July 27.—­Up and at it this morning, and finished four pages.  An unpleasant letter from London, as if I might be troubled by some of the creditors there, when going to town to get materials for Nap.  I have no wish to go,—­none at all.  I would even like to put off my visit, so far as John Lockhart and my daughter are concerned, and see them when the meeting could be more pleasant.  But then, having an offer to see the correspondence from St. Helena, I can make no doubt that I ought to go.  However, if it is to infer any danger to my personal freedom, English wind will not blow on me.  It is monstrous hard to prevent me doing what is certainly the best for all parties.

July 28.—­I am well-nigh choked with the sulphurous heat of the weather—­or I am unwell, for I perspire as if I had been walking hard, and my hand is as nervous as a paralytic’s.  Read through and corrected St. Ronan’s Well.  I am no judge, but I think the language of this piece rather good.  Then I must allow the fashionable portraits are not the true thing.  I am too much out of the way to see and remark the ridiculous in society.  The story is terribly contorted and unnatural, and the catastrophe is melancholy, which should always be avoided.  No matter; I have corrected it for the press.[305]

The worthy Lexicographer left us to-day.  Somewhat ponderous he is, poor soul! but there are excellent things about him.

Action and Reaction—­Scots proverb:  “the unrest (i.e. pendulum) of a clock goes aye as far the ae gait as the t’other.”

Walter’s account of his various quarters per last despatch.  Query if original:—­

    “Loughrea is a blackguard place
      To Gort I give my curse;
    Athlone itself is bad enough,
      But Ballinrobe is worse. 
    I cannot tell which is the worst,
      They’re all so very bad;
    But of all towns I ever saw,
      Bad luck to Kinnegad.”

Old Mr. Haliburton dined with us, also Colonel Russell.  What a man for fourscore or thereby is Old Haly—­an Indian too.  He came home in 1785.

July 29.—­Yesterday I wrought little, and light work, almost stifled by the smothering heat.  To-day I wrought about half task in the morning, and, as a judgment on me I think for yesterday’s sloth, Mr. H. stayed unusually late in the forenoon.  He is my friend, my father’s friend, and an excellent, sensible man besides; and a man of eighty and upwards may be allowed to talk long, because in the nature of things he cannot have long to talk.  If I do a task to-day, I hope to send a good parcel on Monday and keep tryst pretty well.

July 30.—­I did better yesterday than I had hoped for—­four instead of three pages, which, considering how my time was cut up by prolonged morning lounging with friend Haly, was pretty fair.  I wrote a good task before eleven o’clock, but then my good friends twaddled and dawdled for near two hours before they set off.  The time devoted to hospitality, especially to those whom I can reckon upon as sincere good friends, I never grudge, but like to “welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.”  By my will every guest should part at half-past ten, or arrange himself to stay for the day.