188 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



Dr. Chalmers is by Mr. Lockhart. I am not quite sure if Mr. W. 

 will have any thing in the next Edinburgh Heview, but I hope he 

 will, and I will tell you what it is when I know. 



" You asked if Ensign O'Doherty was a fictitious character ; he 

 is, and was created by a Mr. Hanrilton, a particularly handsome and 

 gentlemanly young man in the army ; he is a brother of Sir Wil- 

 liam Hamilton, a friend of Mr. Wilson's, whom you may have heard 

 me mention. The city of late has been in a state of pleasing com- 

 motion owing to a fracas which took place last week between 

 Blackwood and a Mr. Douglas from Glasgow, a disgusting, vulgar, 

 conceited writer, whose name was mentioned in one of Nicol Jar- 

 vie's letters* in the Magazine, which gave the gentleman such high 

 offence, that after mature deliberation he determined on coming to 

 Edinburgh, and horsewhipping Mr. Blackwood. Accordingly, 

 about a week since he arrived ; and one day as the worthy book- 

 seller was entering his shop, Mr. D. followed him, and laid his whip 

 across his shoulder ; and before Mr. B. had time to recover from 

 his surprise, Mr. D. walked off without leaving his address. Mr. B. 

 immediately went out and bought a stick ; and, accompanied by 

 Mr. Hogg, went in search of Mr. D., whom at last they detected 

 just about to step into a coach on his return to Glasgow. Mr. B. 

 immediately attacked him, and beat him as hard as he could, and 

 then permitted him to take his place in the coach, and proceed 

 home, which he did. I have given you a long story, which I fear 

 you cannot feel the least interest in ; but as you take the Magazine, 

 you will not be wholly indifferent to the fate of the publisher, whose 

 conduct on the late occasion is thought perfectly correct ; the other 

 man everybody thinks has acted like a fool." 



Nothing was left undone to spread the fame and fear of Black- 

 wood. Formidable announcements of forthcoming criticisms were 

 monthly advertised, to keep expectation on the stretch. The very 

 titles of the serial articles indicated uncommon fertility of inven- 

 tion, and a terrible faculty for calling names. There were articles 

 on " The Cockney School of Poetry," on " The Pluckless School of 

 Politics," on " The Gormandizing School of Eloquence." There 

 were letters to literary characters by Timothy Tickler, by Freder- 

 ick Baron von Lauerwinkel, by Dr. Olinthus Petre, T. C. D., by 



* Blackwood, January and March, 1818. 



