journal,--well known on the east, west, and north coasts
of Scotland, and extensively circulated in the centre and south of the
country, including England,--is liberal in its principles, conservative
in reference only to things that are good, and violently radical when
treating of those that are bad. It enjoys the credit of being curt in
its statements, brief in the expression of its opinions, perfectly
silent in reference to its surmises, distinctly repudiative of the gift
of prophecy, consistently averse to the attribution of motives,
persistently wise in giving the shortest possible account of murders and
scandalous cases, and copious in its references to literature, art, and
religious progress, besides being extremely methodical in its
arrangement.

In regard to the latter quality, I cannot refrain from referring to its
sensible mode of treating births, marriages, and deaths, by putting the
Christian and surname of the born, married, or defunct as the _first_
words in each announcement, so that one's digestion at breakfast is
aided by reading with some comfort of the joys and sorrows of one's
friends, instead of having incipient dyspepsia engendered by a painful
search for the main facts in confusing sentences.

The editor's reply came by return of post. It contained the acceptance
of my services, and a proposal of extremely liberal terms, allowing me,
besides a handsome retaining fee, two horses, and such travelling
attendants as might be found necessary. There were also certain
emphatic stipulations which are worth recording. I was not, on any
pretext whatever, to attempt the divination, much less the revelation,
of the future. I was never, upon any consideration, to be seduced into
lengthy descriptions of things that I did not see, or minute particulars
about matters which I did not know. I was utterly to ignore, and refuse
to be influenced by, personal predilections or prejudices in regard to
either combatant. I was to say as little about scenery as was
consistent with a correct delineation of the field of war, and never to
venture on sentimental allusions to sunsets, moonlights, or
water-reflections of any kind. I was not to forget that a newspaper was
a vehicle for the distribution of news, the announcement of facts and
the discussion thereof, not a medium for the dissemination of fancies
and fiddlededee. Above all, I was never to write a column and a half of
speculation as to the possible and _proba