Hunter
as he deserved, in which I was followed soon after by Mr. Sparks in the
"North American Review," about the time that the "Edinburgh Review"
adopted in the lump my theory of "Men and Women," already referred to,
saying in September, 1826, substantially what I had said in October,
1824. "We think it probable," says Mr. Jeffrey, "that some men have
originally a greater excitability or general vivacity of mind than
others, and that is the chief difference. But considering how variously
they may be developed or directed in after-life, it seems to us of no
sort of importance whether we call it a _temperament_, and say that it
is shown by the color of the hair and the eyes, or maintain that it is a
balance of active powers and propensities, the organs of which are in
the skull."

I had also written for the "Westminster," and, in short, was furnishing
about all of the monthlies and two of the quarterlies with American
_pabulum_; and yet the public were not satisfied. It seemed as if
"increase of appetite did grow with what it fed on." This, of course,
must have been very gratifying to "Old Christopher," though he did not
like the idea of anybody's knowing who wrote for the "Maga," and letting
the "delicious secret out." He wanted all his contributors to himself,
either in fact or in appearance; and when he found, from something I
said in the "London," or somewhere else, that I was known as the writer
of the "Blackwood Papers," he took me to task in a way that displeased
me. So we quarrelled,--or rather I quarrelled,--for he did not. He kept
his temper, and I lost mine,--for which, by the way, I ought to be
thankful; and the affair ended by my withdrawing the first of a series
of "North American Stories," which I was preparing for him, and
returning the fifteen guineas he had paid me for it. It was already in
type, and was the framework or skeleton of "Rachel Dyer."

On the whole, I must acknowledge that I was chiefly to blame, though not
altogether. I never wrote another line for him, and we had no further
correspondence.

About the same time, another misunderstanding arose between him and
"O'Doherty," who entered upon a rival enterprise, and became editor of a
new monthly, the title of which I do not now remember. It was of the
"Blackwood" type, though somewhat exaggerated, being ferocious where
"Blackwood" was only sarcastic, and utterly regardless of truth, where
"Blackwood" was rather cautious and circumspect in