DECEMBER.

_December_ 20.--From September 5 to December 20 is a long gap, and I

have seen plenty of things worth recollecting, had I marked them down

when they were gliding past. But the time has gone by. When I feel

capable of taking it up, I will.

Little self will jostle out everything else, and my affairs, which in

some respects are excellent, in others, like the way of the world, are

far from being pleasant.

Of good I have the pleasure of saying I have my children well, and in

good health. The dividend of 3s. in the pound has been made to the

creditors, and the creditors have testified their sense of my labours by

surrendering my books, furniture, plate, and curiosities. I see some

friends of mine think this is not handsomely done. In my opinion it is

extremely so. There are few things so [easy] as to criticise the good

things one does, and to show that we ourselves would have done [more]

handsomely. But those who know the world and their own nature are always

better pleased with one kind action carried through and executed, than

with twenty that only glide through their minds, while perhaps they

tickle the imagination of the benevolent Barmecide who supposes both the

entertainment and the eater. These articles do not amount to less than

£10,000 at least, and, without dispensing with them entirely, might

furnish me with a fund for my younger children.[405] Now, suppose these

creditors had not seriously carried their purpose into execution, the

transaction might have been afterwards challenged, and the ease of mind

which it produced to me must have been uncertain in comparison. Well!

one-half of these claims are cleared off, furnished in a great measure

by one-half issue of the present edition of the Waverley Novels, which

had reached the 20th of the series.

It cannot be expected that twenty more will run off so fast; the later

volumes are less favourites, and are really less interesting. Yet when I

read them over again since their composition, I own I found them

considerably better than I expected, and I think, if other circumstances

do not crush them and blight their popularity, they will make their way.

Mr. Cadell is still desirous to acquire one-half of the property of this

part of the work, which is chiefly my own. He proposes assembling all my

detached works of fiction and articles in Annuals, so that the whole,

supposing I write, as is proposed, six new volumes, will run the

collection to fifty, when it is time to close it. Between cash advanced

on this property, and a profit on the sale of the second part, Mr.

Cadell thinks, having taken a year or two years' time, to gather a

little wind into the bag, I will be able to pay, on my part, a further

sum of £30,000, or the moiety remaining of the whole debts, amounting

now to less than £60,000.

Should this happy period arrive in or about the year 1832 the heavy work

will be wellnigh finished. Tor, although £30,000 will still remain, yet

there is £20,000 actually secured upon my life, and the remaining

£10,000 is set against the sale of _Waverley_, which shall have been

issued; besides which there is the whole Poetry, _Bonaparte_, and

several other articles, equally [available] in a short time to pay up

the balance, and afford a very large reversion.

This view cannot be absolutely certain, but it is highly probable, and

is calculated in the manner in which Building Schemes [are dealt with],

and is not merely visionary. The year 1833 may probably see me again in

possession of my estate.

A circumstance of great consequence to my habits and comforts was my

being released from the Court of Session on November 1830 (18th day). My

salary, which was £1300, was reduced to £840. My friends, just then

leaving office, were desirous to patch up the deficiency with a pension.

I do not see well how they could do this without being exposed to

obloquy, which they shall not be on my account. Besides, though £500 a

year is a round sum, yet I would rather be independent than I would have

it.

My kind friend the Lord Chief Commissioner offered to interfere to have

me named a Privy Councillor; but besides that when one is poor he ought

to avoid taking rank, I would be much happier if I thought any act of

kindness was done to help forward Charles; and, having said so much, I

made my bow, and declared my purpose of remaining satisfied with the

article of my knighthood. And here I am, for the rest of my life I

suppose, with a competent income, which I can [increase].

All this is rather pleasing, nor have I the least doubt that I could

make myself easy by literary labour. But much of it looks like winding

up my bottom for the rest of my life. But there is a worse symptom of

settling accounts, of which I have felt some signs.

Last spring, Miss Young, the daughter of Dr. Young, had occasion to call

on me on some business, in which I had hopes of serving her. As I

endeavoured to explain to her what I had to say, I had the horror to

find I could not make myself understood. I stammered, stuttered, said

one word in place of another--did all but speak; Miss Young went away

frightened enough, poor thing; and Anne and Violet Lockhart were much

alarmed. I was bled with cupping-glasses, took medicine, and lived on

panada; but in two or three days I was well again. The physicians

thought, or said at least, that the evil was from the stomach. It is

very certain that I have seemed to speak with an impediment, and I was,

or it might be fancied myself, troubled with a mispronouncing and

hesitation. I felt this particularly at the Election, and sometimes in

society. This went on till last November, when Lord ------ came out to

make me a visit. I had for a long time taken only one tumbler of whisky

and water without the slightest reinforcement. This night I took a very

little drop, not so much as a bumper glass, of whisky altogether. It

made no difference on my head that I could discover, but when I went to

the dressing-room I sank stupefied on the floor. I lay a minute or

two--was not found, luckily, gathered myself up, and got to my bed. I

was alarmed at this second warning, consulted Abercrombie and Ross, and

got a few restrictive orders as to diet. I am forced to attend to them;

for, as Mrs. Cole says, "Lack-a-day! a thimbleful oversets me."

To add to these feelings I have the constant increase of my lameness:

the thigh-joint, knee-joint, and ankle-joint.

_December_ 21.--I walk with great pain in the whole limb, and am at

every minute, during an hour's walk, reminded of my mortality. I should

not care for all this, if I was sure of dying handsomely. Cadell's

calculations would be sufficiently firm though the author of _Waverly_

had pulled on his last nightcap. Nay, they might be even more

trustworthy, if Remains, and Memoirs, and such like, were to give a zest

to the posthumous. But the fear is the blow be not sufficient to destroy

life, and that I should linger on an idiot and a show.[406]....

We parted on good terms and hopes.[407] But, fall back, fall edge,

nothing shall induce me to publish what I do not think advantageous to

the community, or suppress what is.

_December_ 23.--To add for this day to the evil thereof, I am obliged to

hold a Black-fishing Court at Selkirk. This is always a very unpopular

matter in one of our counties, as the salmon never do get up to the

heads of the waters in wholesome season, and are there in numbers in

spawning-time. So that for several years during the late period, the

gentry, finding no advantage from preserving the spawning fish,

neglected the matter altogether in a kind of dudgeon, and the peasantry

laid them waste at their will. As the property is very valuable, the

proprietors down the country agreed to afford some additional passage

for fish when the river is open, providing they will protect the

spawning fish during close-time. A new Act has been passed, with heavy

penalties and summary powers of recovery. Some persons are cited under

it to-day; and a peculiar licence of poaching having distinguished the

district of late years, we shall be likely to have some disturbance.

They have been holding a meeting for reform in Selkirk, and it will be

difficult to teach them that this consists in anything else save the

privilege of obeying only such laws as please them. We shall see, but I

would have counselled the matter to have been delayed for a little

season. I shall do my duty, however. Do what is right, come what will.

Six black-fishers were tried, four were condemned. All went very quietly

till the conclusion, when one of the criminals attempted to break out. I

stopped him for the time with my own hand.[408] But after removing him

from the Court-house to the jail he broke from the officers, who are

poor feeble old men, the very caricature of peace officers.

_December_ 24.--This morning my old acquaintance and good friend Miss

Bell Ferguson died after a short illness: an old friend, and a woman of

the most excellent condition. The last two or almost three years were

very sickly.

A bitter cold day. Anne drove me over to Huntly Burn to see the family.

I found Colonel Ferguson and Captain John, R.N., in deep affliction,

expecting Sir Adam hourly. Anne sets off to Mertoun, and I remain alone.

I wrote to Walter about the project of making my succession in movables.

J.B. sent me praises of the work I am busy with.[409] But I suspect a

little _supercherie_, though he protests not. He is going to the country

without sending me the political article. But he shall either set up or

return it, as I won't be tutored by any one in what I do or forbear.

_December_ 25.--I have sketched a political article on a union of Tories

and an Income Tax. But I will not show my teeth if I find I cannot bite.

Arrived at Mertoun, and found with the family Sir John Pringle, Major

Pringle, and Charles Baillie. Very pleasant music by the Miss Pringles.

_December_ 26, [_Mertoun_].--Prayers after breakfast, being Sunday.

Afterwards I shut myself up in Mr. Scott's room.

He has lately become purchaser of his grandfather's valuable library,

which was collected by Pope's Lord Marchmont. Part of it is a very

valuable collection of tracts during the great Civil War. I spent

several hours in turning them over, but I could not look them through

with any accuracy. I passed my time very pleasantly, and made some

extracts, however, and will resume my research another day.

Major Pringle repeated some pretty verses of his own composing.

I had never a more decided inclination to go loose, yet I know I had

better keep quiet.

_December_ 27, [_Abbotsford_].--Commences snow, and extremely bitter

cold. When I returned from Mertoun, half-frozen, I took up the _Magnum_,

and began to notify the romance called _Woodstock_, in which I got some

assistance from Harden's ancient tracts. I ought rather to get on with

_Robert of Paris_; but I have had all my life a longing to do something

else when I am called to particular labour,--a vile contradictory humour

which I cannot get rid of. Well, I can work at something, so at the

_Magnum_ work I. The day was indeed broken, great part having been

employed in the return from Mertoun.

_December_ 28.--Drove down to Huntly Burn. Sir Adam very melancholy, the

death of his sister having come with a particular and shocking surprise

upon him. After half-an-hour's visit I returned and resumed the

_Magnum_.

_December_ 29.--Attended poor Miss Bell Ferguson's funeral. I sat by the

Rev. Mr. Thomson. Though ten years younger than me, I found the barrier

between him and me much broken down. We remember it though with more or

less accuracy. We took the same old persons for subjects of

correspondence of feeling and sentiment. The difference of ten years is

little after sixty has passed. In a cold day I saw poor Bell laid in her

cold bed. Life never parted with a less effort. Letter from Cadell

offering to advance on second series French Tales. This will come in

good time, and keep me easy. He proposes views for the _Magnum_. I fear

politics may disappoint them.

_December_ 30.--Meeting at Selkirk to-day about the new road to

Galashiels. It was the largest meeting I ever saw in Selkirkshire. We

gain the victory by no less than 14 to 4. I was named one of the

committee to carry the matter on, so in gaining my victory I think I

have caught a Tartar, for I have taken on trouble enough. Some

company,--Lord Napier, Scotts of Harden, Johnstone of Alva, Major

Pringle. In the evening had some private conversation with H.F.S. and

R.J., and think there is life in a mussel. More of this hereafter.

_December_ 31.--My two young friends left this morning, but not without

renewing our conversation of last night. We carried on the little

amusements of the day, and spent our Hogmanay pleasantly enough, in

spite of very bad auguries.