i 74 JOHN MURRA Y. Strangely enough Murray arrived just as Scott, after reading an article on Spanish matters, had written to have his name erased from the list of subscribers to the Edinbiirgh. Murray was able to announce, too, that Gifford, the editor of the late Anti- Jacobin, had promised co-operation, and in a letter to Gifford we see Scott's satisfaction clearly enough : " John Murray of Fleet Street, a young bookseller of capital and enterprize, and with more good sense and propriety of sentiment than fall to the share of most of the trade, made me a visit at Ashestiel a few weeks ago, and as I found he had had some commu- nication with you on the subject, I did not hesitate to communicate my sentiments to him on these and some other points of the plan, and I thought his ideas were most liberal and satisfactory." Soon after Canning wrote to the Lord Advocate on the subject, and the Lord Advocate communicated with Scott, who recommended that in all things save politics the Edinburgh should be taken as a model, especially in the liberal payment of all contributors, and in the unfettered judgment of the editor. Gif- forcl was unanimously fixed on as fitted for the edito- rial chair. That he possessed vigour was apparent from his success a plough-boy, a sailor, a cobbler, then a classical scholar, the translator of "Juvenal," the biting satirist of the "Baviad and Mseviad," the brilliant editor of the Anti-Jacobin, who so well suited to out- rival Jeffrey ? All the talent available was secured. Scott came to town to be present at the birth of the expected prodigy, and well he might, for three of the articles in the first number were his own. Rose, and young Disraeli, and Hookham Frere, and Robert Southey
