I can provide against by borrowing L500 from Mr.
Gibson. To Mr. Cadell I owe already, with the cancels on these
apoplectic books, about L200, and must run it up to L500 more at least;
yet this heavy burthen would be easily borne if I were to be the Walter
Scott I once was; but the change is great. This would be nothing,
providing that I could count on these two books having a sale equal to
their predecessors; but as they do not deserve the same countenance,
they will not and cannot have such a share of favour, and I have only to
hope that they will not involve the _Waverley_, which are now selling
30,000 volumes a month, in their displeasure. Something of a Journal and
the _Reliquiae Trotcosienses_ will probably be moving articles, and I
have in short no fears in pecuniary matters. The ruin which I fear
involves that of my King and country. Well says Colin Mackenzie:--

"Shall this desolation strike thy towers alone?
No, fair Ellandonan! such ruin 'twill bring,
That the storm shall have power to unsettle the throne,
And thy fate shall be mixed with the fate of thy King."[465]

I fear that the great part of the memorialists are bartering away the
dignity of their rank by seeking to advance themselves by a job, which
is a melancholy sight. The ties between democrat and aristocrat are
sullen discontent with each other. The former are regarded as a
house-dog which has manifested incipient signs of canine madness, and is
not to be trusted. Walter came down to-day to join our party.

[_September_ 20?]--Yesterday, Wordsworth, his son [nephew[466]] and
daughter, came to see us, and we went up to Yarrow. The eldest son of
Lord Ravensworth also came to see us, with his accomplished lady. We had
a pleasant party, and to-day were left by the Liddells, _manent_ the
three Wordsworths, _cum caeteris_, a German or Hungarian Count Erdoedy, or
some such name.

We arrived in London [September 28,] after a long and painful journey,
the weakness of my limbs palpably increasing, and the physic prescribed
making me weaker every day. Lockhart, poor fellow, is as attentive as
possible, and I have, thank God, no pain whatever; could the end be as
easy it would be too happy. I fancy the instances of Euthanasia are not
very uncommon. Instances there certainly are among the learned and the
unlearned--Dr.

Black, Tom Purdie. I should wish, if it please God, to sleep off in
such a quiet way; but we must take what Fate sends. I ha