ional, to the public seems very dull. I read General
Miller's account of the South American War.[342] I liked it the better
that Basil Hall brought the author to breakfast with me in Edinburgh. A
fine, tall, military figure, his left hand withered like the prophet's
gourd, and plenty of scars on him. There have been rare doings in that
vast continent; but the strife is too distant, the country too unknown,
to have the effect upon the imagination which European wars produce.

This evening I indulged in the _far niente_--a rare event with me, but
which I enjoy proportionally.

_June_ 16.--Made up parcel for Dr. Lardner; and now I propose to set
forth my memoranda of Byron for Moore's acceptance, which ought in
civility to have been done long since.[343] I will have a walk, however,
in the first place.

I did not get on with Byron so far as I expected--began it though, and
that is always something. I went to see the woods at Huntly Burn, and
Mars Lea, etc. Met Captain Hamilton, who tells me a shocking thing. Two
Messrs. Stirling of Drumpellier came here and dined one day, and seemed
spirited young men. The younger is murdered by pirates. An Indian vessel
in which he sailed was boarded by these miscreants, who behaved most
brutally; and he, offering resistance I suppose, was shockingly mangled
and flung into the sea. He was afterwards taken up alive, but died soon
after. Such horrid accidents lie in wait for those whom we see "all
joyous and unthinking,"[344] sweeping along the course of life; and what
end may be waiting ourselves? Who can tell?

_June_ 17.--Must take my leave of sweet Abbotsford, and my leisure hour,
my eve of repose. To go to town will take up the morning.

_[Edinburgh.]_--We set out about eleven o'clock, got to Edinburgh about
four, where I dined with Baron Clerk and a few Exchequer friends--Lord
Chief Baron, Sir Patrick Murray, Sir Henry Jardine, etc. etc.

_June_ 18.--Corrected proofs for Dr. Dionysius Lardner. Cadell came to
breakfast. Poor fellow, he looks like one who had been overworked; and
the difficulty of keeping paper-makers up to printers, printers up to
draughtsmen, artists to engravers, and the whole party to time, requires
the utmost exertion. He has actually ordered new plates, although the
steel ones which we employ are supposed to throw off 30,000 without
injury. But I doubt something of this. Well, since they will buckle
fortune on our back we must bear it scholarly and wisely.[34