of the Shaws by the Master of Sinclair.[153] She could not, according to the reckoning of that age, be a distant relation.  Whytbank parted, agreeing to return to dinner to meet the bride and bridegroom.  I had little time to write, for Colonel Russell, my cousin, called between one and two, and he also agreed to stay dinner; so I had a walk of three hours with him in the plantations.  At dinner we had Mr. and Mrs. Bruce, Mr. Scrope, Mrs. and Dr. Brewster, Whytbank, Russell, and young Nicol Milne, who will be a pleasant lad if he had a little polish.  I was glad of the society, as I had rather felt the besoin de parler, which was perhaps one cause of my recent dumps.  Scrope and Colonel Russell stayed all night; the rest went home.

March 22.—­Had a packet from James—­low about the novel; but I had another from Cadell equally uppish.  He proposes for three novels in eighteen months, which would be L12,600.  Well, I like the bookseller’s predictions better than the printer’s.  Neither are bad judges; but James, who is the best, is not sensible of historical descriptions, and likes your novel style out and out.

Cadell’s letter also contained a state of cash matters, since much improved.  I will arrange them a day or two hence.  I wrote to-day and took a long walk.  The thought more than once passed over me, Why go to London?  I shall but throw away L150 or L200 which were better saved.  Then on the other hand, it is such a gratification to see all the children that I must be tempted.  If I were alone, I could scrub it, but there’s no doing that with Anne.

March 23.—­I wrought regularly till one, and then took the wood and marked out to Tom the places I would have thinned, particularly at the Carlin’s hole, which will require much thinning.  I had a letter from Cadell stating that 3000 Tales of a Grandfather must go to press, bringing a return to me of L240, the price being L80 per thousand.  This is snug enough, and will prettily cover my London journey, and I really think ought in fairness to silence my prudential remorse.  With my usual delight in catching an apology for escaping the regular task of the day, I threw by the novel of St. Valentine’s Eve and began to run through and correct the Grandfather’s Tales for the press.  If I live to finish them, they will be a good thing for my younger children.  If I work to the amount of L10,000 a year for the creditors, I think I may gain a few hundreds for my own family at by-hours.

March 24.—­Sent copy and proof to J.B.[154] I continued my revision of the Tales of a Grandfather till half-past one.  Then went to Torwoodlee to wait on George Pringle and his bride.  We did not see the young people, but the old Laird and Miss Pringle gave us a warm reception, and seemed very happy on the occasion.  We had friends to dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Theobald, Charles Kerr and his wife, my old acquaintance Magdalen Hepburn, whose whole [kin] was known to me and mine.  I have now seen the fifth generation of the family in Mrs. Kerr’s little girl, who travels with them.  Well—­I partly wish we had been alone.  Yet it is perhaps better.  We made our day out tolerably well, having the advantage of Mr. Davidoff and his friend Mr. Collyer to assist us.