e spoken very handsomely of
my accession to the Catholic Petition, and I think it has done some
good; yet I am not confident that the measure will disarm the Catholic
spleen.[288] And I was not entirely easy at finding myself allied to the
Whigs, even in this instance, where I agree with them. This is witless
prejudice, however.

My walk to-day was up the Rhymer's Glen with Skene. Colonel Ferguson
dined with us.

_April_ 4.--Mr. Cleasby left this morning. He has travelled much, and is
a young man of copious conversation and ready language, aiming I suppose
at Parliament.[289] William Forbes is singing like an angel in the next
room, but he sings only Italian music, which says naught to me. I have a
letter from one David Patterson, who was Dr. Knox's jackal for buying
murdered bodies, suggesting that I should write on the subject of Burke
and Hare, and offering me his invaluable collection of anecdotes! "Curse
him imperance and him dam insurance,"[290] as Mungo says in the farce.
Did ever one hear the like? The scoundrel has been the companion and
patron of such atrocious murderers and kidnappers, and he has the
impudence to write to any decent man!

Corrected proof-sheets and dedication of the _Magnum_ and sent them off.

_April_ 5.--Read prayers to what remains of our party: being Anne, my
niece Anne, the four Skenes, and William Forbes. We then walked, and I
returned time enough to work a little at the criticism. Thus it drew
towards dinner in conclusion, after which we smoked, told stories, and
drank tea.

_April_ 6.--Worked at the _review_ for three or four hours; yet hang it,
I can't get on. I wonder if I am turning clumsy in other matters;
certainly I cannot write against time as I used to do. My thoughts will
not be duly regulated; my pen declares for itself, will neither write
nor spell, and goes under independent colours. I went out with the child
Kitty Skene on her pony. I don't much love children, I suppose from want
of habit, but this is a fine merry little girl.

William Forbes sang in the evening with a feeling and taste
indescribably fine, but as he had no Scottish or English songs, my ears
were not much gratified. I have no sense beyond Mungo: "What signify me
hear if me no understand!"

William Forbes leaves us. As to the old story, scribble till two, then
walk for exercise till four. Deil hae it else, for company eats up the
afternoon, so nothing can be done that is not achieved in the forenoon