or the
review.

_May_ 10.--This must be a day of preparation, which I hate; yet it is
but laying aside a few books, and arranging a few papers, and yet my
nerves are fluttered, and I make blunders, and mislay my pen and my
keys, and make more confusion than I can repair. After all, I will try
for once to do it steadily.

Well! I have toiled through it; it is like a ground swell in the sea
that brings up all that is disgusting from the bottom--admonitory
letters--unpaid bills--few of these, thank my stars!--all that one would
wish to forget perks itself up in your face at a thorough redding
up--devil take it, I will get out and cool the fever that this turmoil
has made in my veins! The delightful spring weather conjured down the
evil spirit. I sat a long time with my nerves shaking like a frightened
child, and then laughed at it all by the side of the river, coming back
by the thicket.

_May_ 11, [_Edinburgh_].--We passed the morning in the little
arrangements previous to our departure, and then returned at night to
Edinburgh, bringing Keith Scott along. This boy's grandfather, James
Scott by name, very clever and particularly well acquainted with Indian
customs and manners. He was one of the first settlers in Prince of Wales
Island. He was an active-minded man, and therefore wrote a great deal. I
have seen a trunkful of his MSS. Unhappily, instead of writing upon some
subject on which he might have conveyed information he took to writing
on metaphysics, and lost both his candles and his labour. I was
consulted about publishing some part of his works; but could not
recommend it. They were shallow essays, with a good deal of infidelity
exhibited. Yet James Scott was a very clever man. He only fell into the
common mistake of supposing that arguments new to him were new to all
others. His son, when I knew him long since in this country, was an
ordinary man enough. This boy seems smart and clever. We reached the
house in the evening; it was comfortable enough considering it had been
shut up for two months. I found a letter from Cadell asserting his
continued hope in the success of the _Magnum_. I begin to be jealous on
the subject, but I will know to-morrow.

_May_ 12.--Went to Parliament House. Sir Robert Dundas very unwell. Poor
Hamilton on his back with the gout. So was obliged to have the
assistance of Rolland[310] from the Second Division. Saw Cadell on the
way home. I was right: he had been disappointed in his exp