Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

"able to throw a book or two in one's way." 31
if you mean to withhold from me that portion which you command
of the advantages of our connection, you must surely
mean to resign any that might arise from me. The sole agency
for my publications in Edinburgh is worth, to any man who
understands his business, £300 ; but this requires zealous ac-
tivity and deference on one side, and great confidence on both,
otherwise the connection cannot be advantageous or satisfactory
to either party.
Having thus shaken off the Ballantynes, who were
too hungry for money and bills to escape for long the
grave disapproval of so serious and prudent a man of
business, Mr Murray transferred his connection to
Blackwood, then rising into note. Though he was no
longer connected with Constable in business, Mr
Murray was still on sufficiently confidential terms
with his house to consult him on the subject of his
new alliance. His letter is dated the 25 th September
1811, and is the first distinct statement we have of
the increasing value of Mr Blackwood's business and
connection :
—
I wish you would do me the favour to say if you think I have
done well in inclining to Blackwood's proposal to be my agent.
He does now and then get a book or two to throw in one's
way ; but really no other person does except your house, which
gets all the rest. We should have had everything and done
everything if it had not been for our unfortunate misunder-
standing.
If already the young publisher was sufficiently
established to be able to throw a book or two in the
way of the cautious and careful London publisher,
it proves that the progress he had made was very
considerable indeed, and upon this ground of mutual
support and backing up their connection began. The