Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

'the brownie.' 345
which, when guaranteed by solvent persons, it is the
system of the Scottish banks to give. It is also the
traditionary means by which in many a story, and
alas ! in many incidents in real life, the unfortunate
surety is ruined ; but it still ranks in Scotland, we
believe, as a service which a man can reasonably ask
of his friends. Blackwood was surety to the Bank
for James Ballantyne, and also for Hogg, and probably
many more.
The quarrel went on in a way which is almost de
rigueuT between author and publisher—Hogg assert-
ing that ' The Brownie ' (' Brownie of Bodsbeck,' a
collection of tales published by Blackwood and Murray
which had not been successful—but this the author
was naturally unwilling to believe) was to appear in
an edition of 2000 ; Blackwood calmly proving by
enclosure of the printer's account that it was nothing
of the kind : Hogg insisting that by means of this
mistake he had written imperatively to Mr Murray,
and been "too precipitate" ; Blackwood replying that
the mistake was entirely his own.
It is a great misfortune to you [adds the publisher] that
you allow your imagination to run away with your memory,
and then, after allowing your mind to dwell on your own
fancies, you positively assert them as truths. I am glad I
have it in my power to put you right in a way you cannot
dispute ; but it is the first time I have been under the neces-
sity of bringing forward a printer's account to substantiate
any of my statements, either with authors or with any of my
correspondents.
The correspondence after this becomes involved
with other persons—a banker in Galashiels, who was
to have retained in his hands a bill which was to be