But Scott's judgment was obviously blinded by his just and warm regard for Joanna Baillie herself.
Of course with such interfering causes to bring unsaleable books to the house--of course I do not mean that John Ballantyne and Co.
published for Joanna Baillie, or that they would have lost by it if they had--the new firm published all sorts of books which did not sell at all; while John Ballantyne himself indulged in a great many expenses and dissipations, for which John Ballantyne and Co.

had to pay.

Nor was it very easy for a partner who himself drew bills on the future--even though he were the well-spring of all the paying business the company had--to be very severe on a fellow-partner who supplied his pecuniary needs in the same way.

At all events, there is no question that all through 1813 and 1814 Scott was kept in constant suspense and fear of bankruptcy, by the ill-success of John Ballantyne and Co., and the utter want of straightforwardness in John Ballantyne himself as to the bills out, and which had to be provided against.

It was the publication of _Waverley_, and the consequent opening up of the richest vein not only in Scott's own genius, but in his popularity with the public, which alone ended these alarms; and the many unsaleable works of John Ballantyne and Co.