1。SLIP3。DaviewouldbeATTRACTEDintoasimilardialect，asheislater-e。g。，withDoig，chapterXIX。ThisistrulyScottish。
4，TOLIGHTLY；correct；’tolightly’isagoodregularScotsverb。
15。SeeAllanRamsay’sworks。
15，16。Ay，andthatisoneofthepigmentswithwhichIamtryingtodrawthecharacterofPrestongrange。’Tisamostcuriousthingtorenderthatkind，insignificantmask。Tomakeanythingpreciseistoriskmyeffect。Andtillthedayhedied，DAVIEwasneversureofwhatP。wasafter。Notonlyso；veryoftenP。didn’tknowhimself。TherewasanelementofmerelikingforDavie；therewasanelementofbeingdetermined，incaseofaccidents，tokeepwellwithhim。HehopedhisBarbarawouldbringhimtoherfeet，besides，andmakehimmanageable。ThatwaswhyhesenthimtoHopeParkwiththem。ButDaviecannotKNOW；IgiveyoutheinsideofDavie，andmymethodcondemnsmetogiveonlytheoutsidebothofPrestongrangeandhispolicy-
I’llgivemymindtothetechnicalities。Yettometheyseemapartofthestory，whichishistorical，afterall-
IthinktheywantedAlantoescape。Butwhenorwheretosayso？Iwilltry-
20，DEAN。I’lltryandmakethatplainer。
CHAP……，Ifearithastogowithoutblows。IfIcouldgetthepair-No，can’tbe。
Allright，willabridge。
I’dhavetoputanotetoeveryword；andhewhocan’treadScotscanNEVERenjoyTodLapraik。
Quiteright。ICANmakethisplainer，andwill。
Iknow，butIhavetohurryhere；thisisthebrokenbackofmystory；somebusinessbrieflytransacted，I
amleapingforBarbara’sapron-strings。
SLIP57。Quiterightagain；Ishallmakeitplain。
CHAP。XX。Ishallmakeallthesepointsclear。AboutLadyPrestongrange(notLADYGrant，onlyMISSGrant，mydear，thoughLADYPrestongrange，quoththedominie)Iamtakenwithyourideaofherdeath，andhaveagoodmindtosubstituteafeaturelessaunt。
SLIP78。Idon’tseehowtolessenthiseffect。Thereisreallynotmuchsaidofit；andIknowCatrionadidit。ButI’lltry-
89。Iknow。Thisisanoldpuzzleofmine。YouseeC。’sdialectisnotwhollyabedofroses。IfonlyIknewtheGaelic。Well，I’lltryforanotherexpression。
THEEND。Ishalltrytoworkitover。JameswasatDunkirkorderingpost-horsesforhisownretreat。Catrionadidhavehersuspicionsarousedbytheletter，and，carelessgentleman，Itoldyouso-orshedidatleast-Yes，thebloodmoney，Iambotheredabouttheportmanteau；itisthepresenceofCatrionathatbothersme；therapeofthepockmantieishistoric……
Tome，Iown，itseemsintheproofaveryprettypieceofworkmanship。DavidhimselfIrefusetodiscuss；heIS。TheLordAdvocateIthinkastrongsketchofaverydifficultcharacter，JamesMore，sufficient；andthetwogirlsverypleasingcreatures。ButOdearme，IcamenearlosingmyhearttoBarbara！IamnotquitesoconstantasDavid，andevenhe-well，hedidn’tknowit，anyway！TODLAPRAIKisapieceoflivingScots:ifIhadneverwritanythingbutthatandTHRAWNJANET，stillI’dhavebeenawriter。ThedefectsofD。B。areinherent，Ifear。Butonthewhole，Iamfarindeedfrombeingdispleasedwiththetailie。TheywantmoreAlan？Well，theycan’tgetit。
Ifoundmyfamemuchgrownonthisreturntocivilisation。
DIGITOMONSTRARIisanewexperience；peoplealllookedatmeinthestreetsinSydney；anditwasveryqueer。Here，ofcourse，IamonlythewhitechiefintheGreatHousetothenatives；andtothewhites，eitheranallyorafoe。Itisamuchhealthierstateofmatters。IfIlivedinanatmosphereofadulation，Ishouldendbykickingagainstthepricks。O
mybeautifulforest，Omybeautifulshining，windyhouse，whatajoyitwastobeholdthemagain！Nochancetotakemyselftooseriouslyhere。
Thedifficultyoftheendisthemassofmattertobeattendedto，andthesmalltimelefttotransactitin。I
meanfromAlan’sdangerofarrest。ButIhavejustseenmywayout，Idobelieve。
EASTERSUNDAY。
Ihavenowgotasfarasslip28，andfinishedthechapterofthelawtechnicalities。Well，theseseemedtomealwaysoftheessenceofthestory，whichisthestoryofaCAUSE
CELEBRE；moreover，theyarethejustificationofmyinventions；ifthesemenwentsofar(grantingDaviesprungonthem)wouldtheynothavegonesomuchfurther？ButofcourseIknewtheywereadifficulty；determinedtocarrythemthroughinaconversation；approachedthis(itseems)
withcowardlyanxiety；andfilleditwithgabble，sir，gabble。Ihaveleftallmyfacts，buthaveremoved42lines。
IshouldnotwonderbutwhatI’llendbyre-writingit。Itisnotthetechnicalitiesthatshockedyou，itwasmybadart。ItisverystrangethatX。shouldbesogoodachapterandIX。andXI。souncompromisinglybad。ItlooksasifXI。
alsowouldhavetobere-formed。IfX。hadnotcheeredmeup，Ishouldbeindolefuldumps，butX。isaliveanyway，andlifeisallinall。
THURSDAY，APRIL5TH。
Well，there’snodisguisepossible；Fannyisnotwell，andwearemiserablyanxious。
FRIDAY，7TH。
Iamthankfultosaythenewmedicinerelievedheratonce。
Acrapehasbeenremovedfromthedayforallofus。Tomakethingsbetter，themorningisah！suchamorningasyouhaveneverseen；heavenuponearthforsweetness，freshness，depthupondepthofunimaginablecolour，andahugesilencebrokenatthismomentonlybythefar-awaymurmurofthePacificandtherichpipingofasinglebird。Youcan’tconceivewhatareliefthisis；itseemsanewworld。ShehassuchextraordinaryrecuperativepowerthatIdohopeforthebest。
Iamastiredasmancanbe。Thisisagreattrialtoafamily，andIthankGoditseemsasifourswasgoingtobearitwell。AndO！ifitonlyletsup，itwillbebutapleasantmemory。Weareallseedy，barLloyd:Fanny，asperabove；selfnearlyextinct；Belle，utterlyoverworkedandbadtoothache；Cook，downwithabadfoot；Butler，prostratewithabadleg。Eh，whatafaim’ly！
SUNDAY。
Greyheaven，rainingtorrentsofrain；occasionalthunderandlightning。Everythingtodispirit；butmyinvalidsarereallyonthemend。Therainroarslikethesea；inthesoundofitthereisastrangeandominoussuggestionofanapproachingtramp；somethingnamelessandmeasurelessseemstodrawnear，andstrikesmecold，andyetiswelcome。Iliequietinbedto-day，andthinkoftheuniversewithagooddealofequanimity。Ihave，atthismoment，buttheoneobjectiontoit；theFRACASwithwhichitproceeds。Idonotlovenoise；Iamlikemygrandfatherinthat；andsomanyyearsinthesestillislandshasingrainedthesentimentperhaps。Herearenotrains，onlymenpacingbarefoot。Nocartsorcarriages；atworsttherattleofahorse’sshoesamongtherocks。Beautifulsilence；andsosoonasthisrobustiousraintakesoff，Iamtodrinkofitagainbyoceanfuls。
APRIL16TH。
Severalpagesofthisletterdestroyedasbeneathscorn；thewailingsofacrushedworm；matterinwhichneitheryounorI
cantakestock。Fannyisdistinctlybetter，Ibelieveallrightnow；Itooammending，thoughIhavesufferedfromcrushedwormery，whichisnotgoodforthebody，anddamnationtothesoul。Ifeelto-nightabaselessanxietytowritealovelypoemAPROPOSDESBOTTESDEMAGRANDMERE。I
seeIamidiotic。I’lltrythepoem。
17TH。
Thepoemdidnotgetbeyondploversandlovers。Iamstill，however，harassedbytheunauthenticMuse；ifIcaredtoencourageher-butIhavenotthetime，andanywayweareatthevernalequinox。Itisfunnyenough，butmypotteringversesareusuallymade(liketheGod-giftedorganvoice’s)
attheautumnal；andthisseemstoholdattheAntipodes。
ThereisheresomeoddsecretofNature。Icannotspeakofpolitics；wewaitandwonder。Itseems(thisispartlyaguess)Idewon’ttaketheC。J。ship，unlesstheislandsaredisarmed；andthatEnglandhesitatesandholdsoff。Bymyownidea，stronglycorroboratedbySirGeorge，Iamwritingnomoreletters。ButIhaveputasmanyironsinagainstthisfollyofthedisarmingasIcouldmanage。Itdidnotreachmyearstillnearlytoolate。Whatarisktotake！
Whatanexpensetoincur！Andforhowpooragain！Apartfromthetreacheryofit。Mydearfellow，politicsisavileandabunglingbusiness。Iusedtothinkmeanlyoftheplumber；buthowheshinesbesidethepolitician！
THURSDAY。
Ageneral，steadyadvance；Fannyreallyquitechipperandjolly-selfontherapidmend，andwithmyeyeonFORESTS
thataretofall-andmyfingerontheaxe，whichwantsstoning。
SATURDAY，22。
Stillallforthebest；butIamhavingaheart-breakingtimeoverDAVID。Ihavenearlyallcorrected。ButhavetoconsiderTHEHEATHERONFIRE，THEWOODBYSILVERMILLS，andthelastchapter。Theyallseemtomeoffcolour；andIamnotfittobetterthemyet。Noproofhasbeensentofthetitle，contents，ordedication。
MYDEARCOLVIN，-To-dayearlyIsentdowntoMaben(SecretaryofState)anoffertobringuppeoplefromMalie，keeptheminmyhouse，andbringthemdowndaybydayforsolongasthenegotiationshouldlast。Ihaveafavourableanswersofar。ThisIwouldnothavetried，hadnotoldSirGeorgeGreyputmeonmymettle；’Neverdespair，’washisword；and’Iamoneofthefewpeoplewhohavelivedlongenoughtoseehowtruethatis。’Well，thereuponIplungedin；andthethingmaydomegreatharm，butyetIdonotthinkso-forIthinkjealousywillpreventthetrialbeingmade。Andatanyrateitisanotherchanceforthisdistractedarchipelagoofchildren，satuponbyacliqueoffools。If，bythegiftofGod，Icando-Iamallowedtotrytodo-andsucceed:butno，theprospectistoobrighttobeentertained。
To-daywehadaridedowntoTanugamanono，andthenbythenewwoodpaths。Oneledustoabeautifulclearing，withfournativehouses；taro，yams，andthelike，excellentlyplanted，andoldFolau-’theSamoanJew’-sittingandwhistlingthereinhisnew-foundandwell-deservedwell-
being。ItwasagoodsighttoseeaSamoanthusbeforetheworld。Furtherup，onourwayhome，wesawtheworldclear，andthewidedieoftheshadowlyingbroad；wecamebutalittlefurther，andfoundinthebordersofthebushaBanyan。Itmusthavebeen150feetinheight；thetrunk，anditsacolytes，occupiedagreatspace；abovethat，inthepeaksofthebranches，quiteaforestoffernsandorchidswereset；andoverallagainthehugespreadoftheboughsroseagainstthebrightwest，andsenttheirshadowmilestotheeastward。Ihavenotoftenseenanythingmoresatisfyingthanthisvastvegetable。
SUNDAY。
Aheavenlydayagain！theworldalldeadsilence，savewhen，fromfardownbelowusinthewoods，comesupthecrepitationofthelittlewoodendrumthatbeatstochurch。Scarcealeafstirs；onlynowandagainagreat，coolgushofairthatmakesmypapersfly，andisgone-TheKingofSamoahasrefusedmyintercessionbetweenhimandMataafa；andIdonotdenythisisagoodriddancetomeofadifficultbusiness，inwhichImightverywellhavefailed。Whatelseistobedoneforthesesillyfolks？
MAY12TH。
AndthisiswhereIhadgotto，beforethemailarriveswith，Imustsay，arealgentlemanlyletterfromyourself。Sir，thatisthesortofletterIwant！Now，I’llmakemylittleproposal。IwillacceptCHILD’SPLAYandPAN’SPIPES。ThenI
wantPASTORAL，THEMANSE，THEISLET，leavingoutifyoulikealltheprefacialmatterandbeginningatI。ThentheportraitofRobertHunter，beginning’Whetherhewasoriginallybigorlittle，’andending’fearlessandgentle。’
SomuchforMEM。ANDPORTRAITS。BEGGARS，sectionsI。andII。，RANDOMMEMORIESII。，andLANTERNBEARERS；I’magreeable。
Thesearemyselections。Idon’tknowaboutPULVISETUMBRA
either，butmustleavethattoyou。Butjustwhatyouplease。
AboutDAVIEIelaboratelywrotelasttime，butstillDAVIEisnotdone；IamgrindingsinglyatTHEEBBTIDE，aswenowcalltheFARALLONE；themostofitwillgothismail。Aboutthefollowing，lettherebenomistake:IwillnotwritetheabstractofKIDNAPPED；writeitwhowill，Iwillnot。
Boccacciomusthavebeenacleverfellowtowritebothargumentandstory；Iamnot，ETJEMERECUSE。
WecallitTHEEBBTIDE:ATRIOANDQUARTETTE；butthatsecondarynameyoumaystrikeoutifitseemsdulltoyou。
Thebook，however，fallsintwohalves，whenthefourthcharacterappears。Iamonp。82ifyouwanttoknow，andexpecttofinishonIsuppose110orso；butitgoesslowly，asyoumayjudgefromthefactthatthisthreeweekspast，I
haveonlystruggledfromp。58top。82:twenty-fourpages，ETENCOREsuretoberewritten，intwenty-onedays。Thisisnoprize-taker；notmuchWaverleyNovelsaboutthis！
