276 ROBERTSON, 



peared a critic on ' Agis,' one Heiierden. I am persuaded 

 Home has hired him, and given him a crown to write such 

 execrable stuff. Every body laughs at it ; and, in the wicked 

 language of this town, it is called a d d tame piece of non- 

 sense. Wedderburn makes all the progress we could wish : 

 even the door-keeper of the House of Peers tells me that ' he 



is a d d clever fellow, and speaks devilish good English.' 



This very morning he was retained in a Plantation cause 

 before the Privy Council, which is a thing altogether extra- 

 ordinary for so young a man. You cannot imagine what odd 

 fellows his rivals are, and how far and how fast he is likely 

 to go. 



" I can't say so much about my own progress. I unluckily 

 have but one copy of my ' History/ otherwise I might advance 

 with more rapidity. I have been with Horace Walpole, a son 

 of Sir Robert's, a very clever man, and of great leading among 

 the literary people of fashion. We had much conversation about 

 Mary. He is one of the greatest critics I ever met with, as 

 to the facts in the period. Our notions jumped perfectly. 

 Part of my papers are in his hands ; the Duke of Argyle has 

 another ; Scott, who was preceptor to the Prince of Wales, a 

 third ; and Lord E-oyston a fourth. I have got from this last 

 a vast collection of original papers ; many of them are curious. 

 I am advised by several people to transcribe as many as will 

 swell the book to a guinea price. The taste of this town is 

 such, that such an addition will be esteemed very meritorious ; 

 and though it cost me little but having an amanuensis, it will 

 add to the price in proportion to the increase of bulk. You 

 see I begin to learn the craft of authorship. I have hitherto 

 industriously avoided meeting with booksellers, but shall soon 

 begin my operations with them. I have had a great offer 

 from Hamilton and Balfour, which you'll probably have heard 

 of. I can scarcely believe that even the effrontery of 



W r's roguery could have seriously set his face to such a 



scheme as that you mention. I scarce think it necessary, 

 upon such a surmise, to write to Lord Milton ; but I shall 

 drop a line to Mrs. Wedderburn or Miss Hepburn, in order 

 to prevent any such foolish measure being heard with patience. 

 I have not yet seen either Dr. Chandler or the Lions. All the 



