itle from the Arabian Nights, on occasion of his becoming the lessee
of some marble quarries in the Isle of Anglesea.

TO D. TERRY, ESQ., LONDON.

April 30, 1818--SELKIRK.

MY DEAR TERRY,--Your packet arrived this morning. I was much
disappointed not to find the Prince of the Black Islands'
plan in it, nor have I heard a word from him since anent it,
or anent the still more essential articles of doors and
windows. I heard from Hector Macdonald Buchanan, that the
said doors and windows were packing a fortnight since, but
there are no news of them. Surely our friend's heart has
grown as hard as his materials; or the spell of the
enchantress, which confined itself to the extremities of his
predecessor, has extended over his whole person. Mr.
Atkinson has kept tryst charmingly, and the ceiling of the
dining-room will be superb. I have got I know not how many
casts, from Melrose and other places, of pure Gothic
antiquity. I {p.231} must leave this on the 12th, and I
could bet a trifle the doors, etc., will arrive the very day
I set out, and be all put up _a la bonne aventure_. Meantime
I am keeping open house, not much to my convenience, and I
am afraid I shall be stopped in my plastering by the want of
these matters. The exposed state of my house has led to a
mysterious disturbance. The night before last we were awaked
by a violent noise, like drawing heavy boards along the new
part of the house. I fancied something had fallen, and
thought no more about it. This was about _two_ in the
morning. Last night, at the same witching hour, the very
same noise occurred. Mrs. S., as you know, is rather
_timbersome_, so up got I, with Beardie's broadsword under
my arm,

"So bolt upright,
And ready to fight."

But nothing was out of order, neither can I discover what
occasioned the disturbance. However, I went to bed,
grumbling against Tenterden Street,[102] and all its works.
If there was no entrance but the keyhole, I should warrant
myself against the ghosts. We have a set of idle fellows
called workmen about us, which is a better way of accounting
for nocturnal noises than any that is to be found in Baxter
or Glanville.

[Footnote 102: Bullock's manufactory was in this