Canning, “yet our apprehensions teach us to tremble at the possibility of additional expenses,” and the sheets lay unsold on the bookseller’s hands.  Mr. Murray, who was consulted about the matter, said to Dr. Rennell, “Tell them to send the unsold sheets to me, and I will pay the debt due to the printer.”  The whole of the unsold sheets were sent by the “Windsor Waggon” to Mr. Murray’s at Fleet Street.  He made waste-paper of the whole bundle—­there were 6,376 numbers in all,—­brought out a new edition of 750 copies, printed in good type, and neatly bound, and announced to Stratford Canning that he did this at his own cost and risk, and would make over to the above Etonians half the profits of the work.  The young authors were highly pleased by this arrangement, and Stratford Canning wrote to Murray (October 20, 1805):  “We cannot sufficiently thank you for your kind attention to our concerns, and only hope that the success of the embryo edition may be equal to your care.”  How great was the importance of the venture in his eyes may be judged from the naive allusion with which he proceeds:  “It will be a week or two before we commit it to the press, for amidst our other occupations the business of the school must not be neglected, and that by itself is no trivial employment.”

By means of this transaction Murray had the sagacity to anticipate an opportunity of making friends of Canning and Frere, 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 future prosperity.  It is scarcely necessary to add that the new edition of the “Miniature” speedily became waste paper.

CHAPTER III

MURRAY AND CONSTABLE—­HUNTER AND THE FORFARSHIRE LAIRDS—­MARRIAGE OF JOHN MURRAY

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, who was about four years older than Murray, 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.

In 1800 he commenced the Farmer’s Magazine, and in the following year acquired the property of the Scots Magazine, a venerable repertory of literary, historical, and antiquarian matter; 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.