ry labor which he provided for Laidlaw
appears to have been arranging for the same volume a set of newspaper
articles, usually printed under the head of _Chronicle_, to which were
appended some little extracts of new books of travels, and the like
miscellanies. The Edinburgh {p.158} Monthly Magazine, subsequently
known by the name of its projector, Blackwood, commenced in April of
this year; and one of its editors, Mr. Thomas Pringle, being a
Teviotdale man and an old acquaintance of Laidlaw's, offered to the
latter the care of its _Chronicle department_ also,--not perhaps
without calculating that, in case Laidlaw's connection with the new
journal should become at all a strict one, Scott would be induced to
give it occasionally the benefit of his own literary assistance. He
accordingly did not write--being unwell at the time--but _dictated_ to
Pringle a collection of anecdotes concerning Scottish gypsies, which
attracted a good deal of notice;[63] and, I believe, he also assisted
Laidlaw in drawing up one or more articles on the subject of Scottish
superstitions. But the bookseller and Pringle soon quarrelled, and the
Magazine assuming, on the retirement of the latter, a high Tory
character, Laidlaw's Whig feelings induced him to renounce its
alliance; while Scott, having no kindness for Blackwood personally,
and disapproving (though he chuckled over it) the reckless
extravagance of juvenile satire which, by and by, distinguished his
journal, appears to have easily acquiesced in the propriety of
Laidlaw's determination. I insert meantime a few notes, which will
show with what care and kindness he watched over Laidlaw's operations
for the Annual Register.

[Footnote 63: These anecdotes were subsequently inserted
in the Introduction to _Guy Mannering_.]

TO MR. LAIDLAW, AT KAESIDE.

EDINBURGH, June 16, 1817.

DEAR SIR,--I enclose you "rare guerdon," better than
remuneration,--namely, a cheque for L25, for the Chronicle
part of the Register. The incidents selected should have
some reference to amusement as well as information, and may
be occasionally abridged in the narration; but, after all,
paste and scissors form your principal {p.159} materials.
You must look out for two or three good original articles;
and, if you would read and take pains to abridge one or two
curious books of travels, I would se