ng. Ballantyne blames the
Ossianic monotony of my principal characters. Now they are not Ossianic.
The language of the Ossianic poetry is highly figurative; that of the
knights of chivalry may be monotonous, and probably is, but it cannot be
Ossianic. Sooth to say, this species of romance of chivalry is an
exhaustible subject. It affords materials for splendid description for
once or twice, but they are too unnatural and formal to bear repetition.
We must go on with our present work, however, _valeat quantum_. Mr.
Cadell, less critical than J.B., seems pleased. The world will soon
decide if I get on at this rate; for I have finished four leaves to-day,
notwithstanding my attendance on the Court.

_February_ 13.--Mr. Macintosh Mackay, minister of Laggan, breakfasted
with us this morning. This reverend gentleman is completing the Highland
Dictionary,[130] and seems very competent for the task. He left in my
hands some papers of Cluny Macpherson, concerning the affair of 1745,
from which I have extracted an account of the battle of Clifton for
_Waverley_. He has few prejudices (for a Highlander), and is a mild,
well-mannered young man. We had much talk on Highland matters.

The Children's Tales continue in demand. Cadell expects a new edition of
10,000 about next year, which may be L750 or L800 in pouch, besides
constituting a fine property.

_February_ 14.--Mr. Edwards, a candidate for the situation of Rector in
the Edinburgh Academy, a pleasant, gentlemanlike man, and recommended
highly for experience and learning; but he is himself afraid of wanting
bodily strength for the work, which requires all the nerve and muscle of
Williams. I wish he had been three inches taller, and stout in
proportion. I went to Mr. John Russell's, where there was an Academical
party at dinner. Home at nine, a cigar, and to bed.

_February_ 15.--Rose this morning about seven and wrote at the desk
till breakfast; finished about a page and a half. I was fagged at Court
till near two. Then called on Cadell, and so home, tired enough.

_February_ 16.--There dined with me to-day Tom Thomson, Will Clerk, Mr.
Edwards, and my Celtic friend Mr. Mackay of Laggan.

_February_ 17.--A day of hard work, being I think eight pages[131]
before dinner. I cannot, I am sure, tell if it is worth marking down,
that yesterday at dinner-time I was strangely haunted by what I would
call the sense of pre-existence,--videlicet, a confused idea that
nothing that pas