' pleased, and that the curtain drops gracefully. You 'deserve it should, for your promptitude and good 'nature in arranging immediately with Mr. Dallas; and I can assure you that I esteem your entering so warmly into the subject, and writing to me so soon upon it, as a personal obligation. We shall now part, I hope, satisfied with each other. I was and am quite in earnest in my prefatory promise not to intrude any more; and this not from any affec'tation, but a thorough conviction that it is the best 'policy, and is at least respectful to my readers, as it 'shows that I would not willingly run the risk of forfeiting their favour in future. Besides, I have other 'views and objects, and think that I shall keep this ' resolution; for, since I left London, though shut up, "snow-bound, thaw-bound, and tempted with all kinds

of paper, the dirtiest of ink, and the bluntest of pens, 'I have not even been haunted by a wish to put them to their combined uses, except in letters of business. My rhyming propensity is quite gone, and I feel 'much as I did at Patras on recovering from my 'fever-weak, but in health, and only afraid of a ' relapse. I do most fervently hope I never shall.

I see by the Morning Chronicle there hath been 'discussion in the Courier; and I read in the Morning Post a wrathful letter about Mr. Moore, in which some Protestant Reader has made a sad confusion about India and Ireland.

You are to do as you please about the smaller poems; but I think removing them now from the 'Corsair looks like fear; and if so, you must allow

• It will be recollected that he had announced the Corsair as ‹ thè last production with which he should trespass on public patience for some years.'

'me not to be pleased. I should also suppose that, after the fuss of these newspaper esquires, they would ' materially assist the circulation of the Corsair; an object I should imagine at present of more importance to yourself than Childe Harold's seventh appearance. Do as you like; but don't allow the withdrawing that poem to draw any imputation of dismay upon me.

Pray make my respects to Mr. Ward, whose praise 'I value most highly, as you well know; it is in the approbation of such men that fame becomes worth having. To Mr. Gifford I am always grateful, and 'surely not less so now than ever. And so good night

'to my authorship.

I have been sauntering and dozing here very quietly, and not unhappily. You will be happy to hear that I have completely established my title'deeds as marketable, and that the purchaser has succumbed to the terms, and fulfils them, or is to fulfil them forthwith. He is now here, and we go on very amicably together-one in each wing of the Abbey. We set off on Sunday-I for town, he for 'Cheshire.

Mrs. Leigh is with me-much pleased with the place, and less so with me for parting with it, to which not even the price can reconcile her. Your 'parcel has not yet arrived-at least the Mags. &c.; but I have received Childe Harold and the Corsair. 'I believe both are very correctly printed, which is 'a great satisfaction.

I thank you for wishing me in town; but I think 'one's success is most felt at a distance, and I enjoy my solitary self-importance in an agreeable sulky < way of my own, upon the strength of your letter-for ' which I once more thank you, and am, very truly, &c.

'P.S. Don't you think Buonaparte's next publication will be rather expensive to the Allies? Perry's Paris ' letter of yesterday looks very reviving. What a Hydra and Briareus it is! I wish they would pacify: there is no end to this campaigning.'

LETTER 160.

TO MR. MURRAY.

• Newstead Abbey, February 5th, 1814.

I quite forgot, in my answer of yesterday, to mention that I have no means of ascertaining whether the Newark Pirate has been doing what you say. If so, he is a rascal, and a shabby rascal too; and if his offence is punishable by law or pugilism, he shall be fined or buffeted. Do you try and discover, and I will make some inquiry here. Perhaps some other in town may have gone on printing, and used the same deception.

"The fac-simile is omitted in Childe Harold, which ' is very awkward, as there is a note expressly on the subject. Pray replace it as usual.

On second and third thoughts, the withdrawing the small poems from the Corsair (even to add to Childe Harold) looks like shrinking and shuffling, after the 'fuss made upon one of them by the Tories. Pray replace them in the Corsair's appendix. I am sorry ' that Childe Harold requires some and such abetments ' to make him move off; but, if you remember, I told you his popularity would not be permanent. It is very lucky for the author that he had made up his 'mind to a temporary reputation in time. The truth is, I do not think that any of the present day (and least of all, one who has not consulted the flattering 'side of human nature) have much to hope from * Reprinting the Hours of Idleness.'

VOL. II.

D

posterity; and you may think it affectation very 'probably, but, to me, my present and past success 'has appeared very singular, since it was in the teeth of so many prejudices. I almost think people like 'to be contradicted. If Childe Harold flags, it will hardly be worth while to go on with the engravings: 'but do as you please; I have done with the whole concern; and the enclosed lines, written years ago, and copied from my skull-cap, are among the last 'with which you will be troubled. If you like, 'add them to Childe Harold, if only for the sake of ' another outcry. You received so long an answer ' yesterday, that I will not intrude on you further 'than to repeat myself,

have occa

'P. S. Of course, in reprinting (if you sion), you will take great care to be correct. The present editions seem very much so, except in the last note of Childe Harold, where the word responsible ' occurs twice nearly together; correct the second into answerable.'

'I am thus far on my way to town. Master Ridge I have seen, and he owns to having reprinted

some sheets, to make up a few complete remaining copies! I have now given him fair warning, and if he plays such tricks again, I must either get an injunction, or call for an account of profits (as I never have 'parted with the copyright), or, in short, anything ' vexatious, to repay him in his own way. If the

*The printer at Newark,

'weather does not relapse, I hope to be in town in a

'I see all the papers in a sad commotion with 'those eight lines; and the Morning Post, in particuIlar, has found out that I am a sort of Richard III.— 'deformed in mind and body. The last piece of in'formation is not very new to a man who passed five years at a public school.

'I am very sorry you cut out those lines for Childe 'Harold. Pray reinsert them in their old place in "The Corsair.'

There is a youngster, and a clever one, named Reynolds, who has just published a poem called "Safie," published by Cawthorne. He is in the 'most natural and fearful apprehension of the Reviewers; and as you and I both know by experience 'the effect of such things upon a young mind, I wish 'you would take his production into dissection, and do 'it gently. I cannot, because it is inscribed to me; but 'I assure you this is not my motive for wishing him 'to be tenderly entreated, but because I know the 'misery, at his time of life, of untoward remarks upon 'first appearance.

Now for self. Pray thank your cousin—it is just 'as it should be, to my liking, and probably more 'than will suit any one else's. I hope and trust that you are well and well doing. Peace be with you. Ever yours, my dear friend.'