsworth, [12 February 1859]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 9 June [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 12 June 1851
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 14 September 1851
George Combe to John Chapman, Edinburgh, 28 November 1851
George Combe to John Chapman, Edinburgh, 7 December 1851
GE to John Chapman, [Broadstairs, 16 July 1852]
GE to John Chapman, Ambleside, 24 October 1852
GHL to John Chapman, [London, 16 July 1853]
GHL to John Chapman, [London, 18 July 1853]
George Combe to John Chapman, Edinburgh, 2 March 1854
George Combe to John Chapman, Edinburgh, 5 March 1854
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 6 August 1854
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, [15 October 1854]
GE to John Chapman, Berlin, 9 December 1854
GE to John Chapman, Berlin, 9 January 1855
GE to John Chapman, Gorey, 27 May 1857
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 27 September [1857]
GHL to John Chapman, Wandsworth, [1 March 1859]
From:
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 26 November 1851
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 5 April 1852
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 19 July 1852
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 3 October 1853
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 6 October 1853
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 February 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 25 February 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 28 February 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 1 March 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 3 March 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 12 March 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 8 April 1854
J. M. Moir for John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 April 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 April 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 18 September 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 4 October 1854
John Chapman to Robert Chambers, London, 16 October 1854
John Chapman to GE, London, 15 January 1857
John Chapman to GE, London, 16 January 1860
GE to John Chapman, [Coventry], 15 June [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Bishop's Teignton, 1 August [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 11 September [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 12 June 1851
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 14 September [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 18 September [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 20 June [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 4 April [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 9 May [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Broadstairs, [24-25 July 1852]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, [27 October 1852]
GE to John Chapman, [London], 13 May 1853
GE to John Chapman, Tunbridge Wells, 30 July 1853
GE to John Chapman, London, [2 December 1853]
GE to John Chapman, [London, 17? December 1853]
GE to John Chapman, London, [19 December 1853]
GHL to John Chapman, London, [1 February 1854]
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 30 August 1854
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, [4 October 1854]
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 30 October [1854]
GE to John Chapman, Berlin, 9 January [1855]
GE to John Chapman, Dover, 20 March 1855
GE to John Chapman, London, 29 April 1855
GE to John Chapman, East Sheen, 25 June [1855]
GE to John Chapman, East Sheen, 27 June [1855]
GE to John Chapman, Tenby, 5 July 1856
GE to John Chapman, Tenby, 20 July 1856
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 27 September 1857
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 12 January 1858
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 26 January 1858
GHL to John Chapman, Dresden, 23 July 1858
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 5 November 1858
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 1 January 1859
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 4 January 1859
GHL to John Chapman, Wandsworth, [12 February 1859]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 9 June [1851]
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 12 June 1851
GE to John Chapman, Coventry, 14 September 1851
George Combe to John Chapman, Edinburgh, 28 November 1851
George Combe to John Chapman, Edinburgh, 7 December 1851
GE to John Chapman, [Broadstairs, 16 July 1852]
GE to John Chapman, Ambleside, 24 October 1852
GHL to John Chapman, [London, 16 July 1853]
GHL to John Chapman, [London, 18 July 1853]
George Combe to John Chapman, Edinburgh, 2 March 1854
George Combe to John Chapman, Edinburgh, 5 March 1854
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, 6 August 1854
GE to John Chapman, Weimar, [15 October 1854]
GE to John Chapman, Berlin, 9 December 1854
GE to John Chapman, Berlin, 9 January 1855
GE to John Chapman, Gorey, 27 May 1857
GE to John Chapman, Richmond, 27 September [1857]
GHL to John Chapman, Wandsworth, [1 March 1859]
From:
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 26 November 1851
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 5 April 1852
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 19 July 1852
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 3 October 1853
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 6 October 1853
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 February 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 25 February 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 28 February 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 1 March 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 3 March 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 12 March 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 8 April 1854
J. M. Moir for John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 April 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 April 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 18 September 1854
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 4 October 1854
John Chapman to Robert Chambers, London, 16 October 1854
John Chapman to GE, London, 15 January 1857
John Chapman to GE, London, 16 January 1860
Image
Citation
John Chapman (1821-1894), Chapman, John (1821-1894), Social Network Gallery, George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed November 11, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/97136