e taken them, there is no more to be said but to eat my pudding
and to hold my tongue. Another thing of great interest requires to
be specially mentioned. You may remember a work in which our dear
and accomplished friend Lady Louisa condescended to take an oar,
and which she has handled most admirably. It is a supposed set of
extracts relative to James VI. from a collection in James VI.'s
time, the costume (?) admirably preserved, and, like the
fashionable wigs, more natural than one's own hair. This, with the
Lives of the Novelists and some other fragments of my wreck, went
ashore in Constable's, and were sold off to the highest bidder,
viz., to Cadell, for himself and me. I wrote one or two fragments
in the same style, which I wish should, according to original
intention, appear without a name, and were they fairly lightly let
off there is no fear of their making a blaze. I sent the whole
packet either to yourself or Cadell, with the request. The copy,
which I conclude is in your hands by the time this reaches you,
might be set up as speedily and quietly as possible, taking some
little care to draw the public attention to you, and consulting
Lady Louisa about the proofs. The fun is that our excellent friend
had forgot the whole affair till I reminded her of her kindness,
and was somewhat inclined, like Lady Teazle, to deny the butler and
the coach-horse. I have no doubt, however, she will be disposed to
bring the matter to an end. The mode of publication I fancy you
will agree should rest with Cadell. So, providing that the copy
come to hand, which it usually does, though not very regularly, you
will do me the kindness to get it out. My story of Malta will be
with you by the time you have finished the Letters, and if it
succeeds it will in a great measure enable me to attain the long
projected and very desirable object of clearing me from all old
encumbrances and expiring as rich a man as I could desire in my own
freehold. And when you recollect that this has been wrought out in
six years, the sum amounting to at least L120,000, it is somewhat
of a novelty in literature. I shall be as happy and rich as I
please for the last days of my life, and play the good papa with
my family without thinking on pounds, shillings, and pence. Cadell,
with so fair