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than remaining in my hands, at the humiliating offer I am so reluctantly compelled to make, but which, it is too evident, from the depreciated, unsaleable, and unavailable nature of so great a proportion of the articles,-is as much, as I can be expected to realize from them, in any reasonable given time, viz." &c. &c. &c.

"And I remain, Gentlemen, with sentiments of all deference to the decision of the Meeting, your very obedient Servant,

(Signed)" GEORGE MILLER." N. B. It may be proper to add, that, in accounting for my short-comings, I was enabled to make up a statement of losses, &c. not only, fully equal to the amount of those short-comings, but actually exceeding them,-which shews again, that all our hard earned profits at the back of the counter, &c. for these last four years, must have gone, to enable us to make up the difference, as far as it was practicable; or, at least, to make that difference the less-and had these only been found sufficient to have covered all,-how little would we have regretted the sacrifice.

I need scarcely say, that, after the exhibition of these statements, and accompanying address, I had my offer, painful as it was for me to make it, accepted, and my wishes gratified, by the immediate signature of acquiescence of all the parties present, of whom Mr was very

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After the meeting, no time was lost in transmitting a printed copy of the minute, as signed by the preses, to the absentees, and deeds of accession soon came in from all quarters.

There was one gentleman, however, from whom, on account of the length and extent of our dealings, &c. I was particularly desirous to hear, but from whom, I had not heard, up to the morning of the 13th.

In course of that day, however, I heard from my friend. His letter forms too precious a document to be altogether left out of my records, although it may be necessary to shorten it a little. Here, therefore, follows a pretty full extract from this precious gem :

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12th January, 1832. "DEAR SIR, I received both your letters, which gave me some uneasiness, I have now got over it, and feel very much for you and Mrs Miller,-more so than I have for myself.

"You may believe me, it was more for want of time, than any thing else, (except inclination,) that prevented me from writing you sooner, and now agree to the offer of composition you have made; and trust, you have taken care not to offer more than you are able to pay.

"Make my compliments to Mrs Miller, and tell her, I feel most sincerely for her. She must keep up her spirits, and hope for better days. Many ups and downs you have had in this world, but we should remember, this is not our resting place. You must again excuse haste, and believe me still," &c.

This letter, although dated on the 12th, did not reach me till the following day, when, although it came late, it came still in good time, to soothe my breast, before retiring to rest

on the evening of the 13th, and so enabled me to rise, as it were, to newness of life and increased vigour, on the ensuing morning-the morning, again, that ushered in another anniversary of my birth.-Alas! what changes had taken place within the compass of that memorable year, so considerable a part of which I had devoted to my Retrospections !—or, rather, during the short period (for a month had not yet expired) since I laid those Retrospections aside ;—and, fatal resemblance! too truly to be verified-HUNG MY HARP UPON

THE WILLOWS.

In reading over this kind, frank, and friendly letter to my partner,-upon its receipt, on the evening just alluded to,-I must not say, that I was able to accomplish it with a certain degree of composure; for, to use an expression in the next kind letter I shall have occasion to quote-" my feelings got fairly the better of me," and I was not able to accomplish it at all.

I could say much, very much, on this subject, but I know that I have said as much already, as I will, perhaps, from certain hints I have got, get thanks for. Expressive silence must, therefore, be my refuge on the occasion-further than, that, if I live, I trust, the worthy gentleman will not altogether lose his reward; and, whether I live or not, he must ever carry about with him the testimony of an approving conscience, as an earnest of what he may expect, when he experiences, in his own person, that "THIS IS," indeed, NOT OUR RESTING PLACE," by being called to a heavenly and more enduring inheritance.

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There is another expression in that letter, which I must not forget to mention; for more depended upon it, perhaps, than the writer had any idea of, at the time he adopted it, or the recorder of it in these pages, most assuredly had, at the time he was obliged to desist from reading it, on the memorable evening of its arrival.

My kind friend, it will be observed, among other things, makes the following remark :-" Many ups and DOWNS YOU HAVE HAD." Now, it strikes me forcibly, that it was from the suggestion these words conveyed, knowing, as I did, that my friend was correct, that the idea of introducing the "ups and downs," both into my original and more recently pub

lished prospectus, originated ;-and, for his sake, were there no other reason, I shall endeavour to preserve these" ups and downs," whatever alteration I may otherwise be disposed to make, in my present title ;-which resolution, I hope, my kind readers will be the more disposed to approve of, now, when, I trust, they are fully convinced, by the perusal of these pages so far, that I have, indeed, had my many ups and downs" in life,—and that, a more appropriate motto, than that which I have prefixed to the first of my introductory chapters, could scarcely have been chosen.

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CHAPTER XLVI.-1832. (CONTINUED.)

Many are the instances of kind treatment I received otherwise.-Reasons for being more particular in my notices of some cases, than others. And for adopting certain extracts as my mottos, at the beginning of my first chapter. -Am overwhelmed with acts of kindness from all quarters.-My wholesale merchants, again not singular in this respect.-Conduct of old friends and customers. All classes and descriptions of persons, seem actuated by the same kind and feeling spirit.-Names not mentioned, but which, can never be forgotten. My earnest prayer in their behalf.-Happy results of these simultaneous and encouraging acts of kindness-Expedients that I thought of, and had recourse to, in my extremity.-My first attempts meet with disappointment. Try a new method, by endeavouring to dispose of the books of my private library.-At same time, intimate my intention, of bringing out these "Latter Struggles," if likely, to meet with encouragement. -Original circular and Prospectus.-Early encouragement to proceed.-Specimen of the manner in which my catalogue, and accompanying circular, &c. were received by my old correspondents.-Publish my enlarged prospectus. Pleasing consideration, which must have contributed much to restore my health, and revive my spirits.-Prosperity gives friends, but adversity tries them. My old brethren in the book trade not backward, to evince a fellow feeling on the occasion-Kind offices of certain respectable firms in my behalf. -Reasons why I selected these particular houses, as my friendly auxiliaries. -One expression in the letter of one of my coadjutors, particularly gratifying. I am not long in coming to the resolution of proceeding with my task. -Commence writing my MS. in earnest.-Go to Press-And, find myself able, to send the present chapter in good time, to the printer, after having had some ground to fear, that my "LATTER STRUGGLES," would, in the end, have turned out "DEADLY CONFLICTS."

It is not to be understood, that, in dwelling longer on my kind friend's letter, than I will, as I observed, perhaps get

thanks for, from himself, I have been any way remiss in my duty of gratitude, to the other gentlemen, with whom, in the way of dealing, I was similarly situated, and who, have also dealt so kindly and generously with me.-No! many are the instances of kind treatment I have received, and many are the effects of the most generous feeling I have experienced otherwise, which, to use a strong Hebrew expression, I shall never forget, until my right hand forgets her cunning, and my tongue shall cleave to the roof of my mouth; and if I have made particular reference, only, to one individual, in addition to the above, I trust, all suppositions of invidious distinction, will be done away, when I shall have given some explanation.

The other individual, then, the gentleman who wrote me the very feeling and friendly letter, of the 30th of December, and from which, the extract at the end of a preceding chapter is taken, is the only representative of a house, with which, I had been in the practice of doing business for a period of upwards of forty years!—and a testimonial from whom, I must, therefore, have considered, as of no ordinary importance ;-while, of the gentleman who wrote the very affectionate and pathetic epistle, so largely quoted in the last chapter, let it be understood, was not only one of my most early acquaintances in the way of business, now remaining, at the helm of affairs himself, (and long may he continue to do so,) but, that our transactions had been so numerous, and so extensive, in the course of time, that no person could form a better estimate, than that worthy gentleman, of what our deserts were and how far, we still deserved his sympathy, on this late lamented occasion. Hence, I considered, the few feeling and friendly lines from his pen, as indeed " A PRECIOUS GEM worth preserving ;" and hence, the reason why the quotations from these two estimable and much valued letters, (although without any disrespect or disparagement being meant to the others,) have found a ready, and so conspicuous a place, by the way or in the shape of, mottos, at the beginning of the first of my introductory chapters.

But, I may well say, as I have often said of late, that I have been overwhelmed by kindness,-experienced from all

descriptions of persons,-on that mournful occasion. Those numerous acts of kindness, by which my soul was so often melted down into the most grateful emotions, were far from being confined to gentlemen connected with me only as wholesale dealers, and who, of course, as the principal sufferers, it was proper to bring forward prominently in the list.

My good friend, the Rev. Mr JAFFRAY, our own parish minister, was very assiduous in his kind attentions, on this lamented occasion, as he had been formerly, on that, of my son's illness and death; and it gives me much pleasure to state, that the name of that gentleman stands first on the list of names for my "Latter Struggles," and which, has been since followed, by those, of the greater part of the gentlemen composing our Presbytery ;-while, I have also the satisfaction to add, that the Rev. Mr JACK, of the first Associate Secession Congregation in this place, had the kindness to set an example to his flock, by being the FIRST to send in his name, on the very day on which I issued my new and enlarged prospectus, and so had evinced my determination to proceed with my work.

My good old friends, and long respected customers, on hearing of my great misfortune, seem to have vied with each other, in order to convince me, that however unfortunate I had been otherwise, I had not, as yet, fallen any thing in their estimation-while the circumstance of others, of a more modern date, continuing to deal with me, as formerly, was a further corroboration, that MY PROBITY and INTEGRITY, these invaluable jewels in the number of the poor man's treasures, and the acknowledgment of which, by so many kind friends, had been such a solace to me on previous occasions,-yet remained unsullied.

In short, all classes of the community, from among the most respectable, and first, families of the neighbourhood, down to the humble artizan, and daily labourer, who were accustomed, to leave part of their earnings in my shop, on each returning Saturday evening, inexchange for the necessary weekly supply of goods,—seem to have been actuated by the same simultaneous, generous impulse, on this afflictive occasion :an endeavour, to make me forget, the unhappy reverse by

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