December 21.—­I walk with great pain in the whole limb, and am at every minute, during an hour’s walk, reminded of my mortality.  I should not care for all this, if I was sure of dying handsomely.  Cadell’s calculations would be sufficiently firm though the author of Waverly had pulled on his last nightcap.  Nay, they might be even more trustworthy, if Remains, and Memoirs, and such like, were to give a zest to the posthumous.  But the fear is the blow be not sufficient to destroy life, and that I should linger on an idiot and a show.[406]....

We parted on good terms and hopes.[407] But, fall back, fall edge, nothing shall induce me to publish what I do not think advantageous to the community, or suppress what is.

December 23.—­To add for this day to the evil thereof, I am obliged to hold a Black-fishing Court at Selkirk.  This is always a very unpopular matter in one of our counties, as the salmon never do get up to the heads of the waters in wholesome season, and are there in numbers in spawning-time.  So that for several years during the late period, the gentry, finding no advantage from preserving the spawning fish, neglected the matter altogether in a kind of dudgeon, and the peasantry laid them waste at their will.  As the property is very valuable, the proprietors down the country agreed to afford some additional passage for fish when the river is open, providing they will protect the spawning fish during close-time.  A new Act has been passed, with heavy penalties and summary powers of recovery.  Some persons are cited under it to-day; and a peculiar licence of poaching having distinguished the district of late years, we shall be likely to have some disturbance.  They have been holding a meeting for reform in Selkirk, and it will be difficult to teach them that this consists in anything else save the privilege of obeying only such laws as please them.  We shall see, but I would have counselled the matter to have been delayed for a little season.  I shall do my duty, however.  Do what is right, come what will.

Six black-fishers were tried, four were condemned.  All went very quietly till the conclusion, when one of the criminals attempted to break out.  I stopped him for the time with my own hand.[408] But after removing him from the Court-house to the jail he broke from the officers, who are poor feeble old men, the very caricature of peace officers.

December 24.—­This morning my old acquaintance and good friend Miss Bell Ferguson died after a short illness:  an old friend, and a woman of the most excellent condition.  The last two or almost three years were very sickly.

A bitter cold day.  Anne drove me over to Huntly Burn to see the family.  I found Colonel Ferguson and Captain John, R.N., in deep affliction, expecting Sir Adam hourly.  Anne sets off to Mertoun, and I remain alone.  I wrote to Walter about the project of making my succession in movables.  J.B. sent me praises of the work I am busy with.[409] But I suspect a little supercherie, though he protests not.  He is going to the country without sending me the political article.  But he shall either set up or return it, as I won’t be tutored by any one in what I do or forbear.