Elsie had completed poems sufficient to fill a small volume before her sister had seen any opening for herself.  It was with some strong agitation on Jane’s part, and still stronger on Elsie’s, that they presented themselves to the publisher who had said he would give a good price for a good book written by a woman, and offered him the manuscript for publication.  Alas! tastes differ as to what is a good book, and in nothing is there so much disparity of opinion as in the article of poetry.  He did not give much encouragement to the sisters, but said he would read over the manuscript and give an answer in ten days.  Any one who has ever written with the hope of publishing can fancy Elsie’s feeling during these ten days.  Her own verses rang in her ears; she recollected passages she might have altered and improved, and wondered if they would strike the critic as faulty; then again she recalled passages which she fancied could not be improved, and hoped he would not skip them; now she would sit idle in the thought that, until she saw there was a market for her productions, there was no necessity for multiplying them; then again she would work with redoubled industry to see if she had not quite exhausted her fancy and her powers.

The final verdict was unfavourable:—­“There is some sweetness of versification and of expression in Miss Melville’s poems, but they are unequal, and want force and interest.  They never would become popular, so that I feel obliged to decline the publication.  Poetry is at all times heavy stock, unless by authors of established reputation.”

Elsie sat sad and dispirited at this her first failure, but her sister comforted her by saying that Edinburgh was not the best market for anything new—­London was the place where a new author had some chance.  Elsie easily caught at the hope, and retouched some of her most imperfect pieces before sending them to a great London house.  To publisher after publisher the manuscript was sent, and after due time occupied in reading it, the parcel returned with the disappointing note——­

“Mr. B——­’s compliments, and he begs to decline with thanks Miss Melville’s poems, as, in the opinion of his literary adviser, they could not answer the purpose of publication.”

Or——­

“Messrs. H——­, B——­, & Co.’s compliments, and though they are overstocked with poetry, they have read carefully Miss Melville’s poems, but find them of the most unmarketable kind, so beg to decline publication.”

Or——­

“Messrs. S——­, E——­, & Co.’s compliments, and they regret that the subjective character of all Miss Melville’s poems will make them uninteresting to the general reader.  They therefore regret that they cannot bring them out.”