_March_ 30.--Mr. Gibson looks unwell, and complains of cold--bitter bad weather for his travelling, and he looks but frail. These indifferent news he brought me affect me but to a little degree. It is being too confident to hope to ensure success in the long series of successive struggles which lie before me. But somehow, I do fully entertain the hope of doing a good deal. _March_ 31.-- "He walked and wrote poor soul, what then? Why then, he wrote and walked again." But I am begun _Nap. Bon._ again, which is always a change, because it gives a good deal of reading and research, whereas _Woodstock_ and such like, being extempore from my mother-wit, is a sort of spinning of the brains, of which a man tires. The weather seems milder to-day. FOOTNOTES: [198] The full-length picture of Sir Walter (with, the two dogs, Camp and the deerhound) by Raeburn, painted in 1809, was at this time given to Mr. Skene, and remained in his possession till 1831, when it was sent to Abbotsford, where it now hangs.--See Letter, Scott to Skene, under January 16th, 1831. [199] Spean a wean, _i.e._ wean a child. [200] Archibald Skirving (1749-1819), well known as a portrait-painter in chalk and crayons in Edinburgh in the early part of this century. [201] H.W. Williams, a native of Wales, who settled in Edinburgh at the beginning of this century. His _Travels in Italy and Greece_ were published in 1820, and the _Views in Greece_ in 1827. This work was completed in 1829, the year in which he died. [202] Vols. i. and ii. were published in 1802. [203] _Kain_ in Scotch law means payment in _kind. Carriages_ in the same phraseology stands for services in driving with horse and cart. [204] Ballad of _Hardyknute_, slightly altered.--J.G.L. [205] Sir W. Knighton was Physician and Private Secretary to George IV. Rogers (_Table-Talk_, p. 289) says no one had more influence with the King. Sir William died in 1836; his _Memoirs_ were published in 1838, edited by his widow. [206] Ossian.--J.G.L. [207] Pastoret: _Le Duc de Guise à Naples, etc., en_ 1647 _et_ 1648. 8vo, 1825; also _Memoires relating his passage to Naples and heading the Second Revolt of that people_. Englished, sm. 8vo, 1669. "The Reviewal then meditated was afterwards published in _Foreign Quarterly Review_, vol. iv. p 355, but not included in the _Misc. Prose Works."_--_Abbotsford Library Catalogue_, p. 36. [208] W. Shenstone's _Essays_ (1765), p. 115, or _Works_ (1764-69), vol. iii. p. 49. I am indebted to Dr. J.A.H. Murray for this reference, which he kindly supplied from the materials for his great English Dictionary on Historical Principles. [209] _King Henry VIII._, Act v. Sc. 2, slightly altered.--J.G.L. [210] "Watch the sign to hate."--Johnson's _Vanity of Human Wishes_. [211] See _Arniston Memoirs_, 8vo, Edin. 1888, for text of Lord Melville's letter and Sir Walter's reply, pp. 315-326.