o suddenly eclipsed; and
why should you court such an exposure of popular fickleness, when
about to become yourself "the comet of a season," and to go through
that brilliant perihelion, in which, reversing the feat of Horace with
his _lofty head_, you will sweep away all other stars with a swinge of
your luminous _caudality_? Yes, Godfrey--spare your own feelings, and
treat us to another Great Unknown! I am sure such will be your
determination, and so I will simply subjoin the hope that nothing will
interfere with the speedy completion of your maiden effort--"NAPPER
TANDY; or, 'TIS FIFTY YEARS SINCE." Don't startle at my naming your
hero, and suggesting your plot; for though I will venture to say that
I have hit the nail on the head, I assure you it is only a happy
surmise. You must know that nothing could be so interesting as a
recurrence to the exciting epoch of Ninety-eight; and why should not
the sister kingdom have its romance, as well as the land of the Scots?
I have always thought that Stuart rising very much overrated--a mere
scratch to what happened in Ireland. Kilmarnock was a poor-spirited
fellow compared with Emmet; and though there were many better men than
Balmerino among the United Irishmen, it would be hard to find a worse
one than Lord Lovat. I suspect, therefore, that besides your design, I
have actually discovered your title page; though it is barely
possible that the melancholy fate of Wolfe Tone, with the indistinct
tone of ferocity that is perceptible in his name, may have suggested
the compellation of that unfortunate gentleman, as more significant of
the wolfish atrocities with which your tale will necessarily abound.
Whatever be the name, make haste with the book, and do not wait ten
years in order to have another "Sixty Years Since." You must see that
congruity requires the semi-centenary, and that Sir Walter was a full
decennium behind-hand. The demise of O'Connell at this interesting
juncture, must be regarded as a coincidence every way satisfactory,
whether we consider the fulness of his fame, the conclusion of an era,
or the interests of your forthcoming work. It has prepared public
sympathy, and tuned the strings upon which you call successfully play
for the next quarter of an age; and I hazard little in arguing that
your literary nativity will be accomplished under the ascendant of the
most favourable planet.

Regarding you, then, as what you will speedily become--a successful
adventurer