“Thou troubl’st me:  I am not in the vein."[264]

March 4.—­Being Teind Wednesday, I settled myself at my desk and laboured the whole forenoon.  Got on to page seventy-two, so there cannot be more than twenty pages wanted.  Mr. Drummond Hay, who has an alertness in making business out of nothing, came to call once more about Mons Meg.  He is a good-humoured gentlemanlike man, but I would Meg were in his belly or he in hers.  William Laidlaw also called, whom I asked to dinner.  At four o’clock arrives Mr. Cadell, with his horn charged with good news.  The prospectus of the Magnum, already issued only a week, has produced such a demand among the trade, that he thinks he must add a large number of copies, that the present edition of 7000 may be increased to the demand; he talks of raising it to 10,000 or 12,000.  If so, I shall have a constant income to bear on my unfortunate debts to a large amount yearly, and may fairly hope to put them in a secure way of payment, even if I should be cut off in life, or in health, and the power of labour.  I hope to be able, in a year or two, to make proposals for eating with my own spoons, and using my own books, which, if I can give value for them, can hardly, I think, be refused to me.[265] In the meantime I have enough, and something to bequeath to my poor children.  This is a great mercy, but I must prepare for disappointment, and I will not be elated.

Laidlaw dined with me, and, poor fellow, was as much elated with the news as I am, for it is not of a nature to be kept secret.  I hope I shall have him once more at Kaeside to debate, as we used to do, on religion and politics.  Meanwhile, patience, cousin, and shuffle the cards.

I must do what I can to get Cadell’s discharge from his creditors; this I have always done, and so far effectually, but it would be most inconvenient to be at the mercy of creditors who may at any moment make inquiry into his affairs and so stop his operations.  The Old Bank of Scotland are the only parties whose consent has not been obtained to his discharge, and they must see their interest in consenting to it for the expediting of my affairs; since to what purpose oppose it, for they have not the least chance of mending their own by refusing it.

March 5.—­Proofs arranged in the morning.  Sir Patrick Walker, that Solomon the second, came to propose to me that some benefit society, which he patronises, should attend upon Mons Meg; but, with the Celts at my disposal, I have every reason to think they would be affronted at being marched along with Sir Peter and his tail of trades’ lads.  I went to the Court, which detained me till two, then to poor old Lady Seaforth’s funeral,[266] which was numerously attended.  It was near four ere I got home, bringing Skene with me.  We called at Cadell’s; the edition of the Magnum is raised from 7000 to 10,000.  There will really be a clearance in a year or two if R.C. is not too