it　was　a　small　study；　surrounded　with　bookcases；　the　window　looking
  out　upon　the　square。　　Of　these　individuals　he　who　appeared　to　be
  the　principal　stood　with　his　back　to　the　fireplace。　　He　was　a　tall
  stout　man；　about　sixty；　dressed　in　a　loose　morning　gown。　　The
  expression　of　his　countenance　would　have　been　bluff　but　for　a
  certain　sinister　glance；　and　his　complexion　might　have　been　called
  rubicund　but　for　a　considerable　tinge　of　bilious　yellow。　　He　eyed
  me　askance　as　I　entered。　　The　other；　a　pale；　shrivelled…looking
  person；　sat　at　a　table　apparently　engaged　with　an　account…book；　he
  took　no　manner　of　notice　of　me；　never　once　lifting　his　eyes　from
  the　page　before　him。
  'Well；　sir；　what　is　your　pleasure？'　said　the　big　man；　in　a　rough
  tone；　as　I　stood　there；　looking　at　him　wistfully　…　as　well　I　might
  …　for　upon　that　man；　at　the　time　of　which　I　am　speaking；　my
  principal；　I　may　say　my　only；　hopes　rested。
  'Sir；'　said　I；　'my　name　is　so…and…so；　and　I　am　the　bearer　of　a
  letter　to　you　from　Mr。　so…and…so；　an　old　friend　and　correspondent
  of　yours。'
  The　countenance　of　the　big　man　instantly　lost　the　suspicious　and
  lowering　expression　which　it　had　hitherto　exhibited；　he　strode
  forward；　and；　seizing　me　by　the　hand；　gave　me　a　violent　squeeze。
  'My　dear　sir；'　said　he；　'I　am　rejoiced　to　see　you　in　London。　　I
  have　been　long　anxious　for　the　pleasure　…　we　are　old　friends；
  though　we　have　never　before　met。　　Taggart；'　said　he　to　the　man　who
  sat　at　the　desk；　'this　is　our　excellent　correspondent；　the　friend
  and　pupil　of　our　other　excellent　correspondent。'
  The　pale；　shrivelled…looking　man　slowly　and　deliberately　raised　his
  head　from　the　account…book；　and　surveyed　me　for　a　moment　or　two；
  not　the　slightest　emotion　was　observable　in　his　countenance。　　It
  appeared　to　me；　however；　that　I　could　detect　a　droll　twinkle　in　his
  eye：　　his　curiosity；　if　he　had　any；　was　soon　gratified；　he　made　me
  a　kind　of　bow；　pulled　out　a　snuff…box；　took　a　pinch　of　snuff；　and
  again　bent　his　head　over　the　page。
  'And　now；　my　dear　sir；'　said　the　big　man；　'pray　sit　down；　and　tell
  me　the　cause　of　your　visit。　　I　hope　you　intend　to　remain　here　a　day
  or　two。'
  'More　than　that；'　said　I；　'I　am　come　to　take　up　my　abode　in
  London。'
  'Glad　to　hear　it；　and　what　have　you　been　about　of　late？　got
  anything　which　will　suit　me？　　Sir；　I　admire　your　style　of　writing；
  and　your　manner　of　thinking；　and　I　am　much　obliged　to　my　good
  friend　and　correspondent　for　sending　me　some　of　your　productions。
  I　inserted　them　all；　and　wished　there　had　been　more　of　them　…　quite
  original；　sir；　quite：　　took　with　the　public；　especially　the　essay
  about　the　non…existence　of　anything。　　I　don't　exactly　agree　with
  you　though；　I　have　my　own　peculiar　ideas　about　matter　…　as　you
  know；　of　course；　from　the　book　I　have　published。　　Nevertheless；　a
  very　pretty　piece　of　speculative　philosophy　…　no　such　thing　as
  matter　…　impossible　that　there　should　be　…　EX　NIHILO　…　what　is　the
  Greek？　　I　have　forgot　…　very　pretty　indeed；　very　original。'
  'I　am　afraid；　sir；　it　was　very　wrong　to　write　such　trash；　and　yet
  more　to　allow　it　to　be　published。'
  'Trash！　not　at　all；　a　very　pretty　piece　of　speculative　philosophy；
  of　course　you　were　wrong　in　saying　there　is　no　world。　　The　world
  must　exist；　to　have　the　shape　of　a　pear；　and　that　the　world　is
  shaped　like　a　pear；　and　not　like　an　apple；　as　the　fools　of　Oxford
  say；　I　have　satisfactorily　proved　in　my　book。　　Now；　if　there　were
  no　world；　what　would　become　of　my　system？　　But　what　do　you　propose
  to　do　in　London？'
  'Here　is　the　letter；　sir；'　said　I；　'of　our　good　friend；　which　I
  have　not　yet　given　to　you；　I　believe　it　will　explain　to　you　the
  circumstances　under　which　I　come。'
  He　took　the　letter；　and　perused　it　with　attention。　　'Hem！'　said　he；
  with　a　somewhat　altered　manner；　'my　friend　tells　me　that　you　are
  come　up　to　London　with　the　view　of　turning　your　literary　talents　to
  account；　and　desires　me　to　assist　you　in　my　capacity　of　publisher
  in　bringing　forth　two　or　three　works　which　you　have　prepared。　　My
  good　friend　is　perhaps　not　aware　that　for　some　time　past　I　have
  given　up　publishing　…　was　obliged　to　do　so　…　had　many　severe　losses
  …　do　nothing　at　present　in　that　line；　save　sending　out　the　Magazine
  once　a　month；　and；　between　ourselves；　am　thinking　of　disposing　of
  that　…　wish　to　retire　…　high　time　at　my　age　…　so　you　see　…　'
  'I　am　very　sorry；　sir；　to　hear　that　you　cannot　assist　me'　（and　I
  remember　that　I　felt　very　nervous）；　'I　had　hoped　…　'
  'A　losing　trade；　I　assure　you；　sir；　literature　is　a　drug。　　Taggart；
  what　o'clock　is？'
  'Well；　sir！'　said　I；　rising；　'as　you　cannot　assist　me；　I　will　now
  take　my　leave；　I　thank　you　sincerely　for　your　kind　reception；　and
  will　trouble　you　no　longer。'
  'Oh；　don't　go。　　I　wish　to　have　some　further　conversation　with　you；
  and　perhaps　I　may　hit　upon　some　plan　to　benefit　you。　　I　honour
  merit；　and　always　make　a　point　to　encourage　it　when　I　can；　but　…
  Taggart；　go　to　the　bank；　and　tell　them　to　dishonour　the　bill　twelve
  months　after　date　for　thirty　pounds　which　becomes　due　to…morrow。　　I
  am　dissatisfied　with　that　fellow　who　wrote　the　fairy　tales；　and
  intend　to　give　him　all　the　trouble　in　my　power。　　Make　haste。'
  Taggart　did　not　appear　to　be　in　any　particular　haste。　　First　of
  all；　he　took　a　pinch　of　snuff；　then；　rising　from　his　chair；　slowly
  and　deliberately　drew　his　wig；　for　he　wore　a　wig　of　a　brown　colour；
  rather　more　over　his　forehead　than　it　had　previously　been；　buttoned
  his　coat；　and；　taking　his　hat；　and　an　umbrella　which　stood　in　a
  corner；　made　me　a　low　bow；　and　quitted　the　room。
  'Well；　sir；　where　were　we？　　Oh；　I　remember；　we　were　talking　about
  merit。　　Sir；　I　always　wish　to　encourage　merit；　especially　when　it
  comes　so　highly　recommended　as　in　the　present　instance。　　Sir；　my
  good　friend　and　correspondent　speaks　of　you　in　the　highest　terms。
  Sir；　I　honour　my　good　friend；　and　have　the　highest　respect　for　his
  opinion　in　all　matters　connected　with　literature　…　rather　eccentric
  though。　　Sir；　my　good　friend　has　done　my　periodical　more　good　and
  more　harm　than　all　the　rest　of　my　correspondents。　　Sir；　I　shall
  never　forget　the　sensation　caused　by　the　appearance　of　his　article
  about　a　certain　personage　whom　he　proved　…　and　I　think
  satisfactorily　…　to　have　been　a　legionary　soldier　…　rather
  startling；　was　it　not？　　The　S…　of　the　world　a　common　soldier；　in　a
  marching　regiment　…　original；　but　startling；　sir；　I　honour　my　good
  friend。'
  'So　you　have　renounced　publishing；　sir；'　said　I；　'with　the
  exception　of　the　Magazine？'
  'Why；　yes；　except　now　and　then；　under　the　rose；　the　old　coachman；
  you　know；　likes　to　hear　the　whip。　　Indeed；　at　the　present　moment；　I
  am　thinking　of　starting　a　Review　on　an　entirely　new　and　original
  principle；　and　it　just　struck　me　that　you　might　be　of　high　utility
  in　the　undertaking　…　what　do　you　think　of　the　matter？'
  'I　should　be　happy；　sir；　to　render　you　any　assistance；　but　I　am
  afraid　the　employment　you　propose　requires　other　qualifications
  than　I　possess；　however；　I　can　make　the　essay。　　My　chief　intention
  in　coming　to　London　was　to　lay　before　the　world　what　I　had
  prepared；　and　I　had　hoped　by　your　assistance　…　'
  'Ah！　　I　see；　ambition！　　Ambition　is　a　very　pretty　thing；　but；　sir；
  we　must　walk　before　we　run；　according　to　the　old　saying　…　what　is
  that　you　have　got　under　your　arm？'
  'One　of　the　works　to　which　I　was　alluding；　the　one；　indeed；　which　I
  am　most　anxious　to　lay　before　the　world；　as　I　hope　to　derive　from
  it　both　profit　and　reputation。'
  'Indeed！　what　do　you　call　it？'
  'Ancient　songs　of　Denmark；　heroic　and　romantic；　translated　by
  myself；　with　notes　philological；　critical；　and　historical。'
  'Then；　sir；　I　assure　you　that　your　time　and　labour　have　been
  entirely　flung　away；　nobody　would　read　your　ballads；　if　you　were　to
  give　them　to　the　world　to…morrow。'
  'I　am　sure；　sir；　that　you　would　say　otherwise　if　you　would　permit
  me　to　read　one　to　you'；　and；　without　waiting　for　the　answer　of　the
  big　man；　nor　indeed　so　much　as　looking　at　him；　to　see　whether　he
  was　inclined　or　not　to　hear　me；　I　undid　my　manuscript；　and；　with　a
  voice　trembling　with　eagerness；　I　read　to　the　following　effect：　　…
  Buckshank　bold　and　Elfinstone；
  And　more　than　I　can　mention　here；
  They　caused　to　be　built　so　stout　a　ship；
  And　unto　Iceland　they　would　steer。
  They　launched　the　ship　upon　the　main；
  Which　bellowed　like　a　wrathful　bear；
  Down　to　the　bottom　the　vessel　sank；
  A　laidly　Trold　has　dragged　it　there。
  Down　to　the　bottom　sank　young　Roland；
  And　round　about　he　groped　awhile；
  Until　he　found　the　path　which　led
  Unto　the　bower　of　Ellenlyle。
  'Stop！'　said　the　publisher；　'very　pretty　indeed；　and　very　original；
  beats　Scott　hollow；　and　Percy　too：　　but；　sir；　the　day　for　these
  things　is　gon