391. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh.

[Wednesday], Jan. 12th, 1814.

MY DEAREST AUGUSTA,-On Sunday or Monday next, with leave of your lord and president, you will be well and ready to accompany me to Newstead, which you should see, and I will endeavour to render as comfortable as I can, for both our sakes; as to time to stay there -suit your own convenience. I am at your disposal.

Claughton is, I believe, inclined to settle; if so, I shall be able to do something further for yours and you, which I need not say will give me ye greatest pleasure. More news from Mrs.-all friendship; you shall see her. Excuse haste and evil penmanship.

Ever yours,

B.

392.-To Thomas Moore.

January 13, 1814.

I have but a moment to write, but all is as it should be. I have said really far short of my opinion, but if you think enough, I am content.1 Will you return the proof by the post, as I leave town on Sunday, and have no

66

1. Moore writes to Rogers, January 13, 1814 (Memoirs, etc., vol. viii. p. 169): "Lord Byron dedicates his Corsair to me, which I look upon as a very high niche in the Temple indeed-to be placed so near you, too! Between you and Lord Holland I fear I shall have applied to me the reverse of the famous epigram

"Wisdom and Wit full-sized were seen,

And Folly, at small length, between.'

"I think there are few more generous spirits than Lord Byron's, and "the overflowing praise he has lavished on me in his dedication (if "he preserves that of which he has sent me a copy) is just such as "might be expected from a profuse, magnificent-minded fellow, who "does not wait for the scales to weigh what he says, but gives praise, "as sailors lend money, by 'handfuls.'"

1814.]

GIFFORD'S JUSTICE.

13

other corrected copy? I put "servant," as being less familiar before the public; because I don't like presuming upon our friendship to infringe upon forms. As to the other word, you may be sure it is one I cannot hear or repeat too often.

I write in an agony of haste and confusion.-Perdonate.

393.-To John Murray.

January 15, 1814.

DEAR SIR,-Before any proof goes to Mr. G., it may be as well to revise this, where there are words omitted, faults committed, and the Devil knows what. As to the dedic"., I cut out the parenthesis of Mr.,1 but not another word shall move unless for a better. Mr. Moore has seen, and decidedly preferred the part your Tory bile sickens at. If every syllable were a rattle-snake, or every letter a pestilence, they should not be expunged. Let those who cannot swallow chew the expressions on Ireland; or (sic) Mr. Croker should array himself in all his terrors against them, I care for none of you, except Gifford ; and he won't abuse me, unless I deserve it-which will at least reconcile me to his justice. As to the poems in H.'s volume ii., the translation from the Romaic is well enough; but the best of the other vol. (of mine, I mean) have been already printed. But do as you please-only

1. Byron had at first, after the words "Scott alone," inserted, in a parenthesis, "He will excuse the Mr.-we do not say Mr. "Cæsar."

2. By "H.'s volume ii." Byron means Hobhouse's Journey through Albania, etc. (2nd edition, 1813), in which appears (pp. 1149, 1150) his translation of a "Romaic love-song." By "the "other vol." he means Imitations and Translations (1809), from which he reprinted, with The Corsair, the "Inscription on the Monu"ment of a Newfoundland Dog."

as I shall be absent when you come out, do, pray, let Mr. Dallas and you have a care of the press.

Yours ever,

BN.

394.-To John Murray.

1814, January 16.

DEAR SIR,-I do believe that the Devil never created or perverted such a fiend as the fool of a printer.1 I am obliged to inclose you, luckily for me, this second proof, corrected, because there is an ingenuity in his blunders peculiar to himself. Let the press be guided by the present sheet.

Burn the other.

Yours, etc.

Correct this also by the other, in some things which I may have forgotten. There is one mistake he made, which, if it had stood, I would most certainly have broken his neck.

395.-To James Wedderburn Webster.

January 18th, 1814.

MY DEAR W.,-Address your "plan" to town, where I shall return in a week. I like "plans" of all things, particularly where they are likely never to be realized. I am on my way to the country on rather a melancholy

1. "The amusing rages into which Byron was thrown by the printer were vented not only in these notes, but frequently on "the proof-sheets themselves. Thus, a passage in the dedication "having been printed, the first of her bands in estimation,' he "writes in the margin, 'bards, not bands-was there ever such a "stupid misprint?' And in correcting a line that had been curtailed "of its due number of syllables, he says, 'Do not omit words-it "is enough to alter or mis-spell them (Moore).

1814.]

MEETING AN OLD FRIEND.

15

expedition; a very old and early connection,' or rather friend, of mine has desired to see me, and, as now we never can be more than friends, I have no objection. She is certainly unhappy and, I fear, ill, and the length and circumstances attending our acquaintance render her request and my visit neither singular nor improper. I mean to return to London in a few days, unless prevented by the weather, which is very impracticable even at present.

Your Papa and family are still in town. I see them occasionally, and of the youngest (Juliana) I should be glad to see more; but she is not yet out, and is generally -I don't exactly see why-kept out of sight. She will be very beautiful; as to more, I have never seen nor heard enough to judge.

It is said that you are coming to town in Spring. I shall be happy to see you, if I can be of any use to you in the mean time, the distance between us can make little difference, as business can be arranged without the parties meeting. I don't mean to press any offers of mine upon you; but I hope you know already that I will at least treat you in a Christian-like manner.

I wrote to you shortly before you left Aston on the subject you wished to hear upon; it is the last you shall hear upon it, till convenient to yourself.

If you are disposed to write-write; and, if not, I shall forgive your silence, and you will not quarrel with mine.

Believe me, yours very affectionately,

BN.

P.S.-I presume your illness is merely the cold compliment of the New Year; at all events I hope this will find you better.

1. Probably Mrs. Chaworth Musters.

396.-To John Murray.

Newstead Abbey, January 22, 1814.

DEAR SIR,-You will be glad to hear of my safe arrival here-the time of my return will depend upon the weather, which is so impracticable, that this letter has to advance through more Snows than ever opposed the Emperor's retreat. The roads are impassable, and return impossible for the present; which I do not regret, as I am much at my ease, and six-and-twenty complete this day-a very pretty age, if it would always last. Our coals are excellent, our fire-places large, my cellar full, and my head empty; and I have not yet recovered my joy at leaving London. If any unexpected turn occurred with my purchaser, I believe I should hardly quit the place at all; but shut my door, and let my beard grow.

I forgot to mention (and I hope it is unnecessary) that the lines beginning-Remember him, etc., must not appear with The Corsair. You may slip them in with the smaller pieces newly annexed to Childe Harold; but on no account permit them to be appended to The Corsair. Have the goodness to recollect this particularly.

The books I have brought with me are a great consolation for the confinement, and I bought more as we came along-in short, I never consult the thermometer, and shall not put up prayers for a thaw, unless I thought it would sweep away the rascally invaders of France. Was ever such a thing as Blucher's proclamation ?

Just before I left town, Kemble paid me the compliment of desiring me to write a tragedy; I wish I could, but I find my scribbling mood subsiding-not before it was time; but it is lucky to check it at all. If I