Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

V
LABOUR AND VEXATIO\
441
I need scarcely say to anybody, acquainted ''n the most
general (way with my situation, that any prospects, which are
remote ones, are really quoad me none at all. For about a
period of 3 months, two accidents have occurred to preveix^t my
pressing much upon you. These were, 1st, that the Ccesars
required so much previous reading (40 pages to ascertain that
there was not anything to notice, for 1 that produced what was)
—that these 3 sheets occupied me at least 7 weeks, and the rest
of my time till lately was pretty fully taken up with correspon-
dence. . . .
These cases I mention merely to illustrate the nature of the
necessities pressing upon me, and the absolute impossibility of
my evading the demands, or of continuing to write under any
uncertainty about the time of payment ; and upon these cases,
— ;
as sufficiently explaining the necessity, I found this question
May I count upon the' money for a sheet, or even for | of a
sheet, on Monday, the 30th, if I put a Srd paper of the Coesars
into your hands on Sunday ? And upon the general case I have
stated I found also a general question, whether, with my
necessities as I have stated them, it will be of any use for me
to stay in Edinburgh ? You will very much misunderstand me
if you should suppose that I shall complain if you answer No
or that I write in any spirit of complaint. I can readily believe
that the demands upon you are enormous and incessant. Nor
shall I feel the least vexation on being told that no more of my
articles are or will be wanted. I shall regret only that I had
not earlier known of this, and in time to have reserved from the
last remittance I had, so much as would suffice to place me in
London. Perhaps, however, you may be willing to receive my
MS. up to a certain quantity. At any rate, in a matter of so
much urgency and peril, I am sure that you, on your part, will
not complain that I seek for certainty ; nor if such a result should
happen, that I have then first listened to old and repeated offers
from London—when it became certain that my articles could
not be taken by yourself in the extent required by my debts.
P.S.—Dr Chalmers, fortunately, I have not yet spent much
time or labour of thought upon. And I have heard that the
' Westminster ' has squeezed that orange. But as to Dr Christi-