LITERACY AND DOMESTIC LD7E. 207 



beyond my quantity; and as I could not leave out the small letter 

 this month, I had no room for your articles on 'Tennant' and 'Mar- 

 tin.' I enclose the slips of ' Tennant,' but I have not got ' Martin' 

 set up yet. When you noticed Gait's ' Ringan Gilhaize,' you would 

 recollect, I dare say, Doubleday's ' Tragedy.' I wish much you 

 could give half an hour to it, which would suffice. He has not said 

 much ; but in two or three of his letters he has inquired, in his 

 quiet way, if we were not going to have some notice of his Tragedy 

 in 'Maga.' As you probably have not a copy with you, I enclose 

 one, in case you should be tempted to take it up. By the by, the 

 Old Driveller is actually doing an article on ' Ringan Gilhaize.' I 

 have seen him several times lately, and a few days ago, when he 

 stopped half an hour in his carriage at the door, he told me he 

 would give me his remarks on it very soon. I am truly thankful 

 he has not thought of laying his pluckless paws on ' Reginald Dal- 

 ton.' There really ought to be a splendid article on Reginald. I 

 shall be very anxious till I hear from you, how you like this number. 



" W. Blackwood." 



"Edinburgh, October 18, 1823. 



" My dear Sir :— This has been a busy and a happy week with 

 me. Every night almost have I been receiving packets from you, 

 and yesterday's post brought me the Manifesto, which, you will see, 

 closes so gloriously this glorious number. 



" It is indeed a number worthy of the ever-memorable month of 

 October. Though I have given twelve pages extra, besides keeping 

 out the lists, I am obliged to keep ' Wrestliana' for next month. 



" I have been terribly hurried to get all to press, but I hope you 

 will find your articles pretty correct. I took every pains I could. 



" I hope you will write me so soon as you have run through the 

 number, and tell me how you like it. There is so much of your own 

 that your task will be the easier. 'Tennant' is a delightful article, 

 and will make the little man a foot higher. Hogg is beyond all 

 praise, and he will be a most unreasonable porker if he attempt to 

 raise his bristles in any manner of way. I prefixed ' See Nodes 

 A?nbrosiance^ and wrote Mr. L. to insert a few words more in the 

 Koctes with regard to it. He did not, however, think this neces- 

 sary. Every one will be in raptures with ' Isaac Walton ;' and the 

 Nbctes is buoyant, brilliant, and capital from beginning to end. 



