Leaving my luggage in charge of the captain, to be forwarded after me when it had passed the custom-house, I set off for Glasgow immediately on landing, and on my arrival there, waited at once on Messrs. Mickelwham, Shuttles and Co., the principal creditors of Corbet and Possy, from whom I heard, with inexpressible sympathy, that they too had fallen under the disasters of the time. The devastation, as it may well be described, of which we were among the earliest victims, had continued for some time, and was wide in its range, but its progress was then arrested, and trade had again shown symptoms of revival. The bud and blade had re-appeared, although the winter was still not over and gone.

Considerably vexed, I then went to Mr. Pullicate, who had continued to prosper, and heard from him, with no small degree of indignation, that not only Micklewham, Shuttles and Co., but several others, particularly Spindles, Smith and Co. imputed their embarrassments to the stoppage of our concern, while their own overtrading was the very fountain-head and cause of that event. It was of no use to grieve. My resentment, however, against Possy was rekindled, for I could not but ascribe to his plausible folly the aspersions which had been with impudent assurance first propagated against me by him and his gawky wife. I may be pardoned for the severity with which I speak of them, particularly of the lady, when it is considered how much in a commercial community the wives thoughtlessly circulate the shreds and patches of the unfortunate intelligence which they sometimes glean from their weak and talkative husbands.