LITERARY AND DOMESTIC LD7E. 359 



the guitar for Maggie, to the hotel this evening. I am going to 

 •line to-day at the Literary Union, with Campbell and some others. 

 To-morrow I shall be busy all day, calling on naval officers, and at 

 the Admiralty, nor could I have sooner done so. And on Thurs- 

 day, I shall leave London for York in one of the morning coaches. 

 This will enable me to stop some hours there to rest, and I shall be 

 in Edinburgh on Saturday afternoon ; I do not know at what hour, 

 but I believe two or three after the mail, unless I take my place in 

 the mail from York. The gals can ask Bob at what hour any 

 coach arrives in Edinburgh from York, besides the mail. I should 

 think he will know. But should any thing detain me, it will only 

 be my not getting a place at York. The gals may take a look at the 

 mail, perhaps on Saturday. I need say no more than that I shall 

 be truly happy to find you all well and happy, as you deserve to be. 

 God bless you all ! Yours ever affectionately, 



" John Wilson." 



CHAPTER XIV. 



LITERARY AND DOMESTIC LIFE. 

 1832-37. 



The following letter will be read with interest : 



"London, November 30, 1832. 

 " Sir : — You have often, and ' on the Rialto'' too, twitted me with 

 an addition to Sonnets, and ' such small deer' of poetry, sometimes 

 in a spirit of good-humor, at others in that tone of raillery which is 

 so awful to young gentlemen given to rhyming love and dove. Yet, 

 notwithstanding the terrors of your frown, I think there is so much 

 of the milk of human kindness blending up with that rough nature 

 of yours, as would prevent you from willingly hurting the weak 

 and the defenceless ; on the contrary, if Master Feeble acknowl- 

 edged his failing in a becoming manner, I can believe that you 

 would put the timid gentleman on his legs, pat his head, cocker his 

 alai'med features into a complacent smile, and, giving him some- 



