CHAPTER XXXI.-1822.

Of late, had many unhappy returns of the New Year.But had never before, experienced such a one as the present.-Alas! for the delusive "prospect of hope." My new motto, a more appropriate one.-) -More miseries brewing, or in abeyance -Spring auctions.-Am made acquainted with my old agent's intention of leaving this, for America.-My resolution in consequence, and the causes that led to it.-The young man falls into my views. Preparations for his departure.-Performs his last round of auctions on this side the At lantic. A third expedient adopted, in order to reduce my still heavy Book stock.➡Cheap Catalogue for a limited time only.-Great events destined to take place in that short time-Unhappy check I suddenly met with. Dreadful convulsions in East Lothian, occasioned by the defalcation of the manager of the East Lothian Bank.-New general shop bill-My former agent sails with my new adventure to America.-Visit from much respected London friends.-Pleasant excursion to the Lake at Pressmennan, &c. These little pleasure jaunts, useful, in my then situation-Set out on my journey to the west.-A bustling time in Edinburgh, preparing for the King's visit.-Changed appearance of the surrounding scenery.-Great alterations in progress. Not a time for business-Go forward to Glasgow. An inconvenient season there also,Strong tide of emigration setting towards the east-The effect of heat, or of habit, or of both on a drowsy member of Dr C.'s congregation. Do business in Glasgow on the Monday morning.-Go to Paisley by the afternoon coach.-Transact business there.Return and finish at Glasgow, in the evening.-Leave Glasgow for Edinburgh, with the Tuesday morning tract boat.-Do business at Kilsyth by the way.—The windy Tuesday, being the day previous to the King's arrival in the roads. Employment at Leith, at the time of his Majesty's arrival.-Other matters that must be passed over.-Auction expedition by the foot of the Braes of Angus. Intelligence, not of the most pleasing description, from America. Second expedition to Angus-shire.

In a letter from a friend, written on the last, or among the last days of the year, he feelingly concludes in allusion to some recent events, "You have of late, had many unhappy returns of the new year," and he was right; I had indeed, of late, had many unhappy returns of the new year, and very different, indeed, from what I experienced when he once knew me :—when youthful anticipation ran high, and these bitter ingredients had not, as yet, been stirred up in my cup; but he well knew, that although the subject belonged to what

I shall now call the veiled, ———————, leaving the reader to fill it in, veiled matter, veiled picture, or whatever may please him, -I never before had such a return as this,—that I had never felt, or experienced, on any former occasion, a sorrow, like unto the sorrow I now felt, and must, in silence, continue to feel.

And yet, this was the state in which I found myself placed, at the close of the year upon which I had entered under such encouraging auspices, and the cheering motto of "the Prospect of Hope!"

By the time, however, that I came to select the head for my new retrospect, which I see I committed to paper, on the 20th of January, I had seen cause to change my style by adopting that more appropriate motto, under present circumstances, and past experience, "We see here but darkly,"—and which, the events of the year fully proved, was well chosen, and well timed; for a dark chasm still lay before me, into which I was about to plunge, unaware of the inextricable nature of the vortex which was concealed underneath. And there was yet, another mischief brewing in the surrounding atmosphere, that was soon also to occasion me no little vexation and distress.

I mentioned, towards the conclusion of my last chapter, that, in consequence of my agent's having arrived from the north, with a rather heavy supply of remnants, &c. I had again put the wheels in motion, and kept him operating till the end of the year. But, as by that time, he had made but a small hole, in that part of the stock, and as I had yet by far too much on hand otherwise, to lie dormant for the present, only to take up that time afterwards, which I was most anxious now to devote to other purposes, I not only arranged with this young man to perform another pretty extensive circuit in course of the spring months, or, I believe, rather as far up in them as his license extended, which I think expired on the —of April; but having learned, that after the period of his engagement with me expired, he intended to take a trip across the Atlantic, and try his fortunes in that land of promise, to which my attention, it may be recollected, was once directed by my old friend PETER, on a former occasion, I thought I could not do better, after these sales were over, than

embrace the opportunity of making, at least a trial, of what an adventure to that quarter of the globe would produce; under the superintendence and management of one, who, on so many occasions, and in so many instances, had been placed in situations of trust, and who had, in fact, given me so many proofs of his fidelity in such situations before.

My ideas on the subject, with the terms upon which I required his co-operation, being submitted to the young man, he at once assented to them; and while he went out in the performance of his round, I proceeded in my preparations to have things in readiness when he should be ready. These sales commenced at Chirnside, being adjoining to the village where he left off on the 27th December, on the 2d of January,-and were continued in various places of BERWICKSHIRE and EAST LOTHIAN, to the 30th of March, when he finished his country round at Longformacus,—and afterwards, put a finish to the business, by a sale at Dunbar, which he commenced on Monday, the 1st of April.*

While this young man was performing his rounds, and I, had not been idle, in the meantime, in getting things ready for his operations on the other side of the Atlantic; it appears that I had been no less busy in another particular, viz. in editing a new, and what I wished to consider, in consequence of the head notes, or arguments which I affixed to the different chapters, an improved edition of Mrs Grant's "History of an Irish Family," to which, I made room for an addenda at

The sale at Chirnside, continued on the 2d and 3d January,-afterwards we find him at Auchincraw, 4th, 5th,—Ayton, 7th, 8th and 9th,-Eyemouth, 10th and 12th, Coldingham, 14th to 16th,-Cockburnspath, 17th to 19th,Pencaitland, 22d to 24th,-West Salton, 25th, 26th,-East Salton, 28th,Gifford, 30th, 31st,-Garvald, 1st, 2d February,-Stenton, 4th, 5th,-North Berwick, 7th, 8th, 9th,-Dirleton, 11th, 12th,-Gullen, 13th, 14th,-Athol. staneford, 15th, 16th,—Aberlady, 18th, 19th,—Longniddry, 20th, 21st,—Cockenzie, 22d,-Prestonpans, 25th to 27th-Tranent, 28th, and 1st and 2d March,-Gladesmuir, 4th, 5th,—(the latter being on the windy Tuesday, when the sale may be said, to have been completely blown up by the storm,)—at Penston, he had also miserable sales on the 6th and 7th, and afterwards proceeded with rather better effect at Elphinston, on the 8th and 9th,-Ormiston, 11th, 12th,-Pathhead, 13th, 14th,-Upperkeith, 15th, 16th,-Fala, 18th, 19th, -Oxton, 20th, 21st,-Lauder, 22d, to 26th,-Westruther, 27th, 28th,Longformacus, 29th and 30th. So that, if we were forced at last to try the new ground, beyond the great world of waters, it must be seen by this, and the other extensive circuit formerly mentioned, to the northward of Aberdeen,that it was not for want of trying first, what our own country could produce.

the end, entitled, "The Exemplary Mother, or Dutiful Parents and Good Children," by the same amiable and sensible authoress; who was not only pleased to grant me permission, but to furnish me with sundry emendations, from her own valuable pen, on the occasion.

As neither the progress of these country sales, nor the goods in preparation for America,-nor both together,—were likely to exhaust my stock, or rather to bring it within proper compass for a retail business, which was now my predominant wish,—I thought upon a third expedient, and that was, to publish a CHEAP CATALOGUE, &c. which I issued to the public, immediately upon the conclusion of my sales by auction, and kept the books on sale on the terms offered, as expressed on the title, for "a very limited time only."

These catalogues, were not only recommended to the notice of the managers of subscription and parish libraries, but were sent out to private individuals likely to purchase, accompanied by a card, expressing my anxiety "to clear away as many of the articles as possible, by the time mentioned,"— i. e. the ensuing Whitsunday.

But alas! soon after this extensive catalogue, containing many valuable works, made its appearance, and long before Whitsunday, a convulsion was to take place, which was to shake East Lothian to its centre, and make people more anxious to clap their hands on their pockets, to keep fast what cash they could secure in them, than to let a single shilling escape for any purpose whatever, unconnected with the purchase of, the first necessaries of life.

I need not say, that I here allude to the dreadful circumstance of the sudden explosion of the East Lothian Bank, occasioned by Mr Borthwick's flight, on the evening of the 18th, leaving matters in such a state of confusion, that it required both time, and patience, and I may add, a considerable degree of fortitude in the directors and other proprietors, to come at the extent of the evil. This unforeseen, and totally unexpected calamity, among other mischiefs it occasioned of greater importance, may be said to have completely upset, and blasted, at almost the moment they were formed, all my expectations from that sale,—many of the di

rectors and gentlemen connected with that establishment, being among my best customers, in the book line; but, indeed, what farther could be expected at that time from the sale of such articles, in a county, now so poverty-struck as East Lothian had become, by this tremendous blow to her capitalists! -the whole of whose dependents must have suffered proportionally?

In the meantime, while these memorable, because, most afflictive events, were taking place around us,—and the deplorable consequences of this lamentable occurrence, were, as might have been anticipated, developing, and manifesting themselves among all degrees, and descriptions of persons in the community, I was proceeding progressively, in getting things in readiness for my transatlantic adventure, previous to which, I see, I had published what I shall call, a "New General Shop Bill," consisting of a post folio half sheet, printed on both sides, and including, on the back, our list of patent medicines, which, at the date marked, May 1822, will be found to be very respectable for a country town.

By the 16th of that month, (May) I see, I had furnished the young man with an invoice of ten packages, the receipt of which, he acknowledges in his letter, of date, the 31st; and in the bill of loading, it appears, all were shipped on board the Intrepid, then lying in the harbour of Greenock, bound for New York; and by his sailing letter afterwards, I am given to understand, he was to sail on the 11th of June, which, having no doubt he did, I observe, that to make matters as secure as possible, so far, I had covered the whole by insurance, effected with a gentleman in this place, on the 18th.

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It was on the first of July, this year, and when a near connexion was engaged at a meeting on the affairs of the East Lothian Bank, I observe, that we were favoured with a visit from our much respected and esteemed friend, Mr London, who, accompanied by his daughter and a friend, were at the time on a tour of health. Notwithstanding the untoward situation in which he found us, in consequence of my protracted misfortunes, and the recent calamity that had befallen the county, we contrived to make this dear friend and his travelling companions as comfortable as possible, dur