Do not let my opinion, which may be
erroneous, influence you, but judge for yourself. From the very strong
terms in which Jas. B. spoke of the work, I am sanguine enough to expect
it will equal if not surpass any of the others. I would not lay so much
stress upon what he says if I were not assured that his great interest,
as well as Mr. Scott's, is to stand in the very best way both with you
and me. They are anxious to get out of the clutches of Constable, and
Ballantyne is sensible of the favour I have done and may still do him by
giving so much employment, besides what he may expect from you. From
Constable he can expect nothing. I had almost forgotten to mention that
he assured me in the most solemn manner that we had got the first offer,
and he ardently hoped we would accept of it. If, however, we did not, he
trusted to our honour that we would say nothing of it; that the author
of this work would likely write more; and should we not take this, we
might have it in our power afterwards to do something with him, provided
we acted with delicacy in the transaction, as he had no doubt we would
do.
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