Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

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240 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
postage] I make up a small packet of notes for members of
your Divan. I was delighted with " Cottages " and the " Naval
Sketch-Book." They show that our friend is in his best spirits
as well as power ; and if that be so, all is right.
You will perhaps say I am infected with the chill air of the
Metropolis. But I wish, in spite of that, to say a single word
on a very delicate subject.
Attack Political Economy as much as you like, but don't
permit this Eobertson to go on attacking so savagely the
motives of Canning, &c. Why should you and Wilson suffer
in yourselves, perhaps—very probably (in his case extremely
probably) in your families, for the sake of allowing a person
of this kind to insult such a man as Canning ? Depend on it,
my dear Professor, this is worth a thought for you. If you
mahe the Magazine by such papers as the " Cottages," you will
be blamed or lauded for its politics, as the case may be. What
I wish to see particularly avoided is any allusion to Canning
personally ; and I know he feels that personally, and avenges it
so also. You will at least take this in good part.
The next reflects Lockhart's own circumstances,
projects, and surroundings in a very interesting
way :
J. G. LockJiart to W. Blackwood.
25 Pall Mall, Nov. 16, 1826.
I lose no time in expressing the delight with which I have
read the demolition of MacCuUoch. Need I say how anxious
I shall be to know what effect is produced on Jeffrey ? Sir W.
Scott is quite in raptures with it; so is Croker, to whom I
talked yesterday morning anent it ; and so must be every one.
I have already had the satisfaction of showing it to one or two
Whigs, and, that they all might see it, I have left my copy on
the table of the Athenaeum, " with Mr Blackwood's compli-
ments." I hope this was right.
We are going to live on Wimbledon Common for this winter.
Johnny will not do in London. This is inconvenient in some
respects; but it will add to my leisure, which already has
begun to hang heavy on my hands. I do not think it is quite
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