Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

SHREDS AND PATCHES. 203
or articles on Green, He is going to Westmoreland, and I
have given him a note to Wilson, whom he will amuse.
The " lad Carne " had been introduced by Hogg,
who brought him to Abbotsford, and also to Chiefs-
wood, which was then Lockhart's home, with the freedom
of the Shepherd's usual dealings with his friends.
Lockhart complains that he had not been able to write
at any length, being interrupted by these visitors.
He writes on a " Sunday night," when he was some-
thing of an invalid, complaining of having been " con-
fined one whole day, and part of another, to bed with
this influenza
" :
—
I enclose what I have been able to do, I have all but
omitted Hogg, according to the Professor's request, leaving him
to fill up that character as he pleases. I have said nothing
that I should not like to see stand, nothing which he or you
may not strike out if you please ; but don't dele merely because
a thing appears unintelligible or meaningless, for I know what
I am doing, and am pretty sure of my hits. Hogg's song is
very good, and if Cheape sends anything, Wilson will easily
interweave that also.
It will cost you considerable trouble to see that this Tickler
of shreds and patches appears properly. I have numbered the
pages in red, and I have marked out with red marks the bits to
be taken in from Maginn's MS, I cannot very well judge, but
I think the two hands will scarcely be detected. You must
send down the Eeview to the printers again.
I can't do anything to speak of in the ' Noctes ' this month.
I think Wilson's article on King Leigh quite magnifique ! quite
inimitable. He will feel the fun more than a ton of bitterness
from the Doctor or me. My notion is that it should be a part
of the ' Noctes ' after Maginn's part in the little bit I have sent
then this lecture of the Professor's ; then the other little bit of
mine, and the song with which ' Maga ' concludes. But if you
don't like this, anyway you like. Don't mind about sending
;