To all these people—­Croker as well as the rest—­John Murray is of much more importance than they ever can be to him if he will only believe what I know, viz. that his own name in society stands miles above any of theirs.  Croker cannot form the nucleus of a literary association which you have any reason to dread.  He is hated by the higher Tories quite as sincerely as by the Whigs:  besides, he has not now-a-days courage to strike an effective blow; he will not come forward.

I come to pleasanter matters.  Nothing, indeed, can be more handsome, more generous than Mr. Coleridge’s whole behaviour.  I beg of you to express to him the sense I have of the civility with which he has been pleased to remember and allude to me, and assure him that I am most grateful for the assistance he offers, and accept of it to any extent he chooses.

In this way Mr. Lockhart succeeded to the control of what his friend John Wilson called “a National Work”; and he justified the selection which Mr. Murray had made of him as editor:  not only maintaining and enhancing the reputation of the Review, by securing the friendship of the old contributors, but enlisting the assistance of many new ones.  Sir Walter Scott, though “working himself to pieces” to free himself from debt, came to his help, and to the first number which Lockhart edited he contributed an interesting article on “Pepys’ Memoirs.”

Lockhart’s literary taste and discernment were of the highest order; and he displayed a moderation and gentleness, even in his adverse criticism, for which those who knew him but slightly, or by reputation only, scarce gave him credit.  There soon sprang up between him and his publisher an intimacy and mutual confidence which lasted till Murray’s death; and Lockhart continued to edit the Quarterly till his own death in 1854.  In truth there was need of mutual confidence between editor and publisher, for they were called upon to deal with not a few persons whose deep interest in the Quarterly tempted them at times to assume a somewhat dictatorial tone in their comments on and advice for the management of the Review.  When an article written by Croker, on Lamennais’ “Paroles d’un Croyant,” [Footnote:  The article by J.W.  Croker was afterwards published in No. 104 of the Quarterly.] was under consideration, Lockhart wrote to the publisher: 

Mr. Lockhart to John Murray.

November 8, 1826.

My Dear Murray,

It is always agreeable and often useful for us to hear what you think of the articles in progress.  Croker and I both differ from you as to the general affair, for this reason simply, that Lamennais is to Paris what Benson or Lonsdale is to London.  His book has produced and is producing a very great effect.  Even religious people there applaud him, and they are re-echoed here by old Jerdan, who pronounces that,