'To my utter mortification and dissappointment I have this day received a letter from my Bookseller refusing my new work on his usual terms of publishing with me. For what? Because forsooth I copy his own words "Though it displays great originality of thought and a good deal of fancy it is of that cast that must draw down comparisons with the romances of the author of Waverly [sic] and manifestly to its disadvantage these being made the criterion of judging of merit therefore he is sorry &c." but the truth is I believe he found I was going to press too hard for money at too early a date'.