'Many thanks for Nigel; a far better novel than The Pirate, though not of the highest order of Scott's novels. It is the first novel in which there is no Meg Merrilies. There is, however, a Dominie Sampson in the horologer. The first volume is admirable. Nothing can be better than the apprentices, the shop of old Heriot, the state of the city. James is quite excellent wherever he appears. I do not dislike Alsatia. The miser?s daughter is very good; so is the murder. The story execrable; the gentlemanlike, light, witty conversation always (as in all his novels) very bad. Horrors on humour are his forte. He must avoid running into length?great part of the second volume very long and tiresome; but upon the whole the novel will do?keeps up the reputation of the author; and does not impair the very noble and honourable estate which he has in his brains'.