regard to Greenfield being the author of these Novels, but I never paid much attention to it; the thing appeared to me so very improbable....  But from what I have heard lately, and from what you state, I now begin to think that Greenfield may probably be the author.”  On the other hand, Mr. Mackenzie called upon Blackwood, and informed him that “he was now quite convinced that Thomas Scott, Walter’s brother in Canada, writes all the novels.”  The secret, however, was kept for many years longer.

Blackwood became quite provoked at the delay in proceeding with the proposed work.

Mr. Wm. Blackwood to John Murray.

June 21, 1816.

“I begin to fear that S.B. and Cy. are a nest of——.  There is neither faith nor truth in them.  In my last letter I mentioned to you that there was not the smallest appearance of the work being yet begun, and there is as little still.  James Ballantyne shifts this off his own shoulders by saying that he cannot help it.  Now, my own belief is that at the time he made such solemn promises to me that the first volume would be in my hands in a month, he had not the smallest expectation of this being the case; but he knew that he would not have got our bills, which he absolutely wanted, without holding this out.  It is now seven weeks since the bills were granted, and it is five weeks since I gave him the list of books which were to be delivered.  I have applied to him again and again for them, and on Tuesday last his man at length called on me to say that John Ballantyne & Co. could not deliver fifty sets of ’Kerr’s Voyages’—­that they had only such quantities of particular odd volumes of which he showed me a list.”

Blackwood called upon Ballantyne, but he could not see him, and instead of returning Blackwood’s visit, he sent a note of excuse.  Next time they met was at Hollingworth’s Hotel, after which Ballantyne sent Blackwood a letter “begging for a loan of L50 till next week, but not a word of business in it.”  Next time they met was at the same hotel, when the two dined with Robert Miller.

Mr. Wm. Blackwood to John Murray.

“After dinner I walked home with J.B.  Perhaps from the wine he had drunk, he was very communicative, and gave me a great deal of very curious and interesting private history.  Would you believe it, that about six weeks ago—­at the very time our transaction was going on—­these worthies, Scott, Ballantyne & Co., concluded a transaction with Constable for 10,000 copies of this said ‘History of Scotland’ [which had been promised to Blackwood and Murray] in 4 vols., and actually received bills for the profits expected to be realized from this large number!  Yet, when I put James Ballantyne in mind on Tuesday of what he had formally proposed by desire of Mr. Scott, and assured us we were positively to get the work, and asked him if there was any truth in the rumour I had heard, and even that you had heard, about Mr.