Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

442 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
son, misled by Professor W., who assured me positively that you
wanted a, paper on that subject, I have investigated the subject
at length—in fact, I had formerly bought 2 or 3 guineas' worth
of foreign books on this matter — and have recently spent a
fortnight in reading and writing on it. However, I have laid
Aside my lucubrations since your note arrived. Goethe, un-
fortunately, I have not.
From the urgency of the case, I am persuaded you will favour
me with an answer as soon as your convenience will allow.
Meantime I shall be working on the Ccesars, in the hope that it
will avail for the time and purpose mentioned.
I would not detain your messenger, and therefore did not
write an answer. I now send you all of one article except
what I will send in the morning. I know not whether I have
disappointed you :
I cannot help daily disappointing myself
but this I know and can assure you, that in my whole life I
never did work half so hard ; that I have allowed myself time
for neither sleep nor eating (at this moment I have not break-
fasted) ; and that I am worn out beyond all I can describe.
One single half-sheet of the article cost me 14 hours. This I
mention only to account for my delay.
This is a humorous article, and I think the latter part will be
found diverting enough. But the first sheet reads very dull to
me : however, it is too late to mend it now, and besides I have
no power left to judge of anything till I have had some re-
freshment.
6 o'clock.
I will correct what remains to-night, and finish another article
to-morrow, which suits me better.
The following scraps have more reference to the
literature which he was producing laboriously page
by page, than to the instalments of money by which
its production was brokenly accompanied, a fact which
the publishers so badgered by elaborate questioning
must have been thankful for :
The necessity of reducing my superabundant matter, which
—
;