Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

236 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
course as to contributing to his paper I shall most
likely do so, as I believe all his adherents mean to do,
but anything more or even much of this would be
quite out of the question." There is no note of any
feeling on the part of Blackwood of disappointment
and dismay in the loss of so important a contributor,
though it can scarcely be supposed that it was agree-
able news to him. The only comment we find on the
event is in the graceful and cordial note of farewell
which the publisher addressed to Lockhart on his
final departure :
—
W. Blackwood to J. G. Lockhart.
ith November 1825.
Deeply as I must ever regret your leaving Edinburgh, and
seriously as I must ever feel your loss, yet I cannot but rejoice
that you have now a field for exertion worthy of yourself. It
is impossible for me to express how much I despise and feel a
contempt for the poor pluckless animals here, whose business
it was to hold out objects to you that would have made it
worth while for you to remain among all the friends who will
feel your loss so much. But all's for the best, and it is need-
less to regret what cannot be helped.
Though it is thus very clearly evident that there
was no breach of the old bonds, there is no doubt that
Lockhart had been since his marriage drawn much
into the circle of Scott, and withdrawn from the con-
stant communications of former days. His removal
to London would seem, however, to have warmed his
heart both to his old familiar companions and to the
frolicsome labours of his youth. The great catastrophe
which gave so melancholy a close to the noble life of
Scott took place shortly after, indeed was threatening
before Lockhart's removal, and the first letter from
London is full of the thrill and agitation of that great