Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

REFERS TO SCOTT. 161
published in the Magazine; but this I will be bold to say, that
there was nothing in it which is discreditable, while there maybe
things which I might have wished otherwise, but over which
I had no control. For the general impression with regard to
the Magazine I refer you to Mr Scott, who has been my steady
friend and supporter in the whole conflict or battle of the beasts.
In a letter I had from him two days ago, he says, with regard
to one person who is angry, " This is just as it ought to be, for
jades do not wince but when they are galled."
I have found it necessary to be thus minute with regard to
the Magazine, as I cannot conceive any other circumstances
upon which my enemies can have ventured to misrepresent my
conduct to you.
Of the pamphlets above referred to we have ample
specimens at hand, but perhaps it is unnecessary to
enter into recriminations which, not having even the
guise of story, nor any wings of humour and fun like
those of the Chaldee MS., but only downright abuse
and accusation, would not be either entertaining or
important to any man nowadays. The Chaldee MS.
has kept a footing in literary history because of its
skill and literary excellence, not because of its abuse,
which few understand and no one cares for. Constable
and Blackwood now are both judged on their merits,
of which they had many. When our own age passes
into history we may doubt whether it will have it in
its power to show many men of the same class, so
individual and characteristic, so interesting in their
personality and picturesque in their position. The
rival houses in England produced nobody likely to
compete with them in this respect in the qualities
that make an interesting record. Their strife has
blown away like smoke, and unless we are very
strait-laced indeed, it amuses us to hear of it, though
VOL. I. L