Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

248 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
as Sept. 2, 1831. He seems to have learned in
London the important art of dating his letters, and
writes at that date from Chiefswood, where he was
partly enjoying his holiday and partly waiting upon
the darkened days of his illustrious neighbour and
father-in-law—not well himself and full of appre-
hensions :
—
J. G. Lockhart to W. Blackwood.
Sir W. S. seems to have fixed on quitting Scotland for Naples
about the first of October, and I suppose we shall be taking wing
for London about the same time. The six or eight months during
which we shall be absent from the glen here—what may
they not bring forth ? Who can guess or dream ? I give all
anticipation to the winds.
Let me know if the ' Noctes ' is liked, By-and-by you shall
have another, but not till I have seen London again, I think.
In his next letter there is much banter of Hogg,
from some of whose verses Lockhart with the edi-
torial impulse docks eight lines, in which some
unpleasant reference had evidently been made to a
local potentate :
—
Hogg is mad to insult such a family, so near, and who have
been on occasions kind to him, and in case of need would be
ready to uphold him. You didn't know who was meant,^ I
am sure. The poem has much of good and much of abominable,
like most of the pig's. I have never heard of Wilson
except once in -a letter from Hamilton.
Wordsworth on him — only inferior to
It is capital to hear
the Poet on himself
though in rather a different vein.
Don't let Hogg dream I would have anything to do with his
edition of Novels. Even if there were nothing else, I have not
time for such a thing. It is quite impossible. "None but
himself could be his editor."
^ The Scotta of Harden were the family referred to.
,