36G 



MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



every subject, and all asperities of sentiment or language on either 

 side, be at once forgotten, and never once alluded to — so that there 

 shall be asked no explanation nor apology, but each of you con- 

 tinue to think yourself in the right, without taking the trouble to 

 say so. 



" But you have accused Mr. Blackwood in your correspondence 

 with him, as I understand, of shabbiaess, meanness, selfish motives, 

 and almost dishonesty. In your Memoir there is an allusion to 

 some transaction about a bill, which directly charges Mr. Black- 

 wood with want of integrity. In that light it was received by a 

 knave and fool in Fraser's 3fagazine, and on it was founded a pub- 

 lic charge of downright dishonesty against a perfectly honorable 

 and honest man. Now, my good sir, insinuations or accusations of 

 this kind are quite ' another guess matter' from mere ebullitions of 

 temper, and it is impossible that Mr. Blackwood can ever make up 

 any quarrel with any man icho doubts his integrity. It is your 

 bounden duty, therefore, to make amends to him on this subject. 

 But even here I would not counsel any apology. I would say that 

 it is your duty as an honest man to say fully, and freely, and 

 unequivocally that you know Mr. Blackwood to be one, and in all 

 his dealings with you he has behaved as one. This avowal is no 

 more than he is entitled to from you ; and, of course, it should be 

 taken in lieu of an apology. As to writing henceforth in ' Maga,' I 

 am sure it will give me the greatest pleasure to see the Shepherd 

 adorning that work with his friends again ; and, in that case, it 

 would be graceful and becoming in you to address Mr. Blackwood 

 in terms of esteem, such as would remove from all minds any idea 

 that you ever wished to accuse him of want of principle. I should 

 think that would be agreeable to yourself, and that it would be 

 agreeable to all who feel the kindest interest in your character and 

 reputation. In this way you would both appear in your true colors, 

 and to the best advantage. 



"As for the Nodes Ambrosiana?, that is a subject in which I am 

 chiefly concerned ; and there shall never be another with you in it, 

 if indeed that be disagreeable to you/ f f But all the idiots in ex- 

 istence shall never persuade me that in those dialogues you are not 

 respected and honored, and that they have not spread the fame of 

 your genius and your virtues all over Europe, America, Asia, and 

 Africa. If there be another man who has done more for your 



