May 28.—­Wrought in the morning, then the Court, then Cadell’s.  My affairs go on up to calculation, and the Magnum keeps its ground.  If this can last for five or six years longer we may clear our hands of debt; but perhaps I shall have paid that of Nature before that time come.  They will have the books, and Cadell to manage them, who is a faithful pilot.  The poetry which we purchased for [L7000], payable in two years, is melting off our hands; and we will feed our Magnum in that way when we have sold the present stock, by which we hope to pay the purchase-money, and so go on velvet with the continuation.  So my general affairs look well.  I expect Lockhart and Sophia to arrive this evening in the Roads, and breakfast with us to-morrow.  This is very reviving.

May 29.—­The Lockharts were to appear at nine o’clock, but it is past four, and they come not.  There has been easterly wind, and a swell of the sea at the mouth of the Firth, but nevertheless I wish they would come.  The machinery is liable to accidents, and they may be delayed thus.

Mr. Piper, the great contractor for the mail coaches, one of the sharpest men in his line, called here to-day to give his consent to our line of road.  He pays me the compliment of saying he wishes my views on the subject.  That is perhaps fudge, but at least I know enough to choose the line that is most for my own advantage.  I have written to make Gala acquainted that my subscription depends on their taking the Gala foot road; no other would suit me.  After dinner I began to tease myself about the children and their parents, and night went down on our uncertainty.

May 30.—­Our travellers appeared early in the morning, cum tota sequela.  Right happy were we all.  Poor Johnnie looks well.  His deformity is confirmed, poor fellow; but he may be a clever lad for all that.  An imposthume in his neck seems to be the crisis of his complaint.  He is a gentle, placid creature.  Walter is remarkably handsome, and so is little Whippety Stourie,[363] as I call her.  After breakfast I had a chat with Lockhart about affairs in general, which, as far as our little interests are concerned, are doing very well.  Lockhart is now established in his reputation and literary prospects.[364] I wrote some more in his Demonology, which is a scrape, I think.

May 31.—­Set to work early, and did a good day’s work without much puffing and blowing.  Had Lockhart at dinner, and a tete-a-tete over our cigar.  He has got the right ideas for getting to the very head of the literary world and now stands very high as well for taste and judgment as for genius.  I think there is no fear now of his letting a love of fun run away with him.  At home the whole day, except a walk to Cadell’s, who is enlarging his sale.  As he comes upon heavy months, and is come now to the Abbot, the Monastery, and the less profitable or popular of the novels, this is a fortunate circumstance.  The management seems very judicious.