sufficient condescension and conciliation of manner to the rest of
the town-council, it would be hard to say. I could, however,
discern that a general ceremonious insincerity was performed by the
members towards me, especially on the part of those who were in
league and conjunct with the town-clerk, who comported himself, by
reason of his knowledge of the law, as if he was in verity the true
and effectual chief magistrate of the burgh; and the effect of this
discovery, was a consideration and digesting within me how I should
demean myself, so as to regain the vantage I had lost; taking little
heed as to how the loss had come, whether from an ill-judged pride
and pretending in myself, or from the natural spirit of envy, that
darkens the good-will of all mankind towards those who get sudden
promotion, as it was commonly thought I had obtained, in being so
soon exalted to the provostry.

Before the Michaelmas I was, in consequence of this deliberation and
counselling with my own mind, fully prepared to achieve a great
stroke of policy for the future government of the town. I saw that
it would not do for me for a time to stand overly eminent forward,
and that it was a better thing, in the world, to have power and
influence, than to show the possession of either. Accordingly,
after casting about from one thing to another, I bethought with
myself, that it would be a great advantage if the council could be
worked with, so as to nominate and appoint My Lord the next provost
after me. In the proposing of this, I could see there would be no
difficulty; but the hazard was, that his lordship might only be made
a tool of instrumentality to our shrewd and sly town-clerk, Mr
Keelivine, while it was of great importance that I should keep the
management of my lord in my own hands. In this strait, however, a
thing came to pass, which strongly confirms me in the opinion, that