Royal Burgh. This led the widow, in a complimentary way, to advert
to the hand which, it is alleged, we have had in the editing of that
most excellent work, entitled, "Annals of the Parish of Dalmailing,"
intimating, that she had a book in the handwriting of her deceased
husband, the Provost, filled with a variety of most curious matter;
in her opinion, of far more consequence to the world than any book
that we had ever been concerned in putting out.

Considering the veneration in which Mr Pawkie had been through life
regarded by his helpmate, we must confess that her eulogium on the
merits of his work did not impress us with the most profound
persuasion that it was really deserving of much attention.
Politeness, however, obliged us to express an earnest desire to see
the volume, which, after some little hesitation, was produced.
Judge, then, of the nature of our emotions, when, in cursorily
turning over a few of the well-penned pages, we found that it far
surpassed every thing the lady had said in its praise. Such, indeed
was our surprise, that we could not refrain from openly and at once
assuring her, that the delight and satisfaction which it was
calculated to afford, rendered it a duty on her part to lose no time
in submitting it to the public; and, after lavishing a panegyric on
the singular and excellent qualities of the author, which was all
most delicious to his widow, we concluded with a delicate
insinuation of the pleasure we should enjoy, in being made the
humble instrument of introducing to the knowledge of mankind a
volume so replete and enriched with the fruits of his practical
wisdom. Thus, partly by a judicious administration of flattery, and
partly also by solicitation, backed by an indirect proposal to share
the profits, we succeeded in persuading Mrs Pawkie to allow us to
take the valuable manuscript to Edinburgh, in order to prepare it