iend
with a melancholy pleasure.

For Scott's high opinion of Frere, as far back as 1804, see _Life_, vol.
ii. p. 207 and note.

[498] Grandmaster of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and defender
of Malta against Solyman in 1565.

DECEMBER

_December_ 1.--There are two good libraries, on a different plan and for
different purposes--a modern subscription library that lends its own
books, and an ancient foreign library which belonged to the Knights, but
does not lend books. Its value is considerable, but the funds
unfortunately are shamefully small; I may do this last some good. I have
got in a present from Frere the prints of the Siege of Malta, very
difficult to understand, and on loan from Mr. Murray, Agent of the Navy
Office, the original of Boiardo, to be returned through Mr. Murray,
Albemarle Street. Mr. Murray is very good-natured about it.

_December_ 2.--My chief occupation has been driving with Frere. Dr.
Liddell declines a handsome fee. I will want to send some oranges to the
children. I am to go with Col. Bathurst to-day as far as to wait on the
bishop. My old friend Sir John Stoddart's daughter is to be married to a
Captain Atkinson. Rode with Frere. Much recitation.

_December_ 6.--Captain Pigot inclines to take me on with him to Naples,
after which he goes to Tunis on Government service. This is an offer not
to be despised, though at the expense of protracting the news from
Scotland, which I engage to provide for in case of the worst, by
offering Mr. Cadell a new romance, to be called The Siege of Malta,
which if times be as they were when I came off, should be thankful[ly
received] at a round sum, paying back not only what is overdrawn, but
supplying finances during the winter.

_December_ 10, [_Naples_].--I ought to say that before leaving Malta I
went to wait on the Archbishop: a fine old gentleman, very handsome,
and one of the priests who commanded the Maltese in their insurrection
against the French. I took the freedom to hint that as he had possessed
a journal of this blockade, it was but due to his country and himself to
give it to the public, and offered my assistance. He listened to my
suggestion, and seemed pleased with the proposal, which I repeated more
than once, and apparently with success. Next day the Bishop returned my
visit in full state, attended by his clergy, and superbly dressed in
costume, the pearls being very fine. (The name of this fine old
dignitary of the R