king young fellow, who is on
his way to the Continent with a tutor. Dined at Mrs. George Swinton's
with the whole clan.

_February_ 8.--I wrought the whole day and finished about six pages of
manuscript of vol. iii. [_Anne of Geierstein_]. _Sat cito si sat bene_.
The Skenes came in to supper like the olden world.

_February_ 9.--Was up in good time (say half-past seven), and employed
the morning in correcting proofs. At twelve I went to Stuart of
Dunearn's sale of pictures. This poor man fell, like myself, a victim to
speculation. And though I had no knowledge of him personally, and
disliked him as the cause of poor Sir Alexander Boswell's death, yet
"had he been slaughterman to all my kin,"[250] I could but pity the
miserable sight of his splendid establishment broken up, and his
treasures of art exposed to public and unsparing sale. I wanted a
picture of the Earl of Rothes for the Duke of Buccleuch, a fine Sir
Joshua, but Balfour of Balbirnie fancied it also, and followed it to 160
guineas. Charles Sharpe's account is, that I may think myself in luck,
for the face has been repainted. There is, he says, a print taken from
the picture at Leslie House which has quite a different countenance from
the present.

This job, however, took me up the whole morning to little purpose.
Captain and Mrs. Hall dined with us, also Sir James Stuart, Charles
Sharpe, John Scott of Gala, etc.

_February_ 10.--I was up at seven this morning, and will continue the
practice, but the shoal of proofs took up all my leisure. I will not, I
think, go after these second-rate pictures again to-day. If I could get
a quiet day or two I would make a deep dint in the third volume; but
hashed and smashed as my time is, who can make anything of it? I read
over Henry's History of Henry VI. and Edward IV.; he is but a stupid
historian after all. This took me up the whole day.

_February_ 11.--Up as usual and wrought at proofs. Mr. Hay Drummond and
Macintosh Mackay dined. The last brought me his history of the _Blara
Leine_ or White Battle (battle of the shirts). To the Court, and
remained there till two, when we had some awkward business in the
Council of the Royal Society.

_February_ 12.--W. Lockhart came to breakfast, full of plans for his
house, which will make a pretty and romantic habitation. After breakfast
the Court claimed its vassal.

As I came out Mr. Chambers introduced a pretty little romantic girl to
me who possessed a laudable zeal t