Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

76 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD.
The success of the * Tales of my Landlord ' left
nothing to be desired. The 'Black Dwarf was fin-
ally published on the 1st December 1816, and on
December 13 Murray wrote to Blackwood recommending
him "to go on printing as many and as
fast as you can ; for we certainly need not stop until
we come to the end of our unfortunately limited 6000.
My copies," he adds, "are more than gone, and if
you have any to spare pray send them up instantly."
Before, however, the actual moment of publication,
Blackw^ood thus emits his note of subdued exaltation.
It is dated the 2 2d November 1816 :—
W. Blackwood to J. Ballantyne.
I send you two copies of our glorious book for the author,
one of which I have no doubt he will present Mr Ballantyne
with, else I should have done myself that pleasure. I need
not tell you that any copies he wishes to present will be at all
times at his command. I hope he will pardon me for having
sent the very first copy I had done to Mr Scott. The next I
will send to the author of ' Julia de Koubigne.'
Written on the back of this is the following " note
to Mr Scott." The transparent mystery of the author-
ship of ' Waverley ' could not be more amusingly
shown than by the copies under cover mysteriously
sent to the mysterious author on one side, and the
fine candid "first copy to Mr Scott" on the other.
It is with no small satisfaction [writes the publisher to
the latter personage] that I send you the first perfect copy
I have got of the ' Tales of my Landlord.' If Jedediah interests
the public at all in the way he has interested (you will excuse
me for saying) his fortunate publisher, he will be the most
successful editor who has almost ever appeared.