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eclipse he reappeared upon the scene； and presently sought me out
in the character of a generous editor。 It is in this part that I
best remember him； tall； slender； with a not ungraceful stoop；
looking quite like a refined gentleman； and quite like an urbane
adventurer； smiling with an engaging ambiguity； cocking at you one
peaked eyebrow with a great appearance of finesse； speaking low and
sweet and thick； with a touch of burr； telling strange tales with
singular deliberation and； to a patient listener； excellent effect。
After all these ups and downs； he seemed still； like the rich
student that he was of yore； to breathe of money； seemed still
perfectly sure of himself and certain of his end。 Yet he was then
upon the brink of his last overthrow。 He had set himself to found
the strangest thing in our society： one of those periodical sheets
from which men suppose themselves to learn opinions； in which young
gentlemen from the universities are encouraged； at so much a line；
to garble facts； insult foreign nations and calumniate private
individuals； and which are now the source of glory； so that if a
man's name be often enough printed there； he becomes a kind of
demigod； and people will pardon him when he talks back and forth；
as they do for Mr。 Gladstone； and crowd him to suffocation on
railway platforms； as they did the other day to General Boulanger；
and buy his literary works； as I hope you have just done for me。
Our fathers； when they were upon some great enterprise； would
sacrifice a life； building； it may be； a favourite slave into the
foundations of their palace。 It was with his own life that my
companion disarmed the envy of the gods。 He fought his paper
single…handed； trusting no one； for he was something of a cynic； up
early and down late； for he was nothing of a sluggard； daily ear…
wigging influential men； for he was a master of ingratiation。 In
that slender and silken fellow there must have been a rare vein of
courage； that he should thus have died at his employment； and
doubtless ambition spoke loudly in his ear； and doubtless love
also； for it seems there was a marriage in his view had he
succeeded。 But he died； and his paper died after him； and of all
this grace； and tact； and courage； it must seem to our blind eyes
as if there had come literally nothing。
These three students sat； as I was saying； in the corridor； under
the mural tablet that records the virtues of Macbean； the former
secretary。 We would often smile at that ineloquent memorial and
thought it a poor thing to come into the world at all and have no
more behind one than Macbean。 And yet of these three； two are gone
and have left less； and this book； perhaps； when it is old and
foxy； and some one picks it up in a corner of a book…shop； and
glances through it； smiling at the old； graceless turns of speech；
and perhaps for the love of ALMA MATER （which may be still extant
and flourishing） buys it； not without haggling； for some pence …
this book may alone preserve a memory of James Walter Ferrier and
Robert Glasgow Brown。
Their thoughts ran very differently on that December morning； they
were all on fire with ambition； and when they had called me in to
them； and made me a sharer in their design； I too became drunken
with pride and hope。 We were to found a University magazine。 A
pair of little； active brothers … Livingstone by name； great
skippers on the foot； great rubbers of the hands； who kept a book…
shop over against the University building … had been debauched to
play the part of publishers。 We four were to be conjunct editors
and； what was the main point of the concern； to print our own
works； while； by every rule of arithmetic … that flatterer of
credulity … the adventure must succeed and bring great profit。
Well； well： it was a bright vision。 I went home that morning
walking upon air。 To have been chosen by these three distinguished
students was to me the most unspeakable advance； it was my first
draught of consideration； it reconciled me to myself and to my
fellow…men； and as I steered round the railings at the Tron； I
could not withhold my lips from smiling publicly。 Yet； in the
bottom of my heart； I knew that magazine would be a grim fiasco； I
knew it would not be worth reading； I knew； even if it were； that
nobody would read it； and I kept wondering how I should be able；
upon my compact income of twelve pounds per annum； payable monthly；
to meet my share in the expense。 It was a comfortable thought to
me that I had a father。
The magazine appeared； in a yellow cover； which was the best part
of it； for at least it was unassuming； it ran four months in
undisturbed obscurity； and died without a gasp。 The first number
was edited by all four of us with prodigious bustle； the second
fell principally into the hands of Ferrier and me； the third I
edited alone； and it has long been a solemn question who it was
that edited the fourth。 It would perhaps be still more difficult
to say who read it。 Poor yellow sheet； that looked so hopefully
Livingtones' window！ Poor； harmless paper； that might have gone to
print a SHAKESPEARE on； and was instead so clumsily defaced with
nonsense； And； shall I say； Poor Editors？ I cannot pity myself； to
whom it was all pure gain。 It was no news to me； but only the
wholesome confirmation of my judgment； when the magazine struggled
into half…birth； and instantly sickened and subsided into night。 I
had sent a copy to the lady with whom my heart was at that time
somewhat engaged； and who did all that in her lay to break it； and
she； with some tact； passed over the gift and my cherished
contributions in silence。 I will not say that I was pleased at
this； but I will tell her now； if by any chance she takes up the
work of her former servant； that I thought the better of her taste。
I cleared the decks after this lost engagement； had the necessary
interview with my father； which passed off not amiss； paid over my
share of the expense to the two little； active brothers； who rubbed
their hands as much； but methought skipped rather less than
formerly； having perhaps； these two also； embarked upon the
enterprise with some graceful illusions； and then； reviewing the
whole episode； I told myself that the time was not yet ripe； nor
the man ready； and to work I went again with my penny version…
books； having fallen back in one day from the printed author to the
manuscript student。
III
From this defunct periodical I am going to reprint one of my own
papers。 The poor little piece is all tail…foremost。 I have done
my best to straighten its array； I have pruned it fearlessly； and
it remains invertebrate and wordy。 No self…respecting magazine
would print the thing； and here you behold it in a bound volume；
not for any worth of its own； but for the sake of the man whom it
pu