Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

86 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
events in present circumstances) is in direct violation of our
bargain. Therefore, as you are the only person I have to look
to for reparation, the author will (no doubt) instantly do you
justice by extricating you from the very awkward situation in
which he has placed you.
However much deference I might have shown to any request
or any arrangement which the author might have proposed to
me in a proper manner, yet you will not wonder that now I
will not give up any claims or compensation I may think
myself entitled to, nor will I allow myself or my rights, even
by Him, to be trampled upon, as I conceive has been at-
tempted to be done by this unwarrantable publication. I have
no formal proposal to make: it is for the author to do so
through you.
The smart encounter between the very spirited
publisher and his plausible friend of the printing-
office here pauses ; and in Blackwood's report to his
partner in London there occur a series of dramatic
scenes between publisher and lawyers, the latter
advancing and retiring with true legal skill. At
first they agree entirely and astutely with the in-
dignant complainant, suggesting that it is clearly
a case for an Injunction to prevent the publication
of the uncalled-for edition, and for damages.
W. Blackwood to John Murray.
lith May 1817.
They are quite decided and clear as to our grounds for
applying for heavy damages on account of the copies we have
on hand, and that it is not enough to tell us that the copies
would all be taken off our hands, because, independent of the
profit we expected to make by their sale, we are entitled to say
it is for the advantage to our business derived from the credit
of publishing such a work that we paid the sums of money we
did. They are not, however, so clear with regard to our legal
right of publishing future editions, and they are to consider this