talent is that it seems to lack sincerity.  You never know what are the real sentiments of a good converser, or at least it is very difficult to discover to what extent he entertains them.  His politeness is inconsistent with energy.  For forming a good converser, good taste and extensive information and accomplishment are the principal requisites, to which must be added an easy and elegant delivery and a well-toned voice.  I think the higher order of genius is not favourable to this talent.

Mrs. Impey, an intelligent person, likes music, and particularly Scotch airs, which few people play better than Mrs. Lockhart and Miss Louisa Adam.  Had a letter from Mr. William Upcott, London Institution, proposing to me to edit an edition of Garrick’s Correspondence, which I declined by letter of this day.  Thorough decided downfall of rain.  Nothing for it but patience and proof-sheets.

August 30.—­The weather scarce permitted us more licence than yesterday, yet we went down to Lochore, and Walter and I perambulated the property, and discussed the necessity of a new road from the south-west, also that of planting some willows along the ditches in the low grounds.  Returned to Blair-Adam to dinner.

Abbotsford, August 31.—­Left Blair at seven in the morning.  Transacted business with Cadell and Ballantyne, but our plans will, I think, be stopped or impeded by the operations before the Arbiter, Mr. Irving, who leans more to the side of the opposite [party] than I expected.  I have a letter from Gibson, found on my arrival at Abbotsford, which gives rather a gloomy account of that matter.  It seems strange that I am to be bound to write for men who have broken every bargain with me.

Arrived at Abbotsford at eight o’clock at night.

FOOTNOTES: 

[307] By Middleton, 1697.

[308] The Hector of Germanie, or the Palsgrave Prime Elector.  An Honourable History by William Smith. 4to, 1615.

[309] Two London playhouses.—­See Knight’s Biography of Shakespeare.

[310] Moliere’s La Princesse d’Elide (Prologue).

[311] See Crabbe’s Tale of The Struggles of Conscience.—­J.G.L.

[312] Tales of a Grandfather, Miscell.  Prose Works, vol. xxiii. p. 72.

[313] See Tales of the Genii. The Talisman of Oromanes.

[314] Eldest daughter of William Fraser of Balnain.—­See Burgon’s Life of P.F.  Tytler, 8vo, Lond. 1859.  Mrs. Tytler died in London, aged eighty-four, in 1837.

[315] Alexr.  Fraser Tytler, 1747-1813.  Besides his acknowledged works, Lord Woodhouselee published anonymously a translation of Schiller’s Robbers as early as 1792.

[316] Henry Cranstoun, elder brother of Lord Corehouse and Countess Purgstall.  He resided for some years near Abbotsford, at the Pavilion on the Tweed, where he died in 1843, aged eighty-six.  An interesting account of Countess Purgstall is given by Basil Hall, who was with her in Styria at her death in 1835.  This very early friend of Scott’s was thought by Captain Hall to have been the prototype of Diana Vernon—­“that safest of secret keepers.”—­See Schloss Hainfeld, 8vo, Lond. 1836.