Taggartdidnotappeartobeinanyparticularhaste。Firstofall，hetookapinchofsnuff，then，risingfromhischair，slowlyanddeliberatelydrewhiswig，forheworeawigofabrowncolour，rathermoreoverhisforeheadthanithadpreviouslybeen，buttonedhiscoat，and，takinghishat，andanumbrellawhichstoodinacorner，mademealowbow，andquittedtheroom。
’Well，sir，wherewerewe？Oh，Iremember，weweretalkingaboutmerit。Sir，Ialwayswishtoencouragemerit，especiallywhenitcomessohighlyrecommendedasinthepresentinstance。Sir，mygoodfriendandcorrespondentspeaksofyouinthehighestterms。
Sir，Ihonourmygoodfriend，andhavethehighestrespectforhisopinioninallmattersconnectedwithliterature-rathereccentricthough。Sir，mygoodfriendhasdonemyperiodicalmoregoodandmoreharmthanalltherestofmycorrespondents。Sir，Ishallneverforgetthesensationcausedbytheappearanceofhisarticleaboutacertainpersonagewhomheproved-andIthinksatisfactorily-tohavebeenalegionarysoldier-ratherstartling，wasitnot？TheS-oftheworldacommonsoldier，inamarchingregiment-original，butstartling；sir，Ihonourmygoodfriend。’
’Soyouhaverenouncedpublishing，sir，’saidI，’withtheexceptionoftheMagazine？’
’Why，yes；exceptnowandthen，undertherose；theoldcoachman，youknow，likestohearthewhip。Indeed，atthepresentmoment，I
amthinkingofstartingaReviewonanentirelynewandoriginalprinciple；anditjuststruckmethatyoumightbeofhighutilityintheundertaking-whatdoyouthinkofthematter？’
’Ishouldbehappy，sir，torenderyouanyassistance，butIamafraidtheemploymentyouproposerequiresotherqualificationsthanIpossess；however，Icanmaketheessay。MychiefintentionincomingtoLondonwastolaybeforetheworldwhatIhadprepared；andIhadhopedbyyourassistance-’
’Ah!Isee，ambition!Ambitionisaveryprettything；but，sir，wemustwalkbeforewerun，accordingtotheoldsaying-whatisthatyouhavegotunderyourarm？’
’OneoftheworkstowhichIwasalluding；theone，indeed，whichI
ammostanxioustolaybeforetheworld，asIhopetoderivefromitbothprofitandreputation。’
’Indeed!whatdoyoucallit？’
’AncientsongsofDenmark，heroicandromantic，translatedbymyself；withnotesphilological，critical，andhistorical。’
’Then，sir，Iassureyouthatyourtimeandlabourhavebeenentirelyflungaway；nobodywouldreadyourballads，ifyouweretogivethemtotheworldto-morrow。’
’Iamsure，sir，thatyouwouldsayotherwiseifyouwouldpermitmetoreadonetoyou’；and，withoutwaitingfortheanswerofthebigman，norindeedsomuchaslookingathim，toseewhetherhewasinclinedornottohearme，Iundidmymanuscript，and，withavoicetremblingwitheagerness，Ireadtothefollowingeffect：-
BuckshankboldandElfinstone，AndmorethanIcanmentionhere，Theycausedtobebuiltsostoutaship，AnduntoIcelandtheywouldsteer。
Theylaunchedtheshipuponthemain，Whichbellowedlikeawrathfulbear；
Downtothebottomthevesselsank，AlaidlyTroldhasdraggeditthere。
DowntothebottomsankyoungRoland，Androundabouthegropedawhile；
UntilhefoundthepathwhichledUntothebowerofEllenlyle。
’Stop!’saidthepublisher；’veryprettyindeed，andveryoriginal；
beatsScotthollow，andPercytoo：but，sir，thedayforthesethingsisgoneby；nobodyatpresentcaresforPercy，norforScotteither，saveasanovelist；sorrytodiscouragemerit，sir，butwhatcanIdo!Whatelsehaveyougot？’
’ThesongsofAbGwilym，theWelshbard，alsotranslatedbymyself，withnotescritical，philological，andhistorical。’
’Passon-whatelse？’
’Nothingelse，’saidI，foldingupmymanuscriptwithasigh，’unlessitbearomanceintheGermanstyle；onwhich，Iconfess，I
setverylittlevalue。’
’Wild？’
’Yes，sir，verywild。’
’LiketheMilleroftheBlackValley？’
’Yes，sir，verymuchliketheMilleroftheBlackValley。’
’Well，that’sbetter，’saidthepublisher；’andyet，Idon’tknow，Iquestionwhetheranyoneatpresentcaresforthemillerhimself。
No，sir，thetimeforthosethingsisalsogoneby；German，atpresent，isadrug；and，betweenourselves，nobodyhascontributedtomakeitsomorethanmygoodfriendandcorrespondent；-but，sir，Iseeyouareayounggentlemanofinfinitemerit，andI
alwayswishtoencouragemerit。Don’tyouthinkyoucouldwriteaseriesofevangelicaltales？’
’Evangelicaltales，sir？’
’Yes，sir，evangelicalnovels。’
’SomethinginthestyleofHerder？’
’Herderisadrug，sir；nobodycaresforHerder-thankstomygoodfriend。Sir，IhaveinyondrawerahundredpagesaboutHerder，whichIdarenotinsertinmyperiodical；itwouldsinkit，sir。
No，sir，somethinginthestyleoftheDAIRYMAN’SDAUGHTER。’
’Ineverheardoftheworktillthepresentmoment。’
’Then，sir，procureitbyallmeans。Sir，Icouldaffordasmuchastenpoundsforawell-writtentaleinthestyleoftheDAIRYMAN’SDAUGHTER；thatisthekindofliterature，sir，thatsellsatthepresentday!ItisnottheMilleroftheBlackValley-no，sir，norHerdereither，thatwillsuitthepresenttaste；theevangelicalbodyisbecomingverystrong，sir；thecantingscoundrels-’
’But，sir，surelyyouwouldnotpandertoascoundrellytaste？’
’Then，sir，Imustgiveupbusinessaltogether。Sir，IhaveagreatrespectforthegoddessReason-aninfiniterespect，sir；
indeed，inmytime，Ihavemadeagreatmanysacrificesforher；
but，sir，IcannotaltogetherruinmyselfforthegoddessReason。
Sir，IamafriendtoLiberty，asiswellknown；butImustalsobeafriendtomyownfamily。ItiswiththeviewofprovidingforasonofminethatIamabouttostarttheReviewofwhichIwasspeaking。Hehastakenintohisheadtomarry，sir，andImustdosomethingforhim，forhecandobutlittleforhimself。Well，sir，IamafriendtoLiberty，asIsaidbefore，andlikewiseafriendtoReason；butItellyoufranklythattheReviewwhichI
intendtogetupundertherose，andpresenthimwithwhenitisestablished，willbeconductedonOxfordprinciples。’
’Orthodoxprinciples，Isupposeyoumean，sir？’
’Ido，sir；Iamnolinguist，butIbelievethewordsaresynonymous。’
Muchmoreconversationpassedbetweenus，anditwasagreedthatI
shouldbecomeacontributortotheOxfordReview。Istipulated，however，that，asIknewlittleofpolitics，andcaredless，nootherarticlesshouldberequiredfrommethansuchaswereconnectedwithbelles-lettresandphilology；tothisthebigmanreadilyassented。’Nothingwillberequiredfromyou，’saidhe，’butwhatyoumention；andnowandthen，perhaps，apaperonmetaphysics。YouunderstandGerman，andperhapsitwouldbedesirablethatyoushouldreviewKant；andinareviewofKant，sir，youcouldintroducetoadvantageyourpeculiarnotionsaboutEXNIHILO。’HethenrevertedtothesubjectoftheDAIRYMAN’S
DAUGHTER，whichIpromisedtotakeintoconsideration。AsIwasgoingaway，heinvitedmetodinewithhimontheensuingSunday。
’That’sastrangeman!’saidItomyself，afterIhadleftthehouse；’heisevidentlyveryclever；butIcannotsaythatIlikehimmuch，withhisOxfordReviewsandDairyman’sDaughters。ButwhatcanIdo？Iamalmostwithoutafriendintheworld。IwishIcouldfindsomeonewhowouldpublishmyballads，ormysongsofAbGwilym。Inspiteofwhatthebigmansays，Iamconvincedthat，oncepublished，theywouldbringmemuchfameandprofit。Buthowisthis？-whatabeautifulsun!-theporterwasrightinsayingthatthedaywouldclearup-Iwillnowgotomydingylodging，lockupmymanuscripts，andthentakeastrollaboutthebigcity。’
CHAPTERXXXI
Thewalk-London’sCheape-StreetoftheLombards-Strangebridge-Mainarch-Theroaringgulf-Theboat-Cly-faking-A
comfort-Thebook-Theblessedwoman-Notrap。
SOIsetoutonmywalktoseethewondersofthebigcity，and，aschancewouldhaveit，Idirectedmycoursetotheeast。Theday，asIhavealreadysaid，hadbecomeveryfine，sothatIsawthegreatcitytoadvantage，andthewondersthereof：andmuchI
admiredallIsaw；and，amongstotherthings，thehugecathedral，standingsoproudlyonthemostcommandinggroundinthebigcity；
andIlookeduptothemightydome，surmountedbyagoldencross，andIsaidwithinmyself，’Thatdomemustneedsbethefinestintheworld’；andIgazeduponittillmyeyesreeled，andmybrainbecamedizzy，andIthoughtthatthedomewouldfallandcrushme；
andIshrankwithinmyself，andstruckyetdeeperintotheheartofthebigcity。