Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

400 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
very civil; so were the Underwoods and Eichardson, who
wanted me to go down to Dover with him. Colburn has no
information whatever about your Magazine—is evidently quite
vexed with CampbeH's timidity : after all, it may be, he says,
for the best, for it keeps him out of scrapes—the ' N. M.' is at
the top of the tree now, &c., &c. Hazlitt, he says, is a fool,
John Hunt a rogue, L. Hunt a puppy, Patmore a had young
man (his very words). He hates Croker—and Croker hates
him. Lady Morgan's book that is forthcoming is a Salvator
Eosa : he thinks it will be a good one.
" ' Italy,' " says he,
"without humbug, sold well."
Now have the honesty to burn this letter after reading it, for
it contains what never was written before, and there is no
knowing what accident may do. It would be a pretty
tonne houche for Cockaigne. So commit quam primum to the
flames.
Jvly 30.
The rush and helter-skelter of this beginning did
not argue well for future life. Maginn plunged into
London, as he might have done into the great ocean,
with the careless impulse of a sea-side bather, think-
ing that light inspiration enough. He was ready to
engage in any and every kind of work—to negotiate
between the publishers, to puff the books, to take the
reproach of every unruly movement upon himself if
necessary. " If you want to mystify Cadell about the
Hunts, I don't care a rap if you do it at my expense,"
he says. " W. would most likely not be willing
to come forward with any of the tribe ;
but I do not
value the vagabond the tenth part of a cabbage stump,
and would just as soon get into a row regular with them
as empty a can of punch. So if you wish for a bullying
match, I shall support the honour of my country in that
important department." "As for puffing," he adds,
" I shall stir the army of the Press. Irish puffing is