Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

520 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
these works. That Messrs Oilier and Forbes, the critics in
question, from their intimate connection with the publisher and
authors, were enabled to inform the public of many authentic
particulars which otherwise they would have remained in
ignorance of, as for instance (and here you might quote half-a-
dozen of Colburn's puffs) that Lady Charlotte Bury's novel of
' Flirtation ' secured the fair author an autograph letter on the
subject of her work of the most flattering nature from His Most
Gracious Majesty; that Mr Lister's recent novel procured the
distinguished author the honour of invitations to dinner from
four crowned heads during his recent excursions on the Con-
tinent, &c., &c., &c. : in fact, if you look through any file of
papers for the last three months you will find an abundant
supply of such paragraphs.
Colburn's system is really carried to an offensive length. He
is, I understand, very angry with the poor Doctor for the
mention of his manufacture of novels in Whitehall. " What is
it possible," he exclaims, turning up the whites of his eyes,
" what is it possible I can have done to call forth such an attack
on my respectability and character from Dr Maginn ?
Poor Lady Morgan ! her ' O'Briens and O'Flaherties ' seems
to have fallen dead, completely dead, from the press. The book
is decidedly dull, but still her name ought to have carried an
edition through. Colburn, I hear, swears that Jerdan's having
discovered it was an improper book for ladies to read has cost
him five hundred pounds, and really this is not impossible.
The man of New Burlington Street is therefore very angry with
the moral editor of the ' Literary Gazette,' and to this has been
attributed the taking up of the ' Athenaeum.' Jerdan smarts,
but nevertheless chuckles at his own impartiality— just criticism
and duty to the public, &c., &c, I believe, too, from my
soul that Jerdan fancies all this ; but the fact is, he is naturally
of that disposition that in the very face of truth he is continu-
ally doing flattering if not kind things to the set of literary
midges which buzz about him and consider his commendations
as sufi&cient to establish their reputation as wits, scholars, and
poets.
We have reported perhaps too many of the records
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