Volume Iii Part 44 (1/2)
DEAR MR. EELES,
I must thank you for the admirable manner in which you have done the book-backs in my room. I feel personally obliged to you, I a.s.sure you, for the interest you have taken in my whim, and the prompt.i.tude with which you have completely carried it out.
Faithfully yours.
[Sidenote: Mrs. Gaskell.]
TAVISTOCK HOUSE, _Thursday Afternoon, Dec. 5th, 1851._
MY DEAR MRS. GASKELL,
I write in great haste to tell you that Mr. Wills, in the utmost consternation, has brought me your letter, just received (four o'clock), and that it is _too late_ to recall your tale. I was so delighted with it that I put it first in the number (not hearing of any objection to my proposed alteration by return of post), and the number is now made up and in the printer's hands. I cannot possibly take the tale out--it has departed from me.
I am truly concerned for this, but I hope you will not blame me for what I have done in perfect good faith. Any recollection of me from your pen cannot (as I think you know) be otherwise than truly gratifying to me; but with my name on every page of ”Household Words,” there would be--or at least I should feel--an impropriety in so mentioning myself. I was particular, in changing the author, to make it ”Hood's _Poems_” in the most important place--I mean where the captain is killed--and I hope and trust that the subst.i.tution will not be any serious drawback to the paper in any eyes but yours. I would do anything rather than cause you a minute's vexation arising out of what has given me so much pleasure, and I sincerely beseech you to think better of it, and not to fancy that any shade has been thrown on your charming writing, by
The unfortunate but innocent.
P.S.--I write at a gallop, not to lose another post.
[Sidenote: Mrs. Gaskell.]
TAVISTOCK HOUSE, _Sunday, December 21st, 1851._
MY DEAR MRS. GASKELL,
If you were not the most suspicious of women, always looking for soft sawder in the purest metal of praise, I should call your paper delightful, and touched in the tenderest and most delicate manner. Being what you are, I confine myself to the observation that I have called it ”A Love Affair at Cranford,” and sent it off to the printer.
Faithfully yours ever.
[Sidenote: Mr. Peter Cunningham.]
TAVISTOCK HOUSE, _December 26th, 1851._
MY DEAR CUNNINGHAM,
About the three papers.
1st. With Mr. Plowman of Oxford, Wills will communicate.
2nd. (Now returned.) I have seen, in nearly the same form, before. The list of names is overwhelming.
3rd. I am not at all earnest in the Savage matter; firstly, because I think so tremendous a vagabond never could have obtained an honest living in any station of existence or at any period of time; and secondly, because I think it of the highest importance that such an a.s.sociation as our Guild should not appear to resent upon society the faults of individuals who were flagrantly impracticable.
At its best, it is liable to that suspicion, as all such efforts have been on the part of many jealous persons, to whom it _must_ look for aid. And any stop that in the least encourages it is one of a fatal kind.
I do _not_ think myself, but this is merely an individual opinion, that Savage _was_ a man of genius, or that anything of his writing would have attracted much notice but for the b.a.s.t.a.r.d's reference to his mother. For these reasons combined, I should not be inclined to add my subscription of two guineas to yours, unless the inscription were altered as I have altered it in pencil. But in that case I should be very glad to respond to your suggestion, and to snuff out all my smaller disinclination.
Faithfully yours ever.