Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

A MORE AMIABLE MOOD. 349
liberty to alter any of the names you do not like : your own,
for instance, I took merely because oak was a black wood, which
may be construed differently.
I think very highly of both the books you have sent me, but
far most highly of ' Lights and Shadows,' in which there is a
great deal of very powerful effect, purity, and sentiment, and
fine writing, but with very little of real nature as it exists in
the walks of Scottish life. The feelings and language of the
author are those of romance: still it is a fine and beautiful
work. I send you the accompanying article merely as a token
that I have forgiven all that is past, and that I wish all bygones
to be bygones between us for ever, I cannot bear to live on
terms of utter estrangement with a man from whom I ex-
perienced so many repeated kindnesses and obligations. There
is no man so apt to err in judgment as I am, but I trust none
of my friends shall find my heart wrong.
Mr Blackwood's reply pointed out very decidedly
the particular points of difference to which we have
referred—the advancement of the Magazine in serious-
ness and sobriety, and the stationary character of the
belated contributor, to whom there was no triumph
higher than that of the Chaldee Manuscript. The
publisher writes, with mingled consideration and
superiority :
—
W. Blackwood to James Hogg.
Edinburqh, 18«A Jv/ne 1822.
I have read "John Paterson's Mare," and I have laughed
very heartily at many parts of it. I feel much obliged to you
for sending it. I should be happy if you found it agreeable to
you to give your aid to ' Maga,' as I am sure it would be both
pleasant and advantageous to you. I am sorry, however, that
" John Paterson's Mare " cannot be accepted of. On this you
will probably fall into a great passion ; but I cannot help it, as
I am convinced such an article could do neither yourself nor
me any credit. In the first place, the whole affair about
Pringle and Cleghorn is entirely forgotten, and it would be