Carlyle went up to London with _Teufelsdröckh_ in his satchel, to find a publisher for it. He put much confidence in the help of his friend Francis Jeffrey, the lord advocate, who exerted himself chiefly to establish relations between the author and John Murray. Mrs. Carlyle, at home in Craigenputtoch, received the following letter from her husband, August 11, 1831: "... After a time by some movements, I got the company dispersed, and the Advocate by himself, and began to take counsel with him about 'Teufelsdröckh.' He thought Murray, in spite of the Radicalism, would be the better publisher; to him accordingly he gave me a line, saying that I was a genius and would likely become eminent;... I directly set off with this to Albemarle Street; found Murray out; returned afterwards and found him in, gave an outline of the book, at which the Arimaspian smiled, stated also that I had nothing else to do here but the getting of it published, and was above all anxious that his decision should be given soon...." On the 22d he wrote again: "On Saturday morning I set out for Albemarle Street. Murray, as usual, was not in; but an answer lay for me--my poor 'Teufelsdröckh,' wrapped in new paper, with a letter stuck under the packthread. I took it with a silent fury, and walked off. The letter said he regretted exceedingly, etc.; all his literary friends were out of town; he himself occupied with a sick family in the country; that he had conceived the finest hope, etc. In short, that 'Teufelsdröckh' had never been looked into; but that if I would let him keep it for a month, he would _then_ be able to say a word, and by God's blessing a favorable one. "I walked on through Regent Street and looked in upon James Fraser, the bookseller. We got to talk about 'Teufelsdröckh,' when, after much hithering and thithering about the black state of trade, &c., it turned out that honest James would publish the book for me on this principle: if I would give _him_ a sum not exceeding 150 l. sterling! 'I think you had better wait a little,' said an Edinburgh advocate to me since, when he heard of this proposal. 'Yes,' I answered, 'it is my purpose to wait to the end of eternity for it.' 'But the public will not buy books.' 'The public has done the wisest thing it could, and ought never more to buy what they call books.' "Spurning at destiny, yet in the mildest terms taking leave of Fraser, I strode through the street carrying 'Teufelsdröckh' openly in my hand.... Having rested a little, I set out again to the Longmans, to hear what they had to say."