The fact was, that my present depressed spirits, (disguise it as I might,) must have just been the recurrence of a former ailment the same complaint, that my good friend attempted to cure me of, in his letter of -, 1816, but which, had now returned upon me with redoubled force,—when I found, my affairs in a doubly worse state, than I had found them, at that former unhappy period of my life.

I had no reason to reflect upon my want of zeal,-or the want of exertion,-or the want of economy-in carrying my exertions into execution; but I could not endure, in patience, the cutting reflection, that, notwithstanding all that zealthose exertions,-and the privations and discomforts so many of the members of my family had been obliged to submit to -indeed, did willingly submit to—in order to produce a very different result,-all had been to so little purpose;-that I had, notwithstanding, been unable, to make a better finish for those kind friends, who had just treated me with so much tenderness, but who must now, to all appearance, be sufferers to an extent, I could not, at a very short time previously, possibly have contemplated.

The course of time, however, soon brought with it so many flattering and congratulatory epistles, that I was enabled once more to get up my spirits, and to set about the preparations for my new arranged task, with earnestness and alacrity; and it was well for me that it was so, for six months would soon be got over, and having a third part of my payments to make in that period, I had still much to do in the first six months. I must have considered myself, therefore, under peculiar obligations to those good friends, who were so ready to pour in the balm of consolation, and to put me in spirits.

One dear, and much esteemed friend, of date the 7th May, feelingly writes me-" It gives me much pleasure to know, that you have got matters settled so much to your satisfaction, and that now, you will in some measure, be delivered from mental anxiety, that your other troubles will also speedily leave you." Another, with whom I had long had very extensive dealings, and who certainly acted a very friendly part on the present occasion, went so far as to say, in his letter now before me, of the 18th, "I wish to see you

at the top of your profession," and for that purpose not only made offer of, but an actual tender of his service, on a pretty extensive scale, in the particular line in which he was engaged;while, even Mr to whom I considered it advisable to give a hint, in consequence of some expression of his having come to my ears, which I considered calculated to alarm my securities, is pleased to express himself to me in the following terms, in a letter dated the 24th of May, accompanying an invoice to a considerable amount :-" I do certainly, at this time, consider your funds equal to all your engagements,"which, while it evidences that he might have had some lurk. ing suspicions formerly, that I had, in reality, attempted to do too much, goes to shew, that now, he was perfectly satisfied, I had done no such thing.

And as an evidence that I had so far recovered my spirits, notwithstanding some rather vexatious circumstances which continued to annoy and harass me towards the end of May, in the month of June, and beginning of July. By the of the latter month, I see, I had been able to accept of the kind invitation of a friend, who lived not far from the curiosities of the DEVON, to pay him a visit, when I had an opportunity of accompanying him and another friend, out also, like myself, on a tour of health, (a thing I assuredly stood much in need of, after so much painful trouble, and so many severe and arduous conflicts,) on a jaunt to the RUMBLINGBRIDGE, on which occasion, I think, we left Mr Young, the landlord of the inn, a small memorandum, by way of a friendly admonition, in the album, at that time, kept in his house.

On this short excursion, I had also an opportunity of seeing Castle Campbell, alias Castle Gloom, with its glen of care, and burn of sorrow ;-with other places worth noting, in the neighbourhood of the town of darkness, where, now stands the modern DOLLAR.

It was well that I had been at last enabled to take, what had been so long considered a desideratum by my best friends," a short pleasure (not business) tour," for the recovery of my health and spirits ;-for, from certain reminiscences still floating on my memory, and otherwise upon record, I think I would have need of it all, and a good stock of pa

tience besides, in the subsequent months of the year, after my return.

In the mean time, there was one good effect that arose from my April settlement. By being allowed, more time, to dispose of the remainder of my stock, I was the better enabled, to husband my resources, by selecting the BEST auctioneers, and BEST times for auctions. Hence, as the season most adapted for the auction winter campaign drew near, it appears that I was not remiss in my preparations; and as I now wished to see what the good town of Berwick-upon-Tweed would produce, I find, by an advertisement before me, that my son commenced his operations for the season, in that place, on the evening of Monday, 30th August,-thus taking the season by the end, and following it out, in such places, and at such times, as we found it convenient to employ him afterwards.

While T. C., being on the spot, was commissioned to embrace the opportunity of the approaching Kirkwall Fair, to do what he could on that occasion, as well as to employ, the leisure time he could save from the other concern, in other places of his district.*

Meantime, remittances continued to come in from my Inverness agent, with his wonted regularity, during the remainder of the year; and although there is a visible falling off of the amount latterly, or, in the returns up to the 17th of August and 9th of November, yet I had no reason to impute this to want of zeal or activity on the part of the new agent; and there was one comfort, that while my golden

* I accordingly find that the young man, had sales by auction, and by private bargain, at Kirkwall, in the two weeks, ending the 21st and 28th of August, being the time which the fair lasted; again at same place, on the week ending the 6th of November.-At Stromness, on the week ending the 13th,-and at Wick in CAITHNESS, on the 29th and 30th same month, and 1st, 2d and 3d of Dec.

In the month of October, I appear to have had a sale in Dunbar, and another at same place, (for one week only and intimated to be the last for the season,) commencing on Monday, the 6th of December ;-and towards the end of Nov, and in the month of December, I appear to have had a series of sales, under the management of a new auctioneer in Dundee, and latterly in Perth, from whence, the books were returned on the 4th of Jan.-Where my son went to, after breaking up at Berwick, I have no record before me, but, I see a round by Tyningham, December, 13 and 14;- Whittingham, 15 ;-Linton, 16, 17 and 18;-North Berwick, 20 and 21 ;-Dirleton, 22 and 23;-Atholstaneford, 24, 25;;-Innerwick, 27;-East Barns, 28;—and 1 night at West Barns,-which he most likely conducted :—bringing up our auction operations, to the end of the year.

harvest from that long-promising, but slow-in-performing, quarter, was now disappearing more and more in the distance, till it had almost totally evanished from my sight, the amount of stock was also considerably brought down, by the number of returns I had recently received; and one greater comfort still, was, that if money did not now come so plentifully in, my payments and present outlays, were also considerably reduced, and did not press so heavily upon me.

My other agent, at same time, seems to have been indefatigable in his exertions in winding up matters farther to the northward; for his monthly remittances, although small, seem to have been most regular, not one month appearing to have been missed, from the return formerly noticed; and as it has always been my delight to record the good conduct of my agents, when it has appeared praiseworthy, I may be the more readily excused for bearing this testimony to the exertions of these two young men, at so important and highly interesting a juncture.

I have been thus particular, so far, in detailing the events of the FIVE preceding years,—as embracing a period, replete with the most striking developement of the vicissitude of mundane affairs, and the sudden transition, from the almost opposite extremes in the chequered drama of human existence-that of prosperity and happiness, with apparently very little alloy-and its antipodes,—a state of continued and protracted adversity and mental suffering, which human nature almost shudders to contemplate.

Whatever events now remain to be taken into consideration, must, in accordance with my limits, be brought into smaller compass; and this is of the less consequence, as whatever ups and downs, I have afterwards experienced-whatever hopes and fears may have subsequently arisen in—and whatever comforts or disappointments may since have crossed -my path,-the Greatest Battle, the most tremendous conflicts will be found to have originated in my great misfortune of 1816,-and that all other matters taking their rise from, or brought into operation through, that misfortune, must be considered, severe as they may be, as of inferior importance, and need not therefore be so fully handled.

CHAPTER XXIX.-1820.

Comparatively happy state in which I entered the year 1820-Have still an arduous task to perform.-No time for me yet to think of ease.-New auction routes.-Matters do not yet get better in the north.-Choice flowers of timely appearance.-Preparations for winding up the Orkney and Caithness concerns. Things still continue to move, in a languid way in the other northern district.Mournful consideration.-Again take TIME by the forelock. -Wholesale sale to the Trade.-Cheap sale by catalogue, to the public.Early commencement of our winter auction campaign.-Sale at Kirkwall fair, and at Stromness, in Orkney.-Our most northerly agent ordered home, after winding up, &c.-Matters put in a train for winding up the other northern district also.-Receive my last general return, from my old Inverness agent. -First remittances from my new winding up agents.-Monthly remittances miserably decrease-Necessity of persevering in the meantime.-Winter auction routes -Sales in Edinburgh.-Wheels still kept in motion. My Orkney and Caithness agent arrives from the north.-Auction sales in the home circuits. -Remittances from the north, continue to dwindle away. -Northern agent again despatched to the north, to hasten the winding up, in that quarter.-One mischief generates another.-My new Aberdeen adventure, in order to supply deficiencies.

different sensa

I MUST have entered the year 1820 with very tions from what I had been accustomed to for some time, on my new-year anniversaries; and if I was able, on this occasion, (which I have no doubt I was,) to indulge myself with my solitary walk, it would likely be, in something of that tranquil mode, in which I used to sally forth to those early communings, before these afflicting and overwhelming disas ters, that have occasioned so much dreadful struggling since, had overtaken me.

For the last three or four years, indeed, my mind must have been in too perturbed a state for calm reflection at these returning seasons,—and at the time I wrote my Annual Retrospect, soon after the commencement of the preceding year, it must have been peculiarly so. "Dreadful post of observation, darker every hour," was truly a dreadful motto,— but not more dreadful than just, at the time, as my readers must now be abundantly satisfied. But, on this occasion, all was