Their firm had indeed been started in opposition to himself; and it was not without a sort of gratification that he heard of their pecuniary difficulties, and of the friction between them and Murray.

Scott's "Lady of the Lake" had been announced for publication.

At the close of a letter to Murray, Constable rather maliciously remarks: _January_ 20, 1810.
"I have no particular anxiety about promulgating the folly (to say the least of it) of certain correspondents of yours in this quarter; but if you will ask our friend Mr.Miller if he had a letter from a shop nearly opposite the Royal Exchange the other day, he will, I dare say, tell you of the contents.

I am mistaken if their game is not well up! Indeed I doubt much if they will survive the 'Lady of the Lake.' She will probably help to drown them!" An arrangement had been made with the Ballantynes that, in consideration of their being the sole agents for Mr.Murray in Scotland, they should give him the opportunity of taking shares in any of their publications.

Instead, however, of offering a share of the "Lady of the Lake" to Mr.Murray, according to the understanding between the firms, the Ballantynes had already parted with one fourth share of the work to Mr.Miller, of Albemarle Street, London, whose business was afterwards purchased by Mr.Murray.