Corpus of Modern Scottish Writing (CMSW) - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/cmsw/ Document : 219 Title: Letter from Hogg to Murray, 9 Dec 1819 Author(s): Hogg, James Altrive by Selkirk Decr. 9th 1819 My dear Sir By a letter from Blackwood to day I have the disagreeable intelligence that circumstances have occurred which I fear will deprive me of you as a publisher; I hope never as a friend; for I here attest, though I have heard some bitter things against you, that I never met with any man whatever who on so slight an acquaintance has behaved to me so like a gentleman. — Blackwood asks to transfer your shares of my trifling works to his new agents I answered “never without your permission” As the Jacobite relics are not yet published and as they would only involve you further with one with whom you are going to [lose] accounts I gave him liberty to transfer the share you were to have of them to Messr C. & D. But when I consider your handsome subscription for the Queen's Wake if you have the slightest inclination to retain your shares of that work and The Brownie as your name is on them along with Blackwood I would much rather; not only from affection but interest. Cadell and Davis will never send me so many new books and reviews as you have done. But you know I am so involved and circumvolved with Blackwood that I cannot give up any of his shares to any one I know these books are of no avail to you and that if you retain them it will be on the same principle that you published them namely one of friendship for your humble poetical countryman. I'll never forget your kindness for I cannot think I am tainted with the general vice of authors Ingratitude; and the first house that I call at in London will be one in Albemarle Street To make a long talk short my dear Sir send me a line telling me whether it is best for me to transfer the remainder of the editions of these two books to C. & D or let them remain with you. That is all I want to know and exactly as you say it shall be done for you are a better judge of these things than I am and I am conscious that you are disinterested I remain Ever Yours most truly James Hogg To J. Murray Esq. Murray 3/[2] John Murray Esq Albemarle Street London Revd J Hogg Decr 9. 1819