appointed, I shall not be without my sources
of comfort. The pleasure which I enjoy in composing verses is quite
independent of other men's opinions of them; and I expect to feel
as happy as ever in this amusement, even though assured that others
could find no pleasure in reading what I had found so much in
writing. It is no small solace to reflect, that the fable of the
dog and shadow cannot apply to me, since my predilection for poetry
has not prevented me from acquiring the skill of at least the
common mechanic. I am not more ignorant of masonry and architecture
than many professors of these arts who never measured a stanza.
There is also some satisfaction in reflecting that, unlike some
would-be satirists I have not assailed private character; and
that, though men may deride me as an unskilful poet, they cannot
justly detest me as a bad or ill-natured man. Nay, I shall possibly
have the pleasure of repaying those who may be merry at my expense,
in their own coin. An ill-conditioned critic is always a more
pitiable sort of person than an unsuccessful versifier; and the
desire of showing one's own discernment at the expense of one's
neighbour, a greatly worse thing than the simple wish, however
divorced from the ability, of affording him harmless pleasure.
Further, it would, I think, not be difficult to show that my
mistake in supposing myself a poet is not a whit more ridiculous,
and infinitely less mischievous, than many of those into which
myriads of my fellow-men are falling every day. I have seen the
vicious attempting to teach morals, and the weak to unfold
mysteries. I have seen men set up for freethinkers who were born
not to think at all. To conclude, there will surely be cause for
self-gratulation in reflecting that, by becoming an author, I have
only lost a few pounds, not gained the reputation of being a mean
fellow, who had teased all his acquaintance until they had
subscribed for a worthless book; and that the severest remark of
the severest critic can only be, 'a certain anonymous rhymer is no
poet.'"

As, notwithstanding the blank in the title-page, the authorship of my
volume would be known in Cromarty and its neighbourhood, I set myself to
see whether I could not, meanwhile, prepare for the press something
better suited to make an impression