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Document : 218

Title: Letter from Hogg to Murray, 20 Feb 1819

Author(s): Hogg, James

Edinr.

Febr. 20th 1819
My dear Sir

I arrived here the day before yesterday for my
spring campaign in literature drinking whisky &c and as I have not
heard a word of you nor from you since we parted on the top of the
hill above Abbotsford I dedicate my first letter from the Metropolis to you
And first of all I was rather dissapointed in getting so little [cracking]
with you at that time, Scott and you had so much and so many people
to converse about whom no body knew any thing of but yourselves that
you two got all to say and some of we great men who deem we know
every thing at home found that we knew nothing. You did not even
tell me what conditions you were going to give me for my Jacobite
Relics of Scotland the first part of which will make its appearance
this spring and I think bids fair to be popular, it is under the
patronage and inscribed to the London Highland Society and each
of the members takes a copy. I suppose we must be sharers in
the profits of the edition as usual. Blackwood is willing to do any way
that you charge but he bid me write and ask yourself for that you
would do the thing for me that you would not do for him


The Queen's Wake will be published Boyde says by the
middle of next month. A gentleman in the Musical line has
a good number of subscribers in London. If he give them in to
you take care how you deliver them for I suspect he is not
much to lissen to. I wish you could induce some friendly Scotsman
in London to interest himself in it. It is a pity but that I had
as many subscribers as would take off the Royal copies at once
that the sale copies might be put in circulation in the
spring if you can think of any one I will write to
him

I have read both the Review and No 23 of the
Magazine and never did I read any works with so




much interest Though quite different [messes] they are
both exquisite in kind, a part of [fat] things. No previous
number of the Review has been better; no one of the
Magazine has been near so good; for some months past
I felt as if I suspected a falling off, but this must give it a
[leese] again else originality of conception has lost its
value — There has been a considerable [fume] among
the trade about a new journal of science that Blackwood
is setting a going I find that he (the said man whose name
is as ebony) is very much vexed and chagrined that he
has missed your acquiescence and support in it and
I overheard a conversation yesterday in which it was
plotted that you should yet have a share of it and he induced
to give up some other thing of the same nature which they
agreed to be a bad concern. I wonder that you should be
so shy in running shares with Ebony I am sure
he is any thing but a rash or sanguine man ; and as
far as my little experience goes there is not a more
reasonable man living if one will be reasonable with him
He has only one great fault he never will confess that
he has been in the wrong. Whether this proceeds from
a consciousness of rectitude I know not but I am sure that
it must do him hurt sometimes in transacting business
especially when he meets with a hot headed Athol highlander
like yourself — But I have nothing to do with these things
only I cannot help when writing to a friend of saying
whatever is uppermost




our worthy friend Scott has again had an
attack of the cramp in his stomach and yesterday
when I saw him was very far from being well
He spoke in the very highest terms of both the Quarterly
and the Magazine.


I have no more news that I think of pray write
to me before you fling this by among your thousands
of business letters and forget. If it were but five lines
to tell me how you are? What you deem the impression of
of the Jacobite songs ought to be ? What the fairest condition
should be between friends ? and if you know of any friendly
enthusiastic gentlemen to whom I could apply or to
whom you could apply to procure
me a few subscriptions for the Wake


And believe me ever
Yours very faithfully
James Hogg

To John Murray Esq.





John Murray Esq
Albemarle Street
London

1819 Feb 20
Hogg, Jas