Surely with such aids to my imagination, I may
write better than if I were in a lodging in the New
Town, or a garret in the old. As the Spaniard
says, ``_Viamos---Caracco!_''
I have not chosen to publish periodically, my
reason for which was twofold. In the first place,
I don't like to be hurried, and have had enough of
duns in an early part of my life, to make me reluctant
to hear of, or see one, even in the less awful
shape of a printer's devil. But, secondly, a periodical
paper is not easily extended in circulation
beyond the quarter in which it is published. This
work, if published in fugitive numbers, would
scarce, without a high pressure on the part of the
bookseller, be raised above the Netherbow, and
never could be expected to ascend to the level of
Prince's Street. Now I am ambitious that my
compositions, though having their origin in this
Valley of Holyrood, should not only be extended
into those exalted regions I have mentioned, but
also that they should cross the Forth, astonish the
long town of Kirkaldy, enchant the skippers and
colliers of the East of Fife, venture even into the
classic arcades of St Andrews, and travel as much
farther to the north as the breath of applause will
carry their sails.
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