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The most important publishing firm with which Mr. Murray was connected at the outset of his career was that of Archibald Constable & Co., of Edinburgh. This connection had a considerable influence upon Murray’s future fortunes.
Constable was a man of great ability, full of spirit and enterprise. He was by nature generous, liberal, and far-seeing. The high prices which he gave for the best kind of literary work drew the best authors round him, and he raised the publishing trade of Scotland to a height that it had never before reached, and made Edinburgh a great centre of learning and literature.
His father was overseer to the Earl of Kellie, in Fife, and
Archibald, after receiving a plain education at the parish school
of Carnbee, was bound apprentice to Peter Hall,
bookseller in Edinburgh, one of the friends and correspondents of Robert Burns. About the time of the expiration of his
apprenticeship, Constable married the daughter of
Mr. Wilson, printer, and began business on his
own account in 1795, at the age of twenty-one. He devoted himself at first chiefly to the
sale of old books connected with Scottish history and literature, by which line of trade he
acquired considerable influence, and
| ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE. | 57 |
Constable was about four years older than Murray; both were alike full of spirit and enterprise, and eagerly looking ahead for the means of extending their connection; Constable was perhaps more daring, but Murray was more prudent. As Isaac D’Israeli said to the latter: “Prudence is the best of all genii for human affairs.”
In 1800 Constable commenced the Farmer’s Magazine, and in the following year he acquired the property of the Scots Magazine, a venerable repertory of literary, historical, and antiquarian matter, on which he employed the talents of Macneil, Leyden, and Murray. But it was not until the establishment of the Edinburgh Review, in October, 1802, that Constable’s name became a power in the publishing world.
In the year following the first issue of the Review, Constable took into partnership Alexander Gibson Hunter, eldest son of David Hunter, of Blackness, a large landed proprietor. The new partner brought a considerable amount of capital into the firm, at a time when capital was greatly needed in that growing concern. His duties were to take charge of the ledger and account department, though he never took much interest in his work, but preferred to call in the help of a clever arithmetical clerk.
It is unnecessary to speak of the foundation of the Edinburgh Review. It appeared at the
right time, and was mainly supported by the talents of Jeffrey, Brougham, Sydney Smith, Francis
Horner, Dr. Thomas Brown, Lord Murray, and other distinguished writers. The first
number, immediately attracted public attention. Mr. Joseph
Mawman was the London agent, but some dissatisfaction having
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During the partnership of Murray and Highley, they had occasional business transactions with Constable of Edinburgh. When the partnership was dissolved in March 1803, it became the duty of Murray to communicate with Constable as to the settlement of the accounts between the firms. In the following month Murray wrote to Constable requesting him to advertise ‘Dundonald on Agriculture,’ and Dagley’s book on Gems* on the outside cover of the next Edinburgh Review. He also stated that he had no objection to Constable becoming the publisher of these works in Scotland. He concluded his letter with the following suggestive inquiry:
“I have several works in the press which I should be willing to consign to your management in Edinburgh, but that I presume you have already sufficient business upon your hands, and that you would not find mine worth attending to. If so, I wish that you would tell me of some vigorous young bookseller, like myself, just starting into business, upon whose probity, punctuality, and exertion you think I might rely, and I would instantly open a correspondence with him; and in return it will give me much pleasure to do any civil office for you in London. I should be happy if any arrangement could be made wherein we might prove of reciprocal advantage; and were you from your superabundance to pick me out any work of merit of which you would either make me the publisher in London, or in which you would allow me to become a partner, I dare say the occasion would arise wherein I
* Mr. D’Israeli assisted in the preparation of the letterpress of this work. |
| ALLIANCE BETWEEN MURRAY AND CONSTABLE. | 59 |
Mr. Constable’s answer was favourable. He was willing to become the agent for any works that Mr. Murray might consign to him, and he would give them his utmost attention. The result was that in June 1803 Mr. Murray sent to Constable & Co. some copies of I. D’Israeli’s ‘Flim-Flams,’ together with a copy for the editor of the Edinburgh. In the following August he again wrote to Constable, congratulating him upon the extensive circulation of the Edinburgh Review. “I hope,” he says, “it will continue its celebrity and prove highly advantageous to all its proprietors. Let me know if I can serve you in London.” Murray pushed the sale of the Review. In November he wrote to Constable: “I have got five-and-twenty new subscribers since March,” and requested that the additional numbers might be forwarded.
In October 1804 Mr. Murray, at the instance of Constable, took as his apprentice Charles Hunter, the younger brother of A. Gibson Hunter, Constable’s partner. The apprenticeship was to be for four or seven years, at the option of Charles Hunter. These negociations between the firms, and their increasing interchange of books, showed that they were gradually drawing nearer to each other, until their correspondence became quite friendly and even intimate. Walter Scott was now making his appearance as an author; Constable had published his ‘Sir Tristram’ in May 1804, and his ‘Lay of the Last Minstrel’ in January 1805. Large numbers of these works were forwarded to London and sold by Mr. Murray.
At the end of 1805, differences arose between the
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“Our game with Messieurs Longman & Co. is entirely up! What think you
of this? You will understand, of course, that it relates to things to come, and not to
things past; as there must still remain some intercourse between us (either in a direct
or roundabout way) with regard to those works in which we are at present jointly
concerned. But all business is at an end between us relating to future publications, to
the fullest extent. It would be difficult for me to give you any account at present of
this last hurricane or tornado. Suffice it to say that we have some thoughts of copying
out the whole correspondence without any commentary, and submitting it confidentially
to you and our mutual friend, Mr. Davies . . . .
Mr. Constable is to write to you to-morrow
respecting our miscellaneous order of books from London, which we send for generally
once a fortnight or so. I have no doubt we will experience every attention and
expedition from you in procuring and
| CONSTABLE AND LONGMAN. | 61 |
Mr. Murray replied—
“With regard to the important communication of your last letter, I confess the surprise with which I read it was not without some mixture of regret. The extensive connections betwixt your house and Longman’s cannot be severed at once without mutual inconvenience, and perhaps mutual disadvantages, your share of which a more protracted dismemberment might have prevented. From what I had occasion to observe, I did not conceive that your concerns together would ever again move with a cordiality that would render them lasting; but still, I imagined that mutual interest and forbearance would allow them to subside into that indifference which, without animosity or mischief, would leave either party at liberty to enter upon such new arrangements as offered to their separate advantage. I do not, however, doubt but that all things have been properly considered, and perhaps finally settled for the best; but Time, the only arbitrator in these cases, must decide.
“In your proposed engagements with Mr.
Davies, you will become better acquainted with a man of great natural
talents, and thoroughly versed in business, which he regulates by the most honourable
principles. As for myself, you will find me exceedingly assiduous in promoting your
views, into which I shall enter with feelings higher than those of mere interest.
Indeed, linked as our houses are at present, we have a natural tendency to mutual good
understanding, which will both prevent and soften those asperities in business which
might otherwise enlarge into disagreement. Country orders [referring to Constable & Co.’s ‘general
order’] are a branch of business which I have ever totally declined as
incompatible with my more serious plans as a publisher. But your
commissions I shall undertake with pleasure, and the punctuality with which I have
attempted to execute your first order you will, I hope,
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In the same letter Mr. Murray says: “I have just shipped for you nearly the whole of your order on board the Coldstream packet, William Ord, master.”
It was a great chance for a young man entering life with a moderate amount of capital, to be virtually offered an intimate connection with one of the principal publishing houses of the day. It was one of those chances which, “taken at the flood, lead on to fortune,” but there was also the question of honour, and Mr. Murray, notwithstanding his desire for opening out a splendid new connection in business, would do nothing inconsistent with the strictest honour. He was most unwilling to thrust himself in between Constable and Longman. Instead, therefore, of jumping at Constable’s advantageous offer, his feelings induced him to try and promote reconciliation between the parties; and he continued to enjoin forbearance on the part of both firms, so that they might carry on their business transactions as before. The copies of the correspondence between them were submitted to the referees (Murray and Davies), and the following was Mr. Murray’s reply, addressed to Messrs. Constable & Co.:—
Mr. Hunter’s obliging letter to me
arrived this morning. That which he enclosed with yours to his brother last
night, Charles gave me to read. The
contents were very flattering. Indeed, I cannot but agree with Mr. H. that his
brother has displayed very honourable feelings, upon hearing of the probable
separation of your house, and that of Messrs. Longman & Co. Mr. Longman was the
first who
| MURRAY AS A MEDIATOR. | 63 |
Recollect how serious every dispute becomes upon paper, when a man writes a thousand asperities merely to show or support his superior ability. Things that would not have been spoken, or perhaps even thought of in conversation, are stated and horribly magnified upon paper. Consider how many disputes have arisen in the world, in which both parties were so violent in what they believed to be the support of truth, and which to the public, and indeed to themselves a few years afterwards, appeared unwise, because the occasion or cause of it was not worth contending about. Consider that you are, all of you, men who can depend upon each other’s probity and honour, and where these essentials are not wanting, surely in mere matters of business the rest may be palliated by mutual bearance and forbearance. Besides, you are so connected by various publications, your common property, and some of them, such as will remain so until the termination of your lives, that you cannot effect an entire disunion, and must therefore be subject to eternal vexations and regrets which will embitter every transaction and settlement between you.
You know, moreover, that it is one of the misfortunes of our
nature, that disputes are always the most bitter in proportion to former
intimacy. And how much dissatisfaction will it occasion if either of you are
desirous in a year or two of renewing that intimacy which you are now so
anxious to dissolve—to say nothing of your relative utility to each
other—a circumstance which is never properly estimated, except when the
want of the means reminds us
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You will not, I am sure, attribute anything which I have said to an insensibility to the immediate advantages which will arise to myself from a determination opposite to that which I have taken the liberty of suggesting. It arises from a very different feeling. I should be very little worthy of your great confidence and attention to my interest upon this occasion, if I did not state freely the result of my humble consideration of this matter; and having done so, I do assure you that if the arrangements which you now propose are carried into effect, I will apply the most arduous attention to your interest, to which I will turn the channel of my own thoughts and business, which, I am proud to say, is rising in proportion to the industry and honourable principles which have been used in its establishment. I am every day adding to a most respectable circle of literary connexions, and I hope, a few months after the settlement of your present affairs, to offer shares to you of works in which you will feel it advantageous to engage. Besides, as I have at present no particular bias, no enormous works of my own which would need all my care, I am better qualified to attend to any that you may commit to my charge; and, being young, my business may be formed with a disposition, as it were, towards yours; and thus growing up with it, we are more likely to form a durable connexion than can be expected with persons whose views are imperceptibly but incessantly diverging from each other.
Should you be determined—irrevocably determined (but consider!) upon the disunion with Messrs.
Longman, I will just observe that
when persons have been intimate, they have discovered each other’s
vulnerable points; it
| BREACH BETWEEN CONSTABLE & LONGMAN. | 65 |
I must apologize again for having been so tedious, but I am sure that the same friendliness on your part which has produced these hasty but well-meant expostulations will excuse them. After this, I trust it is unnecessary for me to state with how much sincerity,
Ten days after this letter was written, Mr. Murray sent a copy of it to Messrs. Longman & Co., and wrote:—
The enclosed letter will show that I am not ignorant that a misunderstanding prevails betwixt your house and that of Messrs. Constable & Co. With the cause, however, I am as yet unacquainted; though I have attempted, but in vain, to obviate a disunion which I most sincerely regret. Whatever arrangements with regard to myself may take place in consequence will have arisen from circumstances which it was not in my power to prevent; and they will not therefore be suffered to interfere in any way with those friendly dispositions which will continue, I trust, to obtain between you and, gentlemen,
But the split was not to be avoided. It appears, however, that by the
contract entered into by Constable with
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“Messrs. Longman have sent to me the remainder of such books of yours as they had on hand, and they will occupy, as you prognosticated, a good space in my warehouse. We are just now arranging and counting them; and in a day or two I shall be able to send you a list.”
In April 1806 Mr. Murray joined Constable & Co. in taking shares of the Gazetteer of Scotland, Sir John Sinclair’s ‘Code of Health and Longevity,’ and Stark’s ‘Picture of Edinburgh.’
In the course of April Constable wrote to Murray in great spirits:—
“Our Edinburgh books are going off so well with your able assistance and activity that we shall be obliged to establish at least ten additional printing-houses, and as many binding shops, to enable us to supply the demand.”
Mr. Constable invited Murray to come to Edinburgh to renew their personal friendship and cement
their confidential intercourse. Mr. Murray had in the previous year
paid a visit to Edinburgh on “an important expedition,” as referred to by
Mr. I. D’Israeli in the preceding chapter.
He had then visited Constable and made his acquaintance; and now that
their union was likely to be much closer, he desired to repeat the visit, but Mr.
Murray had another, and, so far as regarded his personal happiness, a much
more important cause of his renewed visit to Edinburgh.
| ‘THE MINIATURE.’ | 67 |
Mr. Constable’s invitation could not be accepted during the busy period of the publishing season. A promise was, however, given that towards the end of the year he might expect to see Mr. Murray once more in Edinburgh. Meantime Murray was deeply absorbed by his publishing business; ‘Bell’s Surgery,’ once in continuous demand, was now out of date; it was superseded by Samuel Cooper’s ‘Dictionary of Practical Surgery,’ published by Mr. Murray. Among the other medical works which he brought out were ‘Thomson’s Dispensatory,’ and a work on the Medical Department of Armies, but from this time he gradually gave up the publication of medical and surgical works, and devoted himself to other branches of literature, which opened up a newer and wider field.
A circumstance, not without influence on Murray’s future, occurred about this time with respect to the
‘Miniature,’ a volume of
comparatively small importance, consisting of essays written by boys at Eton, and
originally published at Windsor by Charles Knight.
Through Dr. Rennell, Master of the Temple, his
friend and neighbour, who lived close at hand, Murray became
acquainted with the younger Rennell, Mr. Stratford Canning, Gally
Knight, the two sons of the Marquis
Wellesley, John and Robert
Smith, and other young Etonians, who had originated and conducted this
School magazine. Thirty-four numbers appeared in the course of a year, and were then
brought out in a volume by Mr. Knight at the expense of the
| 68 | MEMOIRS OF JOHN MURRAY |
By means of this transaction Murray
had the sagacity to anticipate an opportunity of making friends of Canning, Frere, and the Smiths, who
were never tired of eulogizing the spirit and enterprise of the young Fleet Street
publisher. Stratford Canning introduced him to his cousin George, the great minister, whose friendship and support
had a very considerable influence in promoting and establishing his
| MR. SOUTHEY. | 69 |
Among his other publications may be mentioned Krusenstern’s ‘Voyage round the World,’ new editions of ‘The Picture of London,’ ‘Fielding’s Novels,’ and ‘Marmontel’s Tales’; the latter illustrated by Bird of Bristol. On bringing out Richard Duppa’s ‘Life of Michael Angelo,’ a copy of the book was sent, at the author’s request, to Robert Southey, the poet, then living at Greta Hall. Mr. Southey, when acknowledging the receipt of the book, wrote to Mr. Duppa—
“It was accompanied by a note from Mr. Murray of a complimentary kind. I like to be complimented in my authorial character, and best of all by booksellers, because their good opinion gets purchasers, and so praise leads to pudding, which I consider to be the solid end of praise.”
Mr. Southey was not then aware how closely he and Mr. Murray were afterwards to become related, and how much “pudding” he was to derive from the connection.
Now that his reputation as a publisher was becoming established, Mr. Murray grew more particular as to the guise of the
books which he issued. He employed the best makers of paper, the best printers, and the
best bookbinders. He attended to the size and tone of the paper, the quality of the type,
the accuracy of the printing, and the excellence of the illustrations. All this involved a
great deal of correspondence. We find his letters to the heads of departments full of
details as to the turn-out of his books. Everything, from the beginning to the end of the
issue of a work—the first inspection of the MS., the consultation with confidential
friends as to its fitness for publication, the form in which it was to appear, the
correction of the proofs, the binding, title, and final advertisement—engaged his
closest attention. Besides the elegant
| 70 | MEMOIRS OF JOHN MURRAY |
In August, 1806, during the slack season in London, Mr. Murray made his promised visit to Edinburgh. He had two objects in view; first, to accept the cordial invitation of Constable, and make his further personal acquaintance; but his principal object was to cultivate the friendship of Mrs. Elliot, and to prosecute his suit with her daughter. It is unnecessary to enter into particulars; but nothing seems to have occurred to throw any obstacle in the way of a happy result.
Mr. Murray was warmly received by Constable and Hunter, and enjoyed their hospitality for some days. After business matters had been disposed of, he was taken in hand by Hunter, the junior partner, and led off by him to enjoy the perilous hospitality of the Forfarshire lairds.
Those have been called the days of heroic drinking. Intemperance prevailed
to an enormous extent. Mr. Robert Chambers, in his
‘Memoir of Burns,’
says that he came to Edinburgh at an unfortunate time—a time of greater
licentiousness, perhaps, in all the capitals of Europe, and this northern one among the
rest, than had been known for a long period. Men of the best education and social position
drank like the Scandinavian barbarians of olden times. Tavern-drinking, now almost unknown
| MURRAY IN FORFARSHIRE. | 71 |
Murray was conducted by Hunter to his father’s house of Eskmount in Forfarshire, where he was most cordially received, and in accordance with the custom of the times the hospitality included invitations to drinking bouts at the neighbouring houses.
An unenviable notoriety in this respect attached to Brechin Castle, the residence of Fox Maule of Panmure, commonly known as the “Generous Sportsman.” He was the second son of the eighth Earl of Dalhousie, but on succeeding to his mother’s estate had assumed the name of Maule in lieu of that of Ramsay.
Much against his will, Murray was compelled to take part in some of these riotous festivities with the rollicking, hard-drinking Forfarshire lairds, and doubtless he was not sorry to make his escape at length uninjured, if not unscathed, and to return to more congenial society in Edinburgh. His attachment to Miss Elliot ended in an engagement. The question arose, when was the marriage to take place? In the meantime, Mr. Adam Bruce, the family solicitor, with a cautious eye to the future, was endeavouring to obtain some information from London as to the suitor’s character. He wrote to the young lady’s brother William, then residing in London:
“I have heard of what is going on in Charlotte Street; but from my having no acquaintances in London, I have no opportunity of making inquiries. I saw the gentleman while in Edinburgh and think well of him. I hope any accounts you have of him are satisfactory. Your uncle is something in the same situation as I am, having few acquaintances in London to whom he can apply on so delicate a subject.”
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The result of the inquiries could not fail to be satisfactory. Mr. Murray was engaged in conducting a prosperous business; his name was becoming famous amongst booksellers and publishers as that of a man who could be relied on, and the public had confidence in the tone and quality of the works which he published.
In the course of his correspondence with Miss Elliot’s trustees, Mr. Murray gave a statement of his actual financial position at the time:
“When I say,” he wrote, “that my capital in business amounts to five thousand pounds, I meant it to be understood that if I quitted business to-morrow, the whole of my property being sold, even disadvantageously, it would leave a balance in my favour, free from debt or any incumbrance, of the sum above specified. But you will observe that, continuing it as I shall do in business, I know it to be far more considerable and productive. I will hope that it has not been thought uncandid in me if I did not earlier specify the amount of my circumstances, for I considered that I had done this in the most delicate and satisfactory way when I took the liberty of referring you to Mr. Constable to whom I consequently disclosed my affairs, and whose knowledge of my connexions in business might I thought have operated more pleasingly to Miss Elliot’s friends than any communication from myself.”
The correspondence with Miss Elliot
went on, and at length it was arranged that Mr.
Murray should proceed to Edinburgh for the marriage. He went by mail in the
month of February. A tremendous snowstorm set in on his journey north. From a village near
Doncaster he wrote to Constable: “the
horses were twice blown quite round, unable to face the horrid blast of cold wind, the
like of which I have never known before. There was at the same time a terrible fall of
snow, which completely obscured everything that could be seen from the coach window.
The snow became of great depth, and six strong
| MURRAY’S MARRIAGE. | 73 |
While at Edinburgh, Mr. Murray resided with Mr. Sands, one of the late Charles Elliot’s trustees. The marriage took place on the 6th March, 1807, and the newly-married pair at once started for Kelso, in spite of the roads being still very bad, and obstructed by snow. Near Blackshields the horses fell down and rolled over and over. The postboy’s leg was broken, and the carriage was sadly damaged. A neighbouring blacksmith was called to the rescue, and after an hour and a half, the carriage was sufficiently repaired to be able to proceed. A fresh pair of horses was obtained at the next stage, and the married couple reached Kelso in safety. They remained there a few days, waiting for Mrs. Elliot, who was to follow them; and on her arrival, they set out at once for the south.
The intimacy which existed between Mr. Murray and Mr. D’Israeli will be observed from the fact of the latter being selected as one of the marriage trustees. A few days after the arrival of the married pair in London, they were invited to dine with Mr. D’Israeli and his friends. Mr. Alexander Hunter, whom Mr. Murray had invited to stay with him during his visit to London, thus describes the event:—
“Dressed, and went along with the Clan Murray to dine at Mr. D’Israeli’s, where we had a most sumptuous banquet, and a very large party, in honour of the newly-married folks. There was a very beautiful woman there, Mrs. Turner, wife of Sharon Turner, the Anglo-Saxon historian, who, I am told, was one of the Godwin school! If they be all as beautiful, accomplished, and agreeable as this lady, they must be a deuced dangerous set indeed, and I should not choose to trust myself amongst them.
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“Our male part of the company consisted mostly of literary men—Cumberland, Turner, D’Israeli, Basevi, Prince Hoare, and Cervetto, the truly celebrated violoncello player. Turner was the most able and agreeable of the whole by far; Cumberland, the most talkative and eccentric perhaps, has a good sprinkling of learning and humour in his conversation and anecdote, from having lived so long amongst the eminent men of his day, such as Johnson, Foote, Garrick, and such like. But his conversation is sadly disgusting, from his tone of irony and detraction conveyed in a cunning sort of way and directed constantly against the Edinburgh Review, Walter Scott (who is a ‘poor ignorant boy, and no poet,’ and never wrote a five-feet line in his life), and such other d—d stuff.”
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