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.

I did not trouble Messrs. Macmillan and Messrs. Longman with polite requests to look at my MS., but straddled on the counter, played with the cat, joked with the Irishman, was treated by Mr. B., and in the natural order of things my stories went into the magazine, and were paid for.

The following letter illustrates the dangerous results of reading sleepy books by candle-light in bed: Mr. Longman to John Murray.