ed
his advice, and had reason to be thankful for the hint. Tired and
sleepy, I make a bad night watcher.

_April_ 13.--Amused myself by converting the _Tale of the Mysterious
Mirror_ into _Aunt Margaret's Mirror_, designed for Heath's
what-dye-call-it. Cadell will not like this, but I cannot afford to have
my goods thrown back upon my hands. The tale is a good one, and is said
actually to have happened to Lady Primrose, my great-grandmother having
attended her sister on the occasion. Dined with Miss Dumergue. My proofs
from Edinburgh reached to-day and occupied me all the morning.

_April_ 14. Laboured at proofs and got them sent off, per Mr. Freeling's
cover. So there's an end of the _Chronicles_.[165] James rejoices in the
conclusion, where there is battle and homicide of all kinds. Always
politic to keep a trot for the avenue, like the Irish postilions. J.B.
always calls to the boys to flog before the carriage gets out of the
inn-yard. How we have driven the stage I know not and care not--except
with a view to extricating my difficulties. I have lost no time in
beginning the second series of _Grandfather's Tales_, being determined
to write as much as I can even here, and deserve by industry the soft
pillow I sleep on for the moment.

There is a good scene supposed to have happened between Sam Rogers and a
lady of fashion--the reporter, Lord Dudley. Sam enters, takes a stool,
creeps close to the lady's side, who asks his opinion of the last new
poem or novel. In a pathetic voice the spectre replies--"My opinion? I
like it very much--but the world don't like it; but, indeed, I begin to
think the world wrong in everything, except with regard to _you_." Now,
Rogers either must have said this somewhere, or he has it yet to say. We
dined at Lord Melville's.

_April_ 15.--Got the lamentable news that Terry is totally bankrupt.
This is a most unexpected blow, though his carelessness about money
matters was very great. God help the poor fellow! he has been
ill-advised to go abroad, but now returns to stand the storm--old debts,
it seems, with principal and interest accumulated, and all the items
which load a falling man. And wife such a good and kind creature, and
children. Alack! alack! I sought out his solicitor. There are L7000 or
more to pay, and the only fund his share in the Adelphi Theatre, worth
L5000 and upwards, and then so fine a chance of independence lost. That
comes of not being explicit with his affairs. Th