for the most part with distrust and suspicion, much as a rich man looks at a begging-letter, or a sober and judicious fish at an angler's fly,--is so much less likely to run aground than such a man as Scott.

The untried author should be regarded by a wise publisher as a natural enemy,--an enemy indeed of a class, rare specimens whereof will always be his best friends, and who, therefore, should not be needlessly affronted--but also as one of a class of whom nineteen out of every twenty will dangle before the publisher's eyes wiles and hopes and expectations of the most dangerous and illusory character,--which constitute indeed the very perils that it is his true function in life skilfully to evade.

The Ballantynes were quite unfit for this function; first, they had not the experience requisite for it; next, they were altogether too much under Scott's influence.

No wonder that the partnership came to no good, and left behind it the germs of calamity even more serious still.
FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 30: Lockhart's _Life of Scott_, viii.

221.] [Footnote 31: Lockhart's _Life of Scott_, v.