The business at Paul’s Work continuing to prosper, about 1808 or 1809 a new venture was made by John Ballantyne commencing as publisher, with Scott as a “silent” partner. He took the designation of “Bookseller to the Regent.” This firm was projected as the result of a quarrel between Scott and Constable, regarding a political article which appeared in the _Edinburgh Review_—to which he occasionally contributed—combined also with the reputed incivility which he received from Mr. Hunter, the publisher’s partner. The capital for the new firm was arranged, and a deed, deposited for the purpose of secrecy in the hands of Scott, laid the foundation of the firm of John Ballantyne & Co., publishers and booksellers, Edinburgh. Scott appears to have found most of the capital; and “jocund Johnny” was installed in Hanover Street as the avowed rival of Constable, and as publisher in Scotland, for John Murray, of the new _Quarterly Review_, which had been started in opposition to the _Edinburgh_. [Illustration: JOHN BALLANTYNE From the original painting by John Ballantyne, R.S.A.] It has often been a matter of surprise that Scott, with his family pride, his fame, and his money, should have adopted such means of adding to his income. He seems to have been ashamed in some measure of this mercantile speculation, as all the arrangements were kept a profound secret—Scott being always considered the mere patron and friend of the Ballantynes. He evidently thought he would derive profit from a business guided by a man of knowledge like himself, and confounded the aspirations of an author with the expectations of a merchant. Scott was now at the zenith of his fame as a poet. Immense sums had been given by other publishers for his works, still more splendid offers were made to him for further productions, and it would seem probable that the idea of sharing the profits of author, publisher, and printer had presented itself to his mind in this way. Accordingly, the first work published by John Ballantyne, and printed, of course, by James Ballantyne, was “The Lady of the Lake,” for writing which the sum of £3000 was placed to Scott’s credit in the publisher’s books. After the business was fairly begun, Scott, greatly to the annoyance of Constable, almost wholly withdrew himself from the premises of the latter in the High Street, and directed his steps to the cheerful and handsome rooms of John Ballantyne in Hanover Street. They formed a convenient resting-place in his daily journeys to and from Parliament Square, and contained a store of his favourite black-letter volumes. No doubt, also, considering the extreme degree to which party spirit was carried in those days, he would find himself pleasantly free from the band of Edinburgh Whigs who frequented Constable’s premises in the Old Town.