-, 9th September, 1816.

"At the request of the creditors of George Miller, bookseller and grocer in Dunbar, met in his house last Saturday, I transmit you a copy of their minute.

"In addition to the abstract of Mr Miller's affairs, contained in this minute, it may not be improper to mention, that, considerably more than one half of the debts were represented, and that those gentlemen connected with the book trade, of which Mr Miller's great stock of goods unfortunately consists, were decidedly of opinion, that, unless the business was continued in his own management, very little would be got from it; and they had very great doubts if the composition offered would be realized from the funds, but Mr Miller himself appeared confident, that, with his son's assistance, he would be able to accomplish what he had promised.

"Of Mr Miller's industry, sobriety, and honesty, there never had been any doubt; but the depressed state of the times has completely defeated his exertions, and, as one of the largest creditors, I have no hesitation in recommending the proposed method of settlement, as the best, and, in fact, the only one that can be adopted.

"It will, therefore, be necessary that you take an early opportunity of signifying your opinion of it to me, and when the concurrence of the whole creditors is obtained, the composition bills will be immediately issued. In the event of the settlement being carried into effect, it will be necessary that you authorise some person to sign Mr Miller's discharge, · - upon receiving these bills, and, to save expense, if you think proper to empower me, I shall do this on your behalf."

(Signed)

However HARD the bargain I had unwittingly made, or concluded, for myself, I certainly had great reason to be pleased with the kind and soothing manner I had been generally treated at the meeting—a manner, indeed, which made me adopt the following way of expressing myself, in a letter I had occasion to describe it in, when writing to an acquaintance, a very short time afterwards :-" I have the satisfaction to say, that my friends (for Mrs M. says they were more

like a meeting of friends than any thing else,) have done for me far beyond what I had any reason to expect, or intention of asking," &c.

But it was not merely from those who were present at the meeting, that I received such demonstrations of esteem and sympathy. As the deeds of accession, or intimations of acquiescence, came in, as they soon did, from all quarters, it will be seen from the few following specimens, that they also breathed much of the balm of consolation.

of

Of date, the 10th, Messrs a house I had long done business with, write to Mr, "We agree to the proposed mode of settlement, as the very best that can be done, and we have confidence Mr Miller will implement it honourably."

for Mr

Of the 17th, Mr -, says, "From the knowledge Mr has of the integrity and activity of Mr Miller, he considers it the best and most advisable method that could be adopted.”

of

Of the 11th, Mr , writes, "My account is not worth mentioning, but had it been ten times the amount, I should most cheerfully agreed to the terms proposed."

Of the 20th, in a letter from Messrs, intimating the progressive state of the acquiescences in their quarter to myself, they observe, "We are glad to find you are getting up your spirits, &c." and "We need scarcely add, that your orders shall, if possible, have more than former attention."

A gentleman, one of the firm of a house to whom I stood indebted to a very considerable amount, at that unhappy period, of date the 21st, writes-"We are truly happy your friends seem so unanimous; but, indeed, this is just what we expected, from your NAME standing so high in the commercial world."

Of the 19th October, Messrs also write to myself, "We feel entirely satisfied with your arrangement, under the peculiar circumstances of your misfortunes; and so far

from your credit suffering, in our estimation, we shall have no hesitation in executing any future orders in our line, which you may please to send us," &c.

While, in a letter from another gentleman, in answer to one I had occasion to write him on other business, he embraces the opportunity of remarking-" I was in a few days ago, and learnt, for the first time, your misfortune. I could not but sigh at the uncertainty of worldly affairs, and felt much for both Mrs Miller and yourself, knowing it so contrary to your wishes and your deservings. I could not write to you, but concluded, you would put me down amongst those who would agree to any proposal you would make."*

These were all like so many choice drops of the outpourings of the Balm of Gilead; but, alas! it is much to be feared, they were all ineffectual at the time, in removing entirely the canker which had eaten into my soul, and occasioned a friend to write me but a few days after the meeting, to the following purport-(I see his letter is dated the 10th of September):-"I am much pleased with the result of Saturday's meeting, and am sorry to think that you should feel unhappy because you could not do what was considered impossible. If things come right again, and it shall please God to prosper your circumstances, you will still have a fine opportunity of evincing the operation of a right principle, by making up the deficiencies," &c. Alas! that matters so turned out afterwards, that I could not even make up my modified engagements!-But, let any person, who reads what follows, say, if it was for WANT of exertion-or, for WANT of the will, ON MY PART.

It would appear that either the letter had not gone forward, or that this gentleman, had been neglected to be written to, at the time.

CHAPTER XVIII.-1816 (CONTINUED.)

A noble principle may be too much indulged.-My best apology.-The preservation of a character beyond the power of suspicion. It is impossible that a man can be too honest.-But not so that one may attempt to do too much. -Unprecedented state of the country. A supposed inference attempted to be satisfactorily answered -Illusory experiments, no reflections on that account.— The die is cast -No alternative but to proceed.-Good effects of kind treatment-Take TIME by the forelock.-Auctions commence at Haddington.A new labourer put into the vine-yard in that line.—Congratulate myself for persevering in midst of my difficulties.—Great exertions become necessary on certain occasions.-Route of our new auctioneer.-My own exertions in the field. An untoward accident toward the close of my Dunbar Sales.—Nature of the accident, and how it was occasioned.-Perplexing situation in which I was placed -How I was enabled to get the better of it, and to go forward. -Off to Glasgow with my leg bandaged.-Meet my new auctioneering agent, and give him the necessary instructions.-See him at work, previously to leaving him in the performance of the duties of his new office.—Similar causes produce similar effects.-Bad sales in consequence of bad times.The same doleful note almost universal.—Little progress made in the disposal of my heavy stock, by the end of the year.-Great expense attend. ing these sales at a distance.-Other considerations that seem to have increased the gloom at the end of the year-Friend Peter's sincere and candid advice-Reasons why, I should not, and did not, adopt it.—Two things that must have contributed to divert my mind, and bear me up in that season of severe depression -Much to attend to otherwise.-Encouraging orders, and flattering prospects from the north-State of affairs at the end of 1816.

Ir was no doubt a noble principle by which I was actuated, in offering so much, and in persisting on doing so, against the better judgment of my friends assembled on the evening before the general meeting; but it will be seen, in the sequel, that it had been much better for me, and nothing in prejudice to my creditors, had I been more guided by such considerations as were contained in the very sensible reasoning in my friend's letter, leaving the display of the operation of “a right principle” till afterwards, should things come right again, and Providence put it in my power;-but, the fact is, my integrity in dealing had hitherto been considered rather exemplary than otherwise, or, as it was expressed in one of my late extracts, "your name standing so high in the commercial

world," and as it was yet without any just cause of reproach so I thought, that, like Cæsar's wife, it should still be without suspicion, and hence I was so anxious to make up the 20s. per pound, or the proportion that came nearest to it, if that were not possible. The result, however, too clearly evidenced, that the attempting to act upon such a principle, and from the most praiseworthy motives, without making the proper allowance for contingencies, may lead to the most melancholy and disastrous results; and that, although it is impossible, as I think I told a certain gentleman, for any one in my then situation to be "TOO HONEST, 99** yet it was possible for him, to attempt to do too MUCH.

.

The unprecedented state to which the country was now hastening, I could indeed have had no idea of, for the very reason which obtained for it the appellation of unprecedented, and of which, my readers will hear enough in the next chapter, to show, that it admitted of no parallel ;-but, I might easily have inferred, some one may remark, that, in bringing so many books to market, by way of auction, as I must necessarily do, to convert them into cash in a given time, the loss must be very considerable ;-but here, alas! if I had had more experience than in the other case, the publication line, to judge by, that experience was of an illusory nature, and served only to mislead me. I took occasion formerly to notice the good, or rather flattering success, that had attended my two sales by auction, in the preceding winter, but taking, as I did, the results of these sales to guide me in my calculations in regard to my future expectations, I committed a most egregious error, in consequence of the altered state of the times I had to contend with; as this, however, could not possibly have been foreseen, to the full extent, I must neither make nor allow any reflections on that account.

The die was now cast-my doom was fixed-on erroneous calculations, no doubt, but deserving still the name of RIGHT PRINCIPLES, and no alternative remained, but for me to submit to it, and proceed with my task in the best manner, and to the best advantage for all concerned, that I could.

A gentleman, from a house in, who, in allusion to my recent settlement, told me, that, I had been too honest.

Y