“----- as one who in a darksome way
Doth walk with fear and dread.”

But walk I must, and walk forward too, or I shall be benighted with a vengeance.  After dinner, to compromise matters with my conscience, I wrote letters to Mr. Bell, Mrs. Hughes, and so forth; thus I concluded the day with a sort of busy idleness.  This will not do.  By cock and pye it will not.

January 30.—­Mr. Stuart breakfasted with me, a grand-nephew of Lady Louisa’s, a very pleasing young gentleman.  The coach surprised me by not calling. Will it be for the Martyrdom?  I trow it will, yet, strange to say, I cannot recollect if it is a regular holiday or not.

    “Uprouse ye then, my merry, merry men,
    And use it as ye may.”

I wrote in the morning, and went at one o’clock to a meeting of country gentlemen, about bringing the direct road from London down by Jedburgh, said to be the nearest line by fifty miles.  It is proposed the pleasant men of Teviotdale should pay, not only their own share,—­that is, the expense of making the road through our own country, but also the expense of making the road under the Ellsdon Trust in Northumberland, where the English would positively do nothing.  I stated this to the meeting as an act of Quixotry.  If it be an advantage, which, unless to individuals, may be doubted, it is equally one to Northumberland as to Roxburgh, therefore I am clear that we should go “acquals.”

I think I have maybe put a spoke in the wheel.  The raising the statute labour of Roxburgh to an oppressive extent, to make roads in England, is, I think, jimp legal, and will be much complained of by the poorer heritors.  Henry of Harden dines with me tete-a-tete, excepting the girls.

January 31.—­I thought I had opened a vein this morning and that it came freely, but the demands of art have been more than I can bear.  I corrected proofs before breakfast, went to Court after that meal; was busy till near one o’clock.  Then I went to Cadell’s, where they are preparing to circulate the prospectus of the magnum, which will have all the effect of surprise on most people.  I sat to Mr. Graham till I was quite tired, then went to Lady Jane, who is getting better.  Then here at four, but fit for nothing but to bring up this silly Diary.

The corpse of the murderer Burke is now lying in state at the College, in the anatomical class, and all the world flock to see him.  Who is he that says that we are not ill to please in our objects of curiosity?  The strange means by which the wretch made money are scarce more disgusting than the eager curiosity with which the public have licked up all the carrion details of this business.

I trifled with my work.  I wonder how Johnson set himself doggedly to it—­to a work of imagination it seems quite impossible, and one’s brain is at times fairly addled.  And yet I have felt times when sudden and strong exertion would throw off all this mistiness of mind, as a north wind would disperse it.