"It is a cordial," he said, "which has saved Lady Glenbervie's life." Heber, who found it on his table on his arrival from a journey, had no rest till he had read it.

He has only this moment left me, and he, with many others, agrees that it surpasses all the other novels.Wm.Lamb also; Gifford never read anything like it, he says; and his estimate of it absolutely increases at each recollection of it.

Barrow with great difficulty was forced to read it; and he said yesterday, "Very good, to be sure, but what powerful writing is _thrown away_." Heber says there are only two men in the world, Walter Scott and Lord Byron.

Between you, you have given existence to a third.
Ever your faithful servant, JOHN MURRAY.
This letter did not effectually "draw the badger." Scott replied in the following humorous but Jesuitical epistle: _Mr.Scott to John Murray_.
_December 18, 1816_.
MY DEAR SIR, I give you hearty joy of the success of the Tales, although I do not claim that paternal interest in them which my friends do me the credit to assign to me.

I assure you I have never read a volume of them till they were printed, and can only join with the rest of the world in applauding the true and striking portraits which they present of old Scottish manners.
I do not expect implicit reliance to be placed on my disavowal, because I know very well that he who is disposed not to own a work must necessarily deny it, and that otherwise his secret would be at the mercy of all who chose to ask the question, since silence in such a case must always pass for consent, or rather assent.