Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

NOT EDITOR BUT FRIEND. 303
mine on the subject of ' Maga.' If I were to say to the doctor,
" I am not editor, and you are misinformed," I should be saying
the truth, but might seem, perhaps, to him to contradict your
letter, if it be from that he speaks. If I were to say " I am
editor," or acquiesce virtually in his remark, I would be taking
credit to myself for what I do not deserve, and defrauding you
of the merit of capacity and spirit in the conduct thereof.
If, therefore, you have not written to the doctor at all, I
shall, without disavowing anything, tell him I am not editor
but a friend of yours, always ready to give advice and an
opinion when requested, and a chief writer in ' Maga.' If
you have written to him anything from which he draws the
conclusion aforesaid, it would be well I should know its import,
that you and I should not to such a man appear to be saying
two different things.
This matter, however, which seems to be taken up
in so amiable a manner, must, it would appear, have
given rise to one more of the frequently recurring
and tragfical breaches between Wilson and the much-
enduring head of affairs in Princes Street. There are
several voluminous letters on the subject, in which our
child of genius goes further even than before in his
wounded feelings, and complains, for many pages, of
a manner, an air, a look of distance and indifference,
which he could not bear :
—
I beg leave to say there was something by no means agree-
able to me in the style of your manner yesterday in respect to
Mr Philpotts and his pamphlet. Notwithstanding that, how-
ever, I overlooked it, and to-day sent a few lines for you to
send to him, which I read to you. You did not thank me for
these, either by word or manner, but merely said rather drily
that you had intended to say the same yourself. Now, I prefer
writing this to saying it. I have to-day shown you all kindness
and disposition to kindness, in spite of the displeasure I felt.
But if ever again you assume any shade of the same manner,
however slight, you may depend on this, as surely as that you