Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

THE editor's views. 401
not worth a rap." Both in this point, and in the
reverse fault of abuse, to which Maginn was more
addicted, Blackwood did what he could to restrain the
too reckless wit, as the following letter will show :
W. Blackwood to Dr Maginn.
—
23 Feb. 1825.
You are disappointed and displeased that your puff direct of
' Sayings and Doings ' was not inserted. Had it been received
in time it could have been cut down and made some use of
along with the other articles; but you should know by this
time that such a professed panegyric, coupled with a personal
defence of the author, could do no good to the book itself, and
would most certainly do no good to my Magazine. In writing
these things, however desirable it is to puff a friend, this is not
the effectual way to do it, and you should also think a little how
far it would be of use to the Magazine. The article on the
former series was not what it ought to have been in either
respect, but had it not been cut down, corrected, and improved,
it would have been as miserable a concern as the critique which
appeared in the ' New Monthly.' I need not tell you how sen-
sible I am of what you have done for my Magazine, and you can
do for it ; but what I would beg of you is to consider what will
be of use to it,—things that may be very good jokes among our-
selves, may often be very much the reverse when given to the
public. Indeed the Magazine can only be injured by itself, not
by its enemies, whose attacks serve merely to excite curiosity.
Above all, when you write to me I would entreat of you to do
it not in the poco curante way, but as you know I would do it to
you, seriously and kindly. With regard to Lord John Eussell's
book, I hope you will do it as it should be done. Though a
Whig and a prig he is an English gentleman, and should be
treated accordingly.
W. Blackwood to Br Maginn.
London, A tig. 22, 1825.
Even if I had read this earlier I am not sure if it would have
been either proper or prudent to have printed the charge
against the Marquis of Hastings, however true it may be. It
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