t busy with two articles, besides the one he has sent. In
conversation a few days since, I heard a gentleman ask him, 'Pray, sir,
do you think the _Quarterly Review_ will be equal to the _Edinburgh_?'
His answer was, 'I won't be quite sure of the first number, because of
course there are difficulties attending the commencement of every work
which time and habit can alone smooth away. But I think the first number
will be a good one, and in the course of three or four, _I think we'll
sweat them!_'"

The first number of the _Quarterly Review_ was published at the end of
February, 1809. Like most first numbers, it did not entirely realize the
sanguine views of its promoters. It did not burst like a thunder-clap on
the reading public; nor did it give promise to its friends that a new
political power had been born into the world. The general tone was more
literary than political; and though it contained much that was well
worth reading, none of its articles were of first-rate quality.

Walter Scott was the principal contributor, and was keenly interested in
its progress, though his mind was ever teeming with other new schemes.
The allusion in the following letter to his publication of "many
unauthenticated books," if unintentional, seems little less than
prophetic.

_Mr. Scott to John Murray_.

Edinburgh, _February_ 25, 1809.

Dear Sir,

I see with pleasure that you will be out on the first. Yet I wish I
could have seen my articles in proof, for I seldom read over my things
in manuscript, and always find infinite room for improvement at the
printer's expense. I hope our hurry will not be such another time as to
deprive me of the chance of doing the best I can, which depends greatly
on my seeing the proofs. Pray have the goodness to attend to this.

I have made for the Ballantynes a little selection of poetry, to be
entitled "English Minstrelsy"; I also intend to arrange for them a first
volume of English Memoirs, to be entitled--"Secret History of the Court
of James I." To consist of:

Osborne's "Traditional Memoirs."

Sir Anthony Welldon's "Court and Character of James I."

Heylin's "Aulicus Coquinariae."

Sir Edward Peyton's "Rise and Fall of the House of Stewart."

I will add a few explanatory notes to these curious memoirs, and hope to
continue the collection, as (thanks to my constant labour on "Somers")
it costs me no expense, and shall cost the proprietors none. You may
advertise the publications, and Ba