Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

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CHAPTEE 11.
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THE TALES OF MY LANDLORD.
COBRESPONDENCE WITH JOHN MURRAY — BYRON AND HIS PUBLISHER —
SCOTT DINES WITH BLACKWOOD— 'THE SIEGE OF CORINTH '—CHARLES
KIRKPATRICK SHARPE — LETTER TO SOUTHEY— NEGOTIATIONS WITH
BALLANTYNE FOR PUBLICATION OF 'THE TALES OF MY LANDLORD'
' THE BLACK DWARF ' BLACKWOOD's CRITICISM SCOTt's REJOINDER :
THE " BLACK HUSSARS OP LITERATURE " LETTER—WILLIAM GIFFORD
MURRAY'S LETTER TO SCOTT—FRICTION WITH BALLANTYNE—FUTURE
EDITIONS TO BE PUBLISHED BY CONSTABLE BLAOKWOOD'S REGARD
FOR SCOTT.
The correspondence between Murray and Blackwood
is our chief guide through the obscurity of these early
years. Not long after the Edinburgh bookseller became
the agent of the important house in London, he
extended his business at home in the following manner
—a step which he immediately communicates to his
correspondent :
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W. Blackwood to J. Murray.
Edin., 10th March 1813.
John Ballantyne has transferred to me all his retail custom-
ers, and makes me his retail publisher here. This will be of
very great use to me, as it interests Walter Scott deeply in all
my concerns. I have of course a stock of aU their books, and
will therefore be able to supply you with any new book of
theirs 5 per cent below sale. If you want any 8vo ' Eokeby
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