tend with. Yet, I had another, and more substantial, end in view, than the mere gratification of any such impulse, by

It must be here remarked, that not long after I had announced my work in a complete state, and recommended it for the purposes already mentioned, I found my advertisements followed in the Scottish papers, by an announcement, which surprised me not a little indeed,-viz. "the Book of Nature," by JOHN MASON GOOD, M. D.-A name which I had often heard of, but never coupled with any work bearing that title:-the circumstance of the book, being advertised in 3 volumes octavo, and at a no less price than three times the amount of my new and enlarged edition, is the cause of my denominating it as belonging to the race of the giants, while its London precursor of nearly the same name, I have thought fit to class among the race of pigmies, by way of contrast, and as occupying the place of the contrary extreme, both as to bulk and cost, having been sold at just one third of my price.

Whatever motive may have induced Dr Good to encroach so much upon MY TITLE, for a work, which, with all its excellencies, and they are not few, I can. not pretend to say ;-but 1 was soon satisfied by getting a look of the work, from its respectable Edinburgh publisher, Mr Adam Black, that, I was right in my previous surmises, that there was something WRONG in the matter.-In fact that, as is too much the practice in the present day, the title had been adopted, from whatever cause it had proceeded, for the work—and not the work, as has been my invariable practice, got up to suit the title.—Indeed, my greatest surprise still is, that any gentleman possessing ordinary powers of penetration, and discernment, of which, no one I believe ever considered Dr Good as deficient, could ever think, of giving to a book, which would have been very properly styled, “Lectures," or, "A Series of Lectures, on Natural and Scientific Subjects, delivered at the Surry Institution," the title of "the Book of Nature," in its most com. prehensive and indefinite sense,—which treats neither of the atmosphere and atmospheric phenomena,-which certainly may be denominated ONE GREAT PAGE IN THE BOOK OF NATURE -Or, of THAT MORE LUMINOUS PAGE that lies beyond "the atmosphere's, intestine wars,”—and comprehending, the evolutions of all the cometary and planetary hosts,—and the dazzling beauties of the starry heavens.

So much indeed was I satisfied, that a man of Dr Good's long standing, and high reputation in the literary world, could not be capable of such an act, call it, in the mildest sense, such a blunder,—that I suspected at once, that it was rather the effect of one of those tricks of the trade, by which a favourite title is sometimes adopted, without much consideration, as to how those may suffer by it, who alone possess the original claim; and in this opinion, I was rather confirmed, by observing in the Memoirs of Doctor Good recently published, from the pen of his friend, Dr OLINTHUS GREGORY, that about, or previously to the time, the work under the above title issued from the press in 1826, he had been a good deal in a complaining way, which would render it, the less likely, that he should attend to such concerns.

In order, however, that I might get at the bottom of the matter, in this particular, before putting my present work to press, which would require me, in my own vindication, to notice the circumstance, and so that I might, be enabled to do all manner of justice, to a character which had long stood high in my own estimation, I deemed it advisable, to correspond with his Biographer, while these pages were yet in a state of preparation for the press,-mentioning distinctly the points upon which I wished information, and stating my reasons and motives for so doing.

To my letter, Dr Olinthus Gregory, his very respectable and learned biogra. pher, had the goodness to send the following prompt and polite answer, which, although it contained, to use the words of the writer, "no decisive information on the subject" of my inquiries, yet goes to establish the facts, that I was not far

the publication of these testimonials, in such a form, and to the truth of which, the preliminary matter to these testimonials, bears ample evidence.

The fact is, that having finished the reprinting of some portions of the work which had become scarce, I had now a considerable number of complete sets, or perfect copies, to dispose of; and, as my deficiencies and short-comings, from so many concurrent causes, had been, in consequence of the unhappy turn taken in the affairs of the country, and which, had been rather severely felt of late, I formed the resolution of making a new attempt at canvassing, in order to get the remainder of my copies subscribed for: and I could scarcely, I think, have sent out the young man, who, in fact, was the same that I employed, with such happy effect, on the former occasion-better armed for the warfare, or fitted, for the new mission he was to be sent on, than by being accompanied on his rounds with such a number, or, as I see I call them, in my preliminary address to the gentlemen upon whom he was to wait, "such a host of powerful auxiliaries,” as the very flattering encomiums he carried along with him.

wrong in my surmises that the title was an afterthought, come from whom it might, and that, there were other people, and among the number, the learned doctor himself, who thought as I did in regard to its inappropriateness to the book. But having established these points, I shall leave the reader to draw his own conclusions, leaving the letter otherwise, to speak for itself.

"ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY, WOOLWICH, 27th February, 1833. "SIR,-In reply to your letter, which reached me yesterday, I am sorry to say that I can give you no decisive information on the subject of your inquiries. From what I knew of Dr Good, I should think he was one of the last men who would filch from another the idea of a title to a book. Whether or not he ever saw any of the advertisements respecting "The Book of Nature laid open," to which you refer, I cannot say the probability I think is, that he did not; because, in my judgment, the very sight of your title, would have led him to seek another for his own work,-—All his friends, including his bookseller, disapproved of the title which he actually adopted, as vague and inappropriate : and I am quite of opinion that if he had lived to publish a new edition of his work, he would have given it some other title more expressive of its nature and objects.

Pray excuse this brief and hasty reply; as I am now, and have been for some weeks, in a state of health which makes writing very irksome to me.I am, SIR, your faithful Servant,

(Signed)

Addressed " Mr George Miller late Bookseller, }

Britain."

"OLINTHUS GREGORY.

But here, alas! my bad luck, if I may use the expression, once more came across my path, at a very critical juncture; and, if I had forgotten, that the same cause which contributed so much to render this new exertion necessary, on my part, viz., the still greater restriction that had recently taken place in the transactions of the Banks, must operate to my detriment, all over the country-I say, if I had forgotten this circumstance, at the moment the young man entered upon his work, I had sufficient reason to come to the recollection of it, both before, and after, his labours came to a termination :-the want of money was now the prevailing complaint; and, after making a few trials, in which I became completely tired with, and vexed out of the business, I declined making any further attempts, in the prosecution of a plan, which, in better times, and at a more convenient season, might have cleared my hand of all my extra copies, and done me much good, by converting them in my necessities, into a more available article. This was the more distressing, as, from the almost unprecedented continuance of the late stormy weather, business had been much interrupted, and our supplies, of course, had come slowly in, which made me the less prepared for sundry obligations, as they came round, and rendered it necessary for me to apply to a friend, whose answer, of the 7th of May, seems to have had a very depressing, if not injurious, effect on my spirits.

But these were not, the only evils of the month of May; for that month seems to have been particularly distinguished by a concurrence of troublesome, or untoward events. It, however, passed away; and so early in June as the 12th, I see my son W., who had so long been my useful auxiliary, and faithful coadjutor, set out on that journey for me, to the south, which I think was the last, or among the last, business journies, he performed on my account; having now entered upon a separate concern, in the line of business, for himself, in contemplation of his approaching marriage, which took place in the month of August following: and I need scarcely add, that he had, and must ever have, my best wishes that every thing which is good may attend him, for the filial part he acted, on so many important and trying occasions, while

in my service, for which, I trust, he will suffer nothing, in the estimation of his best friends and customers; while the testimony of an approving conscience, will, be his everlasting and never-failing reward.*

By a letter I received, of date the 19th June, I find disappointment on disappointment was still the order of the day; and towards the end of this, and during the continuance of the following month, I had my share of other disagreeables, which in this place, however require to be passed over, for reasons similar to some formerly mentioned.

But there was one thing that occurred, early in August, which must not be passed over without notice, because it tends to the honour of one of my own family, who has not, I believe, been yet brought forward in course of my narrative, viz., that of my daughter, who had gone so far west, for a purpose that would rather have led to THE HOUSE OF FEASTING than of MOURNING, but who, relinquished the intention of going further, and remained in Edinburgh with her youngest brother, upon finding, on her arrival there, that he was confined, in rather a dangerous state of illness, although excellently lodged and most kindly attended to, in the house of a friend, and with the benefit of the best medical advice.

* I see by my memorandums, or as I have elsewhere denominateds them notched trees in the wilderness, that on the day previous to my son setting out, being our sacramental Monday, the commencement of the pulling down of the old St George and St Andrew Inn adjoining, in order to make room for that new and elegant fabric which is built on its site, took place;-during the progress of which, and of building the new fabric, we had, from our proximity, more than one serious alarm,—although all the persuasion of a kind neighbour could not induce us to leave, what I considered our post at the time, and from which, I could not be prevailed upon to remove, although particularly pressed to do so, on one very memorable alarming occasion. The month of June and also the month of July, when the risk was the greatest, passed over without any accident, although there was one night, in the latter month, in which we were a good deal alarmed by what we considered the falling in of some part of the building on our house; but it turned out afterwards, that we were, I mean such of us as had heard the noise, more afraid, or alarmed, than hurt; for the noise (which indeed seems to have been heard far enough) had proceeded from the falling down of some loose materials, inside, and had made the louder report, by falling on, the wooden supporters of the landing place, in our stair-case; where, I believe, as they gave us afterwards no disturbance, they still remain.

For that sacrifice to a brother's comfort, I trust she also will have the lasting testimony of an approving conscience ;and for the trouble, and pains, and anxiety, displayed on that mournful occasion, by my amiable, (and, on this account, if it were possible, more than ever endeared,) partner, in order to have the afflicted youth made as comfortable as possible, and at last removed, under her own eye, to his home, with ourselves, I have no doubt that she received a most satisfactory recompense, in the gratitude HE manifested, and the affecting manner in which he expressed himself afterwards— when he emitted, what may be called, his dying declaration on his death-bed,-as will be seen in due time.

CHAPTER XXXVII.-1827 (CONTINUED.)

The troubles and griefs of September commence early and advance rapidly.Retire early to rest on the evening of the 22d.-An unwelcome intruder on two accounts.-Commencement of a new series of grievous sorrows.-My troubles increase.-Timely appearance of a pleasant little floweret.-It reminds me that I have yet one consolation to fly to.-Another month of dreadful and anxious suspense passes. -Sad alternative to which I am once more reduced. Again call a meeting.-Results of the abstract, &c.-My present deficiences, how most satisfactorily accounted for.-Operating causes which prevented them from being to a greater extent.-Lamentable consideration, after other eight years persevering and unremitting industry.-Melancholy and afflictive details, extracted from my address on this unhappy occasion. Kind and soothing usage I again experienced.—My subsequent conduct, or the procedure I adopted after the meeting-Friendly manner in which I was received by the absentees.-Congratulatory letter from my principal creditor.— The many disagreeables I had to submit to, speedily neutralized or counteracted by the reception I met with, on my journey to the westward.—Another blustering hero fallen!-Certain reminiscences connected with that afflictive period.-Consolatory advice, and comfortable assurance in a letter from an old friend, dated the last day of the year.

THE troubles and griefs of September, (and they were neither few nor small,) began to overtake me, at a very early stage of the month. So early as the 2d, I see I had a note from a certain quarter, that gave me a good deal of concern;