e the
press. Lord Morton,[141] married to a daughter of my friend Sir George
Rose, is come to Edinburgh. He seems a very gentlemanlike man, and she
pleasing and willing to be pleased. I had the pleasure to be of some
little use to him in his election as one of the Scottish Peers. I owe
Sir George Rose much for his attention to Walter at Berlin.

_February_ 27.--At Court till half-past two. Then to the Waterloo
Tavern, where we had a final and totally unfructuous meeting with the
Committee of the Coal Gas people. So now my journey to London is
resolved on. I shall lose at least L500 by the job, and get little
thanks from those I make the sacrifice for. But the sacrifice shall be
made. Anything is better than to break one's word, or desert a sinking
vessel. Heartily do I wish these "Colliers" had seen the matter in the
best light for their own interest. But there is no help. One thing is
certain, that I shall see my whole family once more around me, and that
is worth the L500. Anne too starts at the idea of the sea. I am
horribly vexed, however. Gibson always expected they would come in, but
there seemed to me little chance of it; perhaps they thought we were not
serious in our proposal to push through the Act. Wrought a little in the
evening, not much.

_February_ 28.--At Court till four. When I came home I did work a
little, but as we expected company it was not to much purpose. Lord
Chief Commissioner dined with us with Miss Adam; Mr. Hutchinson, brother
of Lord Donoughmore, and Miss Jones, Will Clerk and John Thomson made up
the party, and we had a pleasant evening, as such a handful always
secures. Stayed till wine-and-water time. Thus flew another day.

_February_ 29.--I had my proof-sheets as usual in the morning and the
Court as usual till two. Then one or two visits and corrected the
discourses for Gordon. This is really a foolish scrape, but what could I
do? It involved the poor lad's relief from something very like ruin. I
got a letter from the young man Reynolds accepting on Heath's part my
terms for article to _The Keepsake_, namely L500,--I to be at liberty to
reprint the article in my works after three years. Mr. Heath to print it
in _The Keepsake_ as long and often as he pleases, but not in any other
form. I shall close with them. If I make my proposed bargain with
Murray, all pecuniary matters will be easy in an unusual degree. Dined
at Robert Hamilton's with Lord and Lady Belhaven, Walter Campbell, and