s. 6d. I wish it could be
made three shillings, which would be L15,000.

Presided at a meeting of the Bannatyne Club. The Whigs made a strong
party to admit Kennedy of Dunure, which set aside Lord Medwyn, who had
been longer on the roll of candidates. If politics get into this Club it
will ruin the literary purpose of the meeting, and the general
good-humour with which it has gone on. I think it better to take the
thing good-humouredly, and several of them volunteered to say that
Medwyn must be the next, which will finish all _a l'aimable_. If it come
to party-work I will cut and run. Confound it! my eyes are closing now,
even _now_, at half-past four.

Dined with Lord Medwyn, a pleasant party. The guest of importance, Mrs.
Peter Latouche from Dublin, a fine old dame, who must have been
beautiful when young, being pleasant and comely at seventy,--saintly it
appears.

_June_ 24.--Hard work with Ballantyne's proofs and revises, but got them
accomplished. I am at the twelfth hour, but I think I shall finish this
silly book before the tenth of July.

Notwithstanding this sage resolution I did not write half a page of the
said _Demonology_ this day. I went to the Court, called on Mr. Cadell,
returned dog-tired, and trifled my time with reading the trial of
Corder. What seemed most singular was his love to talk of the young
woman he had murdered, in such a manner as to insinuate the
circumstances of his own crime, which is a kind of necessity which seems
to haunt conscience-struck men. Charles Sharpe came in at night and
supped with us.

_June_ 25.--Slept little later than I should. The proofs occupied the
morning. The Court and walk home detained me till two. When I returned,
set to work and reached page 210 of copy. There is little or nothing
else to say. Skene was with me for a few minutes. I called at Cadell's
also, who thinks a dividend of 3s. per pound will be made out.[381] This
will be one-half of the whole debts, and leave a sinking fund for the
rest about L10,000 a year "if the beast live and the branks bide
hale."[382]

_June_ 26.--Miss Kemble and her father breakfasted here, with Sir Adam
and Lady Ferguson. I like the young lady very much, respecting both her
talents and the use she has made of them. She seems merry, unaffected,
and good-humoured. She said she did not like the apathy of the Scottish
audiences, who are certain not to give applause upon credit. I went to
the Court, but soon returned; a bad c