iance, and who, if he had not originated, at least approved
of the proposed process of recasting. Had Scott never possessed any
such system of inter-agency as the Ballantynes supplied, he would,
among other and perhaps greater inconveniences, have escaped that of
the want of personal familiarity with several persons, with whose
confidence,--and why should I not add?--with the innocent
gratification of whose little vanities--his own pecuniary interests
were often deeply connected. A very little personal contact would have
introduced such a character as Blackwood's to the respect, nay, to the
affectionate respect, of Scott, who, above all others, was ready to
sympathize cordially with honest and able men, in whatever condition
of life he discovered them. He did both know and appreciate Blackwood
better in after-times; but in 1816, when this communication reached
him, the name was little more than a name, and his answer to the most
solemn of go-betweens was in these terms, which I sincerely wish I
could tell how Signior Aldiborontiphoscophornio translated into any
dialect submissible to Blackwood's apprehension:--

DEAR JAMES,--

I have received Blackwood's impudent proposal. G---- d----
his soul! Tell him and his coadjutor that I belong to the
Black Hussars of Literature, who neither give nor receive
criticism. I'll be cursed but this is the most impudent
proposal that ever was made.

W. S.[39]

[Footnote 39: _May_, 1839. Since this book was first
published, I have received from the representatives of
Mr. Blackwood several documents which throw light on the
transaction here mentioned. It will be apparent from one
of those I am about to quote, that Blackwood, before he
sent his message to Jedediah Cleishbotham, had
ascertained that no less a person than Mr. Gifford
concurred in his opinion--nay, that James Ballantyne
himself took the same view of the matter. But the reader
will be not less amused in comparing the "Black
Hussar's" missive in the text, with the edition of it
which actually reached Blackwood--and which certainly
justifies the conjecture I had ventured to express.

TO WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, ESQ.

EDINBURGH, 4th Octo