March 29.—­Worked in the morning.  Had two visits from Colonels Russell and Ferguson.  Walked from one till half-past four.  A fine, flashy, disagreeable day; snow-clouds sweeping past among sunshine, driving down the valley, and whitening the country behind them.

Mr. Gibson came suddenly in after dinner.  Brought very indifferent news from Constable’s house.  It is not now hoped that they will pay above three or four shillings in the pound.  Robinson supposed not to be much better.

Mr. G. goes to London immediately, and is to sell Woodstock to Robinson if he can, otherwise to those who will, John Murray, etc.  This work may fail, perhaps, though better than some of its predecessors.  If so, we must try some new manner.  I think I could catch the dogs yet.

A beautiful and perfect lunar rainbow to-night.

March 30.—­Mr. Gibson looks unwell, and complains of cold—­bitter bad weather for his travelling, and he looks but frail.

These indifferent news he brought me affect me but to a little degree.  It is being too confident to hope to ensure success in the long series of successive struggles which lie before me.  But somehow, I do fully entertain the hope of doing a good deal.

March 31.—­

    “He walked and wrote poor soul, what then? 
    Why then, he wrote and walked again.”

But I am begun Nap.  Bon. again, which is always a change, because it gives a good deal of reading and research, whereas Woodstock and such like, being extempore from my mother-wit, is a sort of spinning of the brains, of which a man tires.  The weather seems milder to-day.

FOOTNOTES: 

[198] The full-length picture of Sir Walter (with, the two dogs, Camp and the deerhound) by Raeburn, painted in 1809, was at this time given to Mr. Skene, and remained in his possession till 1831, when it was sent to Abbotsford, where it now hangs.—­See Letter, Scott to Skene, under January 16th, 1831.

[199] Spean a wean, i.e. wean a child.

[200] Archibald Skirving (1749-1819), well known as a portrait-painter in chalk and crayons in Edinburgh in the early part of this century.

[201] H.W.  Williams, a native of Wales, who settled in Edinburgh at the beginning of this century.  His Travels in Italy and Greece were published in 1820, and the Views in Greece in 1827.  This work was completed in 1829, the year in which he died.

[202] Vols. i. and ii. were published in 1802.

[203] Kain in Scotch law means payment in kind.  Carriages in the same phraseology stands for services in driving with horse and cart.

[204] Ballad of Hardyknute, slightly altered.—­J.G.L.

[205] Sir W. Knighton was Physician and Private Secretary to George IV.  Rogers (Table-Talk, p. 289) says no one had more influence with the King.  Sir William died in 1836; his Memoirs were published in 1838, edited by his widow.