As Lockhart says, Mr.Murray and Mr.Blackwood thought that the consequent absence of the Author of "Waverley's" name from the "Tales of my Landlord" would "check very much the first success of the book;" but they risked this, "to disturb Constable's tenure." Scott's temporary desertion of Constable in the "Tales of my Landlord" may have had various motives.

There was a slight grudge against Constable, born of some complications of the Ballantynes' affairs.
Perhaps the mere amusement of the experiment on public sagacity was one of the more powerful reasons for the change.

In our day Lord Lytton and Mr.Trollope made similar trials of their popularity when anonymous, the former author with the greater success.

The idea of these masquerades and veils of the incognito appears to have bewitched Constable.

William Godwin was writing for him his novel "Mandeville," and Godwin had obviously been counselled to try a disguise.