Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

"not a book, but a fact." 451
of time as will enable you to embrace all the subjects which
would interest such visitors of London, and will of course
interest every one,
W. Blackwood to John Gait.
Edin., 25 April 1821.
I am glad you are getting on with the other work. I am
quite. certain that if you take time, and put your whole strength
upon it, you will make a most amusing and interesting book.
A great matter is to construct a good and striking story with
which to interweave your graphic sketches of actual life and
manners. Perhaps it would attract attention to it if part were
published first in the Magazine. But this we can judge better
of when you are nearly finished and can send me the MSS.
W. Blackwood to John Gait.
Edin., 20 May 1821.
About ten days ago Mr Cadell wrote me that the ' Annals
were very popular, and were selling well. You would see the
very favourable critique in the ' Guardian,' and the paragraph
in last ' John Bull ' saying it was a work of great genius, and
would be reviewed in the ' Journal of Literature ' published
yesterday. I wrote you how much the book was liked here
and its fame, I assure you, is not decreasing. My friend, the
Professor, says "it is not a book, but a fact." The Man of
Feeling sounds its praises everywhere, and has actually given
me a critique upon it, which appears in this number of the
Magazine. This, however, you must not mention to any one,
as the old gentleman is very chary about his name. . . .
I am quite delighted with the idea of Provost Hoolie. It is
a glorious subject, and I intended to have written you to suggest
the idea of a citizen's chronicle, as the changes, &c., in a town
have been so striking during the last fifty or sixty years. . . .
You may rest assured that I will give you more for this
volume than I did for the ' Annals.' For my sake take time
and put forth your whole strength upon it, and I will make it
worth your while. I am truly happy at the prospect of having
the pleasure of seeing you so soon. At meeting we will arrange
all this, and talk over fifty other things.
I do hope and trust that we will always be completely satis-
';