irst, and show'd its use."

They are both clever books; one in imitation of the days of chivalry;
the other (by Horace Smith, one of the authors of the _Rejected
Addresses_) dated in the time of the Civil Wars, and introducing
historical characters. I read both with great interest during the
journey.

I am something like Captain Bobadil[361] who trained up a hundred
gentlemen to fight very nearly, if not altogether, as well as myself.
And so far I am convinced of this, that I believe were I to publish the
_Canongate Chronicles_ without my name (_nom de guerre_, I mean) the
event would be a corollary to the fable of the peasant who made the real
pig squeak against the imitator, while the sapient audience hissed the
poor grunter as if inferior to the biped in his own language. The
peasant could, indeed, confute the long-eared multitude by showing
piggy; but were I to fail as a knight with a white and maiden shield,
and then vindicate my claim to attention by putting "By the Author of
_Waverley_" in the title, my good friend _Publicum_ would defend itself
by stating I had tilted so ill, that my course had not the least
resemblance to my former doings, when indisputably I bore away the
garland. Therefore I am as firmly and resolutely determined that I will
tilt under my own cognisance. The hazard, indeed, remains of being
beaten. But there is a prejudice (not an undue one neither) in favour of
the original patentee; and Joe Manton's name has borne out many a sorry
gun-barrel. More of this to-morrow.

Expense of journey, L4100
Anne, pocket-money, 500
Servants on journey, 200
Cash in purse (silver not reckoned), 200
____
L5000
____

This is like to be an expensive journey; but if I can sell an early copy
of the work to a French translator, it should bring me home.

Thank God, little Johnnie Hoo, as he calls himself, is looking well,
though the poor dear child is kept always in a prostrate posture.

_October_ 18.--I take up again my remarks on imitators. I am sure I mean
the gentlemen no wrong by calling them so, and heartily wish they had
followed a better model; but it serves to show me _veluti in speculo_ my
own errors, or, if you will, those of the _style_. One advantage, I
think, I still have over all of them. They may do their foolin