with something of his old interest on the historic localities of Edinburgh, like the West Bow and the house known as John Knox's. And once more he saw something of his friends. The condolences of Barry Cornwall (a slight acquaintance) did not tend to soothe the old stoic, tried severely by summer heat at the end of the law term, and moved him to a declaration that he has "half a mind to turn sharp round" on similar comforters. One of his recreations in these torrid days in Edinburgh was to visit a wild-beast show and see Nero, the great lion. "He was lying like a prince in a large cage, where you might be admitted if you wish (sic),” says the record of this July day, which continues: "I had a month's mind-but was afraid of the newspapers." The meeting of the two Lions were all too tempting an opportunity for "copy"!

The weary Clerk had the courage to think of taking lessons to amend his handwriting from "a cockney," who called upon him to advocate the merits of an ingenious mechanical invention for that purpose. The night before leaving Mrs. Brown's lodgings for Abbotsford, he had a friendly meeting with the Lord Advocate-the first since that terrible rock of offence, the Malachi Letters. Back in the country we find Scott, despite severe headaches, working steadily, and one day "taking a fancy" to give a more full account of Sieyes's complicated Constitution-surely not a grateful task! However, visitors were now beginning to come again to Abbotsford, and he welcomed them for

his daughter's sake. The actor Terry and Dr. Jamieson of the Scottish Dictionary ("full of auld Scottish cracks") were the first of these. Sir Walter took them with him to Selkirk to see him hold his court. He begins once more to complain of interruptions, but adds that he never grudges time devoted to hospitality. Only “by my will," he writes, "every guest should part at halfpast ten, or arrange himself to stay for the day." Surely no unreasonable alternative!

During these August evenings music was once more heard in the halls of Abbotsford. Scott listened to it with "a mixed sensation"; it recalled to him the thought of his dead wife. He was saddened during a visit to Saint Mary's Lake one day the same month by a poor woman asking after her health. But two pleasant visits, to Drumlanrig and Blair Adam, improved his spirits; though Ballantyne's remonstrances "upon the carelessness of Bonaparte" were "deep and solemn." In token of forgiveness for the doings of Malachi Malagrowther Sir Walter was during the autumn put upon the Scotch Education Commission, an honour which he could not avoid. Meanwhile Napoleon was growing bigger and bigger. It involved heavy and close reading. Unlike the rapidly described Toulon, "that cursed battle of Jena is like to cost me more time than it did Bonaparte to gain it."

But now came an offer from the British officials to let him see important papers in London and another of oral communications from the Russian minister in

Paris, Pozzo di Borgo. Scott jumped at both. He wanted to see what the public thought of him since his fall "One knows nothing of the world if you are absent from it so long as I have been." Moreover, the book was now definitely arranged for, and the author was anxious to secure a good French translation. Yet no sooner was the journey decided on than he began to have misgivings, to hear his wife saying, "Scott, don't go," and so forth. It was a hazardous experiment; and it may be doubted whether the exertion did not injure his bodily health as much as the change benefited his mind. Taking his daughter Anne with him as travelling companion, Sir Walter left Abbotsford for London on October 12th. That night he slept at Carlisle; and the next afternoon arrived at his friend Morritt's residence, Rokeby Park, where he stayed two or three days. Appleby Castle was visited on the way to Rokeby, and ere London was reached, Burghley ("that grand place") had been seen for the first time.

At Biggleswade father and daughter were joined by the Lockharts; but the meeting being the first since the death of Lady Scott was as " April weather." During the journey (which cost in all nearly £50) Sir Walter read with great interest a story by the author of Rejected Addresses, treating of the same period as his own Woodstock, and Harrison Ainsworth's first (anonymous) romance. He felt entitled to claim each of them as clever imitations of his own style. He protests that though they may do their fooling with better grace, he,

like Sir Andrew Ague-cheek, does it "more natural”; but will be warned by their example not to let the historical interest of any future work overpower the story.

At one of Samuel Rogers's famous breakfasts he met Sir Thomas Lawrence, the witty Henry Luttrell, and "Conversation" Sharp, after which he went off to work at the Foreign Office, dining in the evening with his old friend Mrs. Coutts. Next day he is at Windsor "by command." The King received him at the Lodge and made him sit beside him and talk a great deal ("too much, perhaps "); and next morning he had a confidential chat ("not fit to be set down" even in the Journal, "in case of accidents") with his private secretary, Sir William Knighton. As a result of this visit a diplomatic appointment was promised to Sir Walter for his son Charles when he should have taken his degree. Having viewed the architectural improvements then in progress at the Castle, Scott came back to town, where the evening was spent at "honest Dan Terry's house," to wit, the Adelphi Theatre. The performance consisted of an adaptation of an American piece, in which the anti-British points of the original were ingeniously turned against the Yankees, who testified their displeasure by an attempted row. "Rare good porter and oysters" were administered after the play to the fatigued party in Terry's little house adjoining the theatre.

Two days later Scott went to the Admiralty and