Letter from Hogg to Murray, 7 May 1815

Author(s): Hogg, James

Edin. May 7th 1815
My dear Sir

I thank you with all my
heart for the little timerus supply you have
lent me at present. I did intend shortly to
have asked from you what little you could
spare from the copies of the Wake sold,
but I had no thought that the final payment
of the pilgrims would have been made to
me sooner than Nov.r — You are theprince
of booksellers if people would but leave you
to your own judgement and natural generous
disposition. I offered Blackwood a regular rec-iept
for the full payment made by you of
the first edition of the Pilgrims but he declined
it saying the bills were of themselves a sufficient
reciept — I leave Edin. on Thursday for my little
farm on Yarrow. I will have a confused



summer for I have as yet no house that
I can dwell in but I hope by and by to have
some fine fun there with you fishing in Saint
Mary's Lake and Yarrow eating bull trouts singing
songs and drinking whisky. — This little posession
is what I stood much in need of a habitation
among my native hills was what of all the
world I desired and if I had a little more
money at command I would just be as
happy a man as I know of but that is an
article of which I am ever in want I wish you
or Mrs. Murray would speir me out a good
wife with a few thousands I daresay there is many
a romantic girl about London who would think
it a fine play to become a Yarrow shepherdess

I suppose I must give up thoughts of further
publication for the summer. — continue however
to keep me before the public — “out o' sight out
o' mind” I hear of nothing in the literary world



very interesting except that people are commen-ding
some of Lord Byron's melodees as incom-parably
beautiful and laughing immoderately
at Mr Wordsworth's new prefaces which cer-tainly
excel all that ever was worthy in
this world in egotism vanity and absurdity.

If Scott is still in London remember me to him
and tell him I would fain see him before I
leave town as I want particularly to cons[ult]
him about some country affairs

Believe me dear Murray very
and sincerely yours
James Hogg
Lord B. [Mas]

Nelson
Gibbon
Park
Penrose
[Helga]
Rossa
2.R [compt]
Germany
Bavi[¿]

[Sacred Med]
[Phelos] of N





[M½]

John Murray Esq.

50 Albemarle Street
London

7 May 1815
Hogg Jas

Letter from Hogg to Murray, 7 May 1815

Document Information

Document ID	697
Title	Letter from Hogg to Murray, 7 May 1815
Year group	1800-1850
Genre	Personal writing
Year of publication	1815
Wordcount	433

Author information: Hogg, James

Author ID	234
Forenames	James
Surname	Hogg
AKA	The Ettrick Shepherd
Gender	Male
Year of birth	1770
Place of birth	Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scotland
Occupation	Author, farmer, journalist
Father's occupation	Farmer
Education	Little formal schooling
Locations where resident	Ettrick, Edinburgh