stating an alarm that he may lose
the printing of a part of the _Magnum_. But I shall write him he must be
his own friend, set shoulder to the wheel, and remain at the head of his
business; and of that I must make him aware. And so I set to my proofs.
"Better to work," says the inscription on Hogarth's Bridewell, "than
stand thus."

_April_ 23.--A cold blustering day--bad welcome for the poor lambs. I
made my walk short and my task long, my work turning entirely on the
History--all on speculation. But the post brought me a letter from Dr.
Lardner, the manager of the Cyclopaedia, agreeing to my terms; so all is
right there, and no labour thrown away. The volume is to run to 400
pages; so much the better; I love elbow-room, and will have space to do
something to purpose. I replied agreeing to his terms, and will send him
copy as soon as I have corrected it. The Colonel and Miss Ferguson dined
with us. I think I drank rather a cheerful glass with my good friend.
Smoked an extra cigar, so no more at present.

_April_ 25.--After writing to Mr. Cochrane,[301] to Cadell and J.B.,
also to Mr. Pitcairn,[302] it was time to set out for Lord Buchan's
funeral. The funeral letters were signed by Mr. H. David Erskine, his
lordship's natural son. His nephew, the young Earl, was present, but
neither of them took the head of the coffin. His lordship's funeral took
place in a chapel amongst the ruins. His body was in the grave with its
feet pointing westward. My cousin, Maxpopple,[303] was for taking notice
of it, but I assured him that a man who had been wrong in the head all
his life would scarce become right-headed after death. I felt something
at parting with this old man, though but a trumpery body. He gave me the
first approbation I ever obtained from a stranger. His caprice had led
him to examine Dr. Adam's class when I, a boy twelve years old, and then
in disgrace for some aggravated case of negligence, was called up from a
low bench, and recited my lesson with some spirit and appearance of
feeling the poetry--it was the apparition of Hector's ghost in the
AEneid--of which called forth the noble Earl's applause. I was very proud
of this at the time.

I was sad on another account--it was the first time I had been among
these ruins since I left a very valued pledge there. My next visit may
be involuntary. Even so, God's will be done! at least I have not the
mortification of thinking what a deal of patronage and fuss Lord Buchan