my mouth crammed with
sugar-candy, which politeness will not permit me to spit out, and my
stomach is indisposed to swallow. The book is better than would be
expected from the exaggerated nonsense of the dedication.

_April_ 10.--Left Abbotsford at seven to attend the Circuit. _Nota
bene_--half-past six is the better hour; waters are extremely flooded.
Lord Meadowbank at the Circuit. Nothing tried but a few trumpery
assaults. Meadowbank announces he will breakfast with me to-morrow, so I
shall return to-night. Promised to my cousin Charles Scott to interest
myself about his getting the farm of Milsington upon Borthwick Water
and mentioned him to Colonel Riddell as a proposed offerer. The tender
was well received. I saw James the piper and my cousin Anne; sent to
James Veitch the spyglass of Professor Ferguson to be repaired. Dined
with the Judge and returned in the evening.

_April_ 11.--Meadowbank breakfasted with us, and then went on to
Edinburgh, pressed by bad news of his family. His wife (daughter of my
early patron, President Blair) is very ill; indeed I fear fatally so. I
am sorry to think it is so. When the King was here she was the finest
woman I saw at Holyrood. My proofs kept me working till two; then I had
a fatiguing and watery walk. After dinner we smoked, and I talked with
Mr. Carr over criminal jurisprudence, the choicest of conversation to an
old lawyer; and the delightful music of Miss Isabella Carr closed the
day. Still, I don't get to my task; but I will, to-morrow or next day.

_April_ 12.--Read prayers, put my books in order and made some progress
in putting papers in order which have been multiplying on my table. I
have a letter from that impudent lad Reynolds about my contribution to
the _Keepsake_. Sent to him the _House of Aspen_, as I had previously
determined. This will give them a lumping pennyworth in point of extent,
but that's the side I would have the bargain rest upon. It shall be a
warning after this to keep out of such a scrape.

_April_ 13.--In the morning before breakfast I corrected the proof of
the critique on the life of Lord Pitsligo in Blackwood's Magazine.[294]
After breakfast Skene and his lady and family, and Mr. Carr and his
sisters, took their departure. Time was dawdled away till nearly twelve
o'clock and then I could not work much. I finished, however, a painful
letter to J. Ballantyne, which I hope will have effect upon the nervous
disorder he complains of. He must "