“Mr. Ballantyne has been so long and honourably distinguished in his connection with the press of Scotland, in the highest acceptation of that expression, that we cannot forbear alluding slightly to the leading points of his life and character in that connection. He began his career by establishing the Kelso Mail in his native town; and it was while he was thus engaged, that, in consequence of some suggestion from Mr. Hughes, then and long after in his employment, he made some successful attempts to improve the typography of Scotland. In these the success which attended his efforts was so conspicuous as to attract the notice of some distinguished individuals, and, amongst others, that of his illustrious friend, Sir Walter Scott; and a new era in Scottish typography, as well as of Scottish literature, was ushered in by the printing of the ‘Border Minstrelsy’ at the Border press. Mr. Ballantyne’s well-merited fame for elegance and accuracy as a printer soon extended in the marts of literature, and the encouragement which he received from the booksellers of London and Edinburgh induced him to remove to this city about the year 1802; and it is no disparagement to any of his brethren to state that, from the time that Mr. Ballantyne devoted himself to the pursuit, the art has been improved among us to the highest pitch, for nothing in typography can exceed the beauty and accuracy which have ever characterised the productions of the Ballantyne Press. These qualities are known to the whole world in the works of his illustrious friend, Sir Walter Scott, and they were the result at once of the most conscientious and scrupulous vigilance over his press, and of an exquisite taste and great intelligence which were applied to the works entrusted to his superintendence. The intimate connection which subsisted betwixt Sir Walter and Mr. Ballantyne from their schoolboy days—the confidential nature of that connection—and the unceasing kindness which was veiled only by the shadows which darken all human friendships in the grave, were such as to associate the name of Ballantyne with that of his much-loved and honoured countryman, and to invest it with consideration and honour. During the last fifteen or sixteen years Mr. Ballantyne has been the editor, and a proprietor of the Edinburgh Weekly Journal, which has been uniformly distinguished for its candour, sound constitutional principles, moderation, and independence. In private life Mr. Ballantyne was amiable and gentlemanly in his demeanour, accomplished, courteous, cheerful; and to have been the intimate associate of Walter Scott, John Leyden, James Grahame, Robert Lundie, was of itself a proof not merely of his intellectual superiority, but of what is more estimable, of his moral worth. He was a dutiful son, brother, husband, father, and friend; and the affectionate qualities of his nature will be long remembered by those who moved within the circles of his friends or his friendships.”
On the death of James Ballantyne his trustees examined his repositories in the printing-office, and found a number of fragmentary portions of the manuscripts of the novels, as well as numerous proof-sheets with corrections, and several manuscripts of the later novels which had been overlooked. These fragmentary leaves and proof-sheets remained in possession of the trustees till James Ballantyne’s son came of age; and the latter, on formally taking up his position at the printing-office, presented some of them to friends as memorials—among others, the MS. of “Old Mortality” was presented to Mr. (afterwards Sir) John Cowan of Beeslack. The state of the business, however, led a few years after to sequestration, and the rest of the Scott relics, as well as James Ballantyne’s library, were sold for behoof of the estate by Mr. Dowell of Edinburgh, in May 1848. Among the lots sold at this time were the MS. of the “Black Dwarf,” and the author’s proofs of the “Life of Napoleon” (nine vols.), “Woodstock,” “Nigel,” “Quentin Durward,” “Ivanhoe,” “Peveril,” &c., as well as the author’s interleaved copy, with many notes, of the “Letters on Demonology,” &c., realising altogether £121, 13s. 6d.
These proof-sheets contained the notes and letters which passed between the author and the printer, as well as the author’s corrections and additions during the progress of the books through the press. The suggestions and remarks of Ballantyne are many, and occasionally curious; and Sir Walter appears frequently to have adopted the advice of his friend, who for his occasional strictures was sometimes playfully designated “Tom Telltruth.” “The proof-sheets of ‘Redgauntlet’ exist,” says Mr. Lang in his Introduction to that novel, “and show some noteworthy points, as we see Mr. James Ballantyne’s suggestions, Scott’s corrections, and an occasional aside to Ballantyne.... James objects to the mixture of ‘thou’ and ‘you’ in Fairford’s letter, but Scott does not make any change.... Ballantyne rather timidly suggests that Green Mantle at the fishers’ dance reminds him of Di Vernon, so Scott slightly modifies her cavalier tone. James is scandalised at the mention of young advocates as ‘boys.’ Scott writes, ‘Aye, aye!’” The printer makes a “useful suggestion, which Scott accepts, when Alan reads the wrong letter in the trial.”
The author and the printer often differed, and other replies of Scott to his corrector are characteristic, as the following, which appears in one of the proofs of “Woodstock”: “‘Completing’ wants a nominative,” says James. “You certainly have had the toothache,” says the author in reply; “why, it puts me in mind of the epigram when Pitt and Dundas came drunk into the House of Commons:—
“‘I cannot see the Speaker, Hal, can you?’
‘Not see the Speaker! d—n me, I see two!’”
On another occasion Sir Walter says in his “Journal” (January 11, 1826): “I got proof-sheets, in which it seems I have repeated a whole passage of history which had been told before. James is in an awful stew, and I cannot blame him.... However, as Chaucer says:—
“‘There is na workeman
That can bothe worken wel and hastilie;
This must be done at leisure parfitly.’”