arrived. My best remembrances to Mrs. H. and all the family. 342. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh. [Sunday], October 10th, 1813. MY DEAREST AUGUSTA,—I have only time to say that I am not in the least angry, and that my silence has merely arisen from several circumstances which I cannot now detail. I trust you are better, and will continue best. Ever, my dearest, Yours, B. 343.-To John Murray. Oct. 12, 1813. DEAR SIR,-You must look The Giaour again over carefully; there are a few lapses, particularly in the last page,-"I know 'twas false; she could not die;" it was, and ought to be-" knew." Pray observe this and similar mistakes. I have received and read the British Review.1 I really think the writer in most parts very right. The only mortifying thing is the accusation of imitation. 1. The British Review (No. ix.) criticized The Giaour severely (pp. 132-145). "Lord Byron," it says, "has had the bad taste to "imitate Mr. Walter Scott" (p. 135). Further on (p. 139) it charges him with borrowing a simile from Crabbe's Resentment. The passage to which the reviewer alludes will be found in lines 11-16 of that poem "Those are like wax-apply them to the fire, But, once impress'd, will never melt again." 1813.] IN NO IMMEDIATE PERIL. 277 Crabbe's passage I never saw; and Scott I no further meant to follow than in his lyric measure, which is Gray's, Milton's, and any one's who likes it. The Giaour is certainly a bad character, but not dangerous: and I think his fate and his feelings will meet with few proselytes. I shall be very glad to hear from or of you, when you please; but don't put yourself out of your way on my account. Yours ever, B. 344-To the Hon. Augusta Leigh. [Monday], Nov. 8th, 1813. MY DEAREST AUGUSTA,—I have only time to say that I shall write tomorrow, and that my present and long silence has been occasioned by a thousand things (with which you are not concerned). It is not L' C. nor O.; but perhaps you may guess, and, if you do, do not tell. You do not know what mischief your being with me might have prevented. You shall hear from me. tomorrow; in the mean time don't be alarmed. I am in no immediate peril. Believe me, ever yours, B. 345.-To John Murray. DEAR SIR,-I have [Nov. 12, 1813. With first proof of Bride of Abydos correct.] looked over-corrected-and added-all of which you may do too—at least certainly the two first. There is more MS. within. Let me know tomorrow at your leisure how and when we shall proceed! It looks better than I thought at first. Look over again. I suspect some omissions on my part and on the printers'. Yours ever, B. Always print "een" "even." I utterly abhor "een" -if it must be contracted, be it ev'n." 346.-To William Gifford. November 12, 1813. MY DEAR SIR,-I hope you will consider, when I venture on any request, that it is the reverse of a certain Dedication, and is addressed, not to "The Editor of the Quarterly Review," but to Mr. Gifford. stand this, and on that point I need farther. You will undertrouble you no You have been good enough to look at a thing of mine in MS.-a Turkish story, and I should feel gratified if you would do it the same favour in its probationary state of printing. It was written, I cannot say for amusement, nor "obliged by hunger and request of friends," 1 but in a state of mind, from circumstances which occasionally occur to "us youth," that rendered it necessary for me to apply my mind to something, any thing but reality; and under this not very brilliant inspiration it was composed. Being done, and having at least diverted me from myself, I thought you would not perhaps be offended if Mr. Murray forwarded it to you. He has done so, and to apologise for his doing so a second time is the object of my present letter. I beg you will not send me any answer. I assure you very sincerely I know your time to be occupied, and it is 1. Pope, Epistle to Arbuthnot, 1. 44. 1813.] DEFERENCE TO GIFFORD. 279 enough, more than enough, if you read; you are not to be bored with the fatigue of answers. A word to Mr. Murray will be sufficient, and send it either to the flames or "A hundred hawkers' load, On wings of wind to fly or fall abroad." It deserves no better than the first, as the work of a week, and scribbled stans pede in uno (by the by, the only foot I have to stand on); and I promise never to trouble you again under forty cantos, and a voyage between each. Believe me ever, Your obliged and affectionate servant, BYRON. 347.-To John Murray. Nov. 12, 1813. Two friends of mine (Mr. Rogers and Mr. Sharpe) have advised me not to risk at present any single publication separately, for various reasons. As they have not seen the one in question, they can have no bias for or against the merits (if it has any) or the faults of the present subject of our conversation. You say all the last of The Giaour2 are gone-at least out of your hands. Now, 1. Horace, Sat. I. iv. 10. 2. In Accepted Addresses; or, Præmium Poetarum, pp. 50-52 (1813), Address xvii. is from "Lord B-n to J. M-y, Book"seller." The address itself runs as follows: "A Turkish tale I shall unfold, A sweeter tale was never told; But then the facts, I must allow, if you think of publishing any new edition with the last additions which have not yet been before the reader (I mean distinct from the two-volume publication), we can add" The Bride of Abydos," which will thus steal quietly into the world:1 if liked, we can then throw off some copies for the purchasers of former "Giaours;" and, if Perhaps the Christians not so bold, No matter what the cause may be, "Take my disjointed fragments then, I in a little space can tell "It is a handsome sum to touch, "I do not like the quarto size, To publish this, my Turkish Tale; A thousand readers it will win; And when my pages they explore, They'll gladly read them o'er and o'er ; With tears will moisten every page." 1. John Murray writes, in an undated letter to Byron, "Mr. "Canning returned the poem to-day with very warm expressions of "delight. I told him your delicacy as to separate publication, of "which he said you should remove every apprehension." |