" Mr. James Ballantyne to John Murray.

Thomas Young CHAPTER VI THE "QUARTERLY" LAUNCHED Meeting of Murray and Ballantyne at BoroughbridgeWalter Scott's interest in the new ReviewPublication of the first number of the Quarterly Scott's proposed "Secret History of the Court of James I."Portcullis copies"Old

" Meanwhile correspondence with Ballantyne about the work of fictionthe name of which was still unknown-was still proceeding.

Scott did not become famous, however, until his first original poem appeared,"The Lay of the Last Minstrel," printed by Ballantyne in 1805, and published by Longman of London, and Constable of Edinburgh.

While Mr. Gifford was marshalling his forces and preparing for the issue of the first number of the Quarterly, Mr. Murray was corresponding with James Ballantyne of Edinburgh as to the works they were jointly engaged in bringing out, and also with respect to the northern agency of the new Review.

Not even the vast earnings of all these popular novels could longer keep the wretched business of Ballantyne on its feet, and the firm failed, after years of mismanagement.