[Editorial commentary by Annie Coghill, Mrs Oliphant's cousin] 'George Macdonald's first book, or at any rate his first successful book, "David Elginbrod", had been published many years before by Messrs Hurst & Blackett, at Mrs Oliphant's warm recommendation. She always spoke of it as a work of genius, and quoted it as one of the instances of publishers' blunders, for when the MS. came to her it came enveloped in wrappings that showed how many refusals it had already suffered.'