'This unfortunate O'Meara, It was the merest chance he was not sent to extend his localities in the Highlands. I would have returned the book immediately, finding how long it had been here, had the subject been any other than Napoleon - however I made what haste I could with it; but though I read whenever a temporary cessation of civilities on the part of the inhabitants left a minute at my own disposal, I only finished it at twelve o'clock the night you wrote for it - '