The papers consist mainly of letters written by authors to Blackwood as their publisher, and by others in search of publication, but they also include some manuscripts and proofs of works considered for publication, together with some papers of William Edmondstoune Aytoun and John Wilson ('Christopher North'). Broadly, this is the incoming correspondence of the firm during the nineteenth century. The outgoing correspondence, so far as it is represented by copies in letter-books, etc., remained with Messrs Blackwood, as did the material relating solely to commercial and financial matters.