Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

234 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
opinion, and was perfectly dans son droit in saying
that he had no editor. The Veiled Tribunal was
much more interesting than that institution of a
responsible editor and a mere business publisher,
which was more common ; but we may allow that it
was difficult for the ordinary public to understand
how the system worked.
I have thought that the record of this long and close
connection would not be complete without some notice
of the storms which now and then would pass across
the skies, terrible, but luckily temporary. In August
of the same year in which that alarming hurricane
occurred, we find all tribulations blown away, and the
usual atmosphere of confidential friendship and co-
operation completely restored :
J. G. LocMiart to W. Blackwood.
—
Dublin, 14 Augiut 1825.
I daresay you think I have been wrong in not writing sooner.
The fact is, I have been kept eternally on the move, and have
never had a pen in my hand except to do a sort of journal in
the shape of letters to my wife—which you shall if you please
have a reading of when the series is complete. I have seen
and heard much worthy of remembrance; but am now thor-
oughly homesick, and happy to say that the day after to-morrow
we sleep on Welsh ground if we escape the dangers of the steam
voyage.
I have found almost every person in society here pro-Catholic,
and yet have been in company with but two Catholic gentlemen
so far as I know—and the result of my whole observation is,
that Dr Maginn speaks the exact truth as to this matter in his
Literary Sketch, which, by the way, I never got hold of till yes-
terday, when, on returning from a fortnight's ramble about
Killarney, I stumbled unexpectedly on an old acquaintance in
the shape of Mr Curry, and from him got No. 103 of 'Maga'
and an excellent number I think it is.
I assure you the High Church here swear by you, but of these
—