friends on the other side of the Tweed, and with whom, for the
credit of the south, we hope the measure originated. We next
resolved to suspend the conclusion; since the _brutum fulmen_
became louder and louder still, in an advertisement actively
inserted in the London newspapers. To make short of what is and
ought to be but a trifling affair, we have _abridged_ the whole
story, and accordingly now present the conclusion to our
readers, though certainly not in the promised state; how far we
have exculpated ourselves, is for our patrons to determine.--A
few words at parting, on the policy of the above conduct. We
need not enlarge upon the advantages which publishers (and, to
some extent, authors) derive from portions of their works
appearing in periodical journals. The benefit is not reciprocal,
but largely on their side, if they consider how many columns of
advertisement duty they thereby avoid. It is well known that the
_first edition_ of any work by such a master-spirit as Sir
Walter Scott is consumed in a few days by the circulating
libraries and reading societies of the kingdom; but how many
thousands would neither have seen nor heard of his most
successful works, had not the _gusto_ been previously created by
the caducei of these literary Mercuries. Again, sift any one of
them, with higher pretensions to originality than our economical
sheet will admit of, and you shall find it, in _quantity_, at
least, to resemble Gratiano's three grains. But we are not
inclined to quarrel with the scheme, for with Johnson we say,
"Quotation, sir (Walter), is a good thing," in the hope of
hearing our readers reply, "This fellow pecks up wit as pigeons
peas."--ED.]

Some words passed after the departure, of Robin Oig, between the