Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

44 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
est terms. I don't always set the highest value on the Baronet's
favourable opinion of a book, because he has so much kindness
of feeling towards every one; but in this case he spoke so
much con amore, and entered so completely and at such length
into the spirit of the book, and of the characters, as showed me
at once the impression it had made on him. Every one I have
seen who has read the book gives the same praise to it.
On another occasion he has been urging the writer
to go on with and finish her next novel, " having full
confidence in your own power." " You are in such a
vein for it just now," says the genial publisher, " that
I hope you have been able to shut yourself up to-day,
and not been disturbed by the Saturday's young
folks." And he adds the following as his highest
argument :
—
I had not had time till now to read the two new chapters,
and I wanted to tell you how much I had been delighted with
them, particularly the last one. Lyndsay is admirably brought
out, and you have only to go on as you are going to sustain the
character which Sir Walter gave me of ' Marriage '—that you
had the rare talent of making your conclusion even better than
your commencement : for said this worthy and veracious person,
" Mr Blackwood, if ever I were to write a novel, I would
like to write the two first volumes, and leave anybody that
liked to write the third " !
The delightful ease and irresponsibility of " this
veracious person's" wish is enchanting. It is a
wish, however, which will be echoed by many a
smaller romancer.
For this novel, ' The Inheritance,' which was the
second of Miss Ferrier's books, the publisher gave
£1000, a great improvement upon the £150 he had
given for the first ; and this not for the entire copy-