oderation,
and that I have never, either in conversation or correspondence, encouraged
discussions respecting my own literary pursuits. On the contrary, I have
usually found such topics, even when introduced from motives most
flattering to myself, rather embarrassing and disagreeable. I have now
frankly told my motives for concealment, so far as I am conscious of having
any, and the public will forgive the egotism of the detail, as what is
necessarily connected with it. I have only to repeat, that I avow myself in
print, as formerly in words, the sole and unassisted author of all the
novels published as the composition of the "Author of Waverley." I ought to
mention, before concluding, that twenty persons at least were, either from
intimacy or from the confidence which circumstances rendered necessary,
participant of this secret; and as there was no instance, to my knowledge,
of any one of the number breaking the confidence required from them, I am
the more obliged to them, because the slight and trivial character of the
mystery was not qualified to inspire much respect in those intrusted with
it.

WALTER SCOTT.

_Abbotsford, Oct. 1, 1827_.

* * * * *

THE GATHERER.

"I am but a _Gatherer_ and disposer of other men's stuff."--_Wotton_

* * * * *

NEGRO PUN.

At the late fancy ball in Liverpool, a gentleman who had assumed the
swarthy hue of a "nigger," was requested to favour the company with
Matthews's song--"Possum up a gum tree."--"_Non possum_," replied the wit.

* * * * *

"SPIRITS" OF THE MAGAZINES.

Is it not diverting to see a periodical supported, not by the spirits of
the age, but by the small beers, with now and then a few ales and porters?
Yet we doubt not that one and all of the people employed about the concern
may be, in their way, very respectable schoolmasters, who, in small
villages, cannot support themselves entirely on their own bottoms,--ushers
in metropolitan academies, whose annual salary rarely exceeds twenty
pounds, with some board, and a little washing--third-rate actors on the
boards of the Surrey or Adelphi, who have generally a literary turn--a
player on the hautboy in some orchestra or other--unfortunate men of talent
in the King's Bench--a precocious boy or two in Christ's hospital--an
occasional apprentice run away from the row, and most probably cousin of
Tims.

_Black