t Unknown"--"the Wizard of the North,"
and other equally _novel cognomina_, the veil has been withdrawn; we now
have the open avowal, both from his own lips, and under his own hand, of
the authorship from the individual himself, who has so long, and, as it
now appears, so justly, enjoyed the reputation of having written them.

To judge from what he says in the second volume of "the Chronicles of
the Canongate," just published--I mean in the character of Mr.
Croftangry,--it is clear that he is conscious of such slips and
carelessness as I have before pointed out. I am therefore at a loss to
understand why he should allow them to remain like spots that deface the
general beauty of his productions, as by submitting them for perusal to
the merest Tyro in grammar or composition before they were sent to
press, they could not fail of being obliterated.

It is surely no very good policy for an artist, jealous of his
reputation, knowingly to leave his works unfinished. Without, however,
detaining you, or your readers, by such obvious remarks, I shall resume
my task, hoping that you will be able to find room for the following in
your useful and entertaining miscellany.

In the first volume, p. 168, of the present work, we read: "She was once
the beautiful and happy wife of Hamish Mac Tavish, _for whom his_
strength and feats of prowess gained _him_ the title of Mac Tavish
Mhor." This kind of style would scarcely be allowed to pass in
Leadenhall-street. What is meant by _for whom_, with _his_ immediately
following, and then _him_ a little after? Does not the author intend to
say, that the strength, &c. of Mac Tavish gained him the title of Mac
Tavish Mhor? If so, (and there can be no doubt of it from the context,)
then he should have written the sentence thus: "_whose_ strength and
feats of prowess had gained him the title of Mac Tavish Mhor."

"He gained the road, mounted his pony, and rode upon his way," p. 183 of
the same volume, is, in the latter part of it, another curious phrase.
"He mounted his pony," says the author. May we not suppose he rode _upon
it_ too? But he adds "_rode upon his way_."

Again: "His reputed grandfather with his pockets stuffed out with Bank
notes, would come to atone for his past cruelty, by _heaping his
neglected grandchild_ with unexpected wealth," vol. 2., p. 87. We _heap
up_ wealth, but not _persons with_ it, for that would hardly be kind. To
_load one with_ wealth is a common expression.