Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

CHAPTER III.
THE MAGAZINE.
' THE EDINBUEGH MONTHLY MAGAZINE'—INCOMPETENCY AND TREACHERY OF
THE EDITORS, PRINGLE AND CLEGHORN—THEY SECEDE TO CONSTABLE
WILSON, LOCKHART, AND HOGG RALLY ROUND BLACKWOOD—NO MORE
MEDIOCRITY—BLACKWOOD BECOMES HIS OWN EDITOR—COMPOSITION OF
THE CHALDEE MANUSCRIPT—THE FIRST NUMBER OF ' BLACKWOOD'
EXTRAORDINARY EFFECT OF THE JEU D'ESPRIT.
Blackwood had now arrived at a point in his Hfe
when impatience of a monotonous career, and that
desire to "make a spoon or spoil a horn" which is
so strong among those predestined to fortune, had
risen to fever-point within him. He was impatient
of bookselling and of the moderate risks and rewards
of a humdrum publishing business, especially after his
disappointment in respect to the ' Waverley ' series
and all his faculties were on the watch for an opportunity
to step forth from the usual routine, and make
a distinct place for himself. The method in which it
was easy and natural to do this is indicated in a curi-
ous letter addressed to him by Murray, whose relations
with the Edinburgh publisher were so varied and often
full of friendly feeling, though broken by occasional
misunderstandings and makings-up. Murray seems
—
;