Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

A PRETTY QUARREL. 339
it that nothing will appear in the Magazine but what it will be
both for my credit and interest to publish, and, of . course, for
you to print.
While I feel myself obliged to say this, I beg to assure you
that nothing will give me greater pleasure than to receive any
remarks from you at all times. As a friend, I will value them,
as you know that no man is more open to reason than I am
but as your favourite Bard says, " Not upon compulsion, Hal."
All I shall add is, that I hope we shall never have two words
of difference upon this or any other subject that will be un-
pleasant to either of us.
But Signer Aldiborontiphoscophornio could not let
well alone :
—
James Ballantyne to W. Blackwood.
Surely, my dear sir, I never could say or hint that you were
not the sole and irresponsible judge of what is to be inserted in
your own Magazine ? Certain it is, at least, that I had no in-
tention to convey any such absurd meaning, and I hereby disclaim
it as strongly as possible. All that I meant to say was
and surely the earlier and the more explicitly it was said the
better—that I regarded the article on Hogg, as it at present
stands, as of such a nature that if it were published in its
present shape I could not continue to be the printer. This, you
are aware, is only exerting in my own case that power of judging
and deciding which every man of independence must exert in
order to secure the continuance of his independence.
I assure you, my dear sir, I am far too well aware of the
value of your employment and confidence hastily or rashly to
forfeit it ; and I think nothing is more likely than that in most
cases that regard the feelings of honourable minds we shall
agree ; and I truly rejoice that great alterations are to be made
in the article. You will allow that it needs them.
This ill-judged attempt to have the last word, and
show his superiority, brought down the following
thunderbolt upon Ballantyne's head. It is dashed oif
— ;