Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

16 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
formed a pleasant contrast to each other—for William
was of light complexion and lively humour ; while
Janet was imposing in appearance, grave and caustic
in wit, not given to enthusiasm, which was to him
the breath of life. There are no dates nor other
particulars in the little romance :
we
are only told
that it did happen, and the manner in which it
happened, through the agency of the old lady, who
found her brother-in-law's young assistant a very
agreeable visitor, always ready to attend upon the
ladies in the evenings, and coming in with all the
news and a new book from time to time.
This would naturally make the young man still
more anxious to find some way of beginning for him-
self and pushing his fortune. Perhaps it was his
eagerness on this subject which prompted young
Blackwood's next step in life, which was the forma-
tion of a partnership with a certain Robert Ross, " a
bookseller and bookseller's auctioneer "—a description
which explains some of the early catalogues put forth
by William Blackwood. Some of these are bound
up in a volume of the more dignified and important
catalogues published by Blackwood himself in later
days. The books are described as to be sold at
7 o'clock P.M. for several consecutive nights ; and the
sales seem to have been prefaced by some sort of
feast, like the dinner which, in the higher circles of
the trade, formed a preliminary to the periodical sales
of "remainders" and other stock. Blackwood, how-
ever, does not seem to have liked the auctioneer
business, and the partnership of Ross & Blackwood
lasted only one year. He acquired no doubt a little