Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

APPROACHING THE END. 67
Blackwood replies to this on the same day. "We
quote from the scroll or hrouillon of his letter, which
is a thing frequently found among his papers, and
often even more characteristic in the passages struck
out than in those which are allowed to stand. He
writes on this occasion :
—
W. Blackwood to J. Ballantyne.
To thank you for the welcome intelligence, and to congratu-
late with you upon our now being fully in sight of land, with
every prospect, from what you say, of coming to a right anchor.
You will give me all that you have ready as early as you can
to-morrow, as I need not tell you how great my impatience is
to devour it. Be so good as to let me know in the morning at
what hour I may expect it. The author and you are kind
enough to soften the refusal of my request as to Mr Murray
[" about its being sent to London " struck out] by saying very
much too flattering things with regard to my judgment (which
I would have been as well pleased to have dispensed with). I
should have been much more pleased to have been praised less
and listened to more. But this cannot be helped, and I anxiously
hope the Book will speak for itself to all and every one, and so
that my responsibility will be trifling.
Next day another anxious note heralds the all-
important proof:
—
J. Ballantyiie to W. Blackwood.
22nd August 1816.
You shall have all that is thrown off, and what is composed,
before dinner. The remainder of the volume will be ready, I
think, early next week. Tastes are as different as faces ; and
you may not like what I think altogether exquisite. But I have
strong hopes of our coming to an immediate and mutually agree-
able conclusion to this business.
P.S.—By waiting till seven this evening I find I shall be able
to send you 8 sheets ; only, as the two last are perhaps the