Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

ALARIC ATTILA WATTS. 497
^Edinburgh in the regular course. Croly suggested that an
occasional communication, even if it consisted only of the
small talk of the literary coteries, would be very acceptable
to you. Accordingly, on the publication of the first of those
scurrilous papers in ' Baldwin's Magazine,' I enclosed a variety
of literary memoranda, and, among others, a list of all B.'s
contributors, and an account of the infamous tricks resorted
to by a certain set to prejudice \the sale of your work. I
mentioned in my letter that I should have much pleasure in
occasionally communicating to you such gossip as I thought
likely to prove either serviceable or interesting. I may here
mention that it was at my pressing instance that one of your
much valued contributors refused any longer to furnish papers
for the 'London Magazine.' To the communication above
alluded to, which was forwarded through Messrs Cadell & Davies,
/ received no reply, not even a word of thanks for my disposition
to make myself serviceable. Since then I have, of course, con-
tented myself with reading your Magazine, but that I have
ever been its warm wellwisher many of our common friends
can testify. I have never omitted an opportunity, when one
offered, of quoting spirited passages from it in the journals with
which I happened to be connected, or over which I could exer-
cise any control. I am ashamed of alluding to such trifles : I
only mention them to prove that I have not provoked, at least
willingly, such paragraphs as appeared a short time ago in your
work. It would be idle to pretend that I was not vexed and
hurt at an attempt of the best periodical extant to hold me up
to vulgar ridicule. Croly was not the only one of our mutual
friends to whom the attack was offensive. But I learn that
you will endeavour to prevent the recurrence of similar insults,
and I am satisfied.
The notes that follow have a certain interest even
now, and at the time were no doubt keenly relished
in Edinburgh, as opening up that curious background
of literary life about which in all generations there is
so much more curiosity than it is worth.
The ' Guardian ' is conducted by a young man of the name
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