TO MR. GIFFORD

November 12, 1813.

My dear Sir, I hope you will consider, when I cc 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. You will understand this, and on that point I need trouble you no farther.

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,' 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, anything 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 assure

I beg you will not send me any answer. you very sincerely I know your time to be occupied, and it is 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.

TO MR. MURRAY

Νου. 12, 1813.

cci

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 Giaour are gone-at least out of our hands. Now, 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: if liked, we can then throw off some copies for the purchasers of former Giaours; and, if not, I can omit it in any future publication. What think you? I really am no judge of those things; and, with all my natural partiality for one's own productions, I would rather follow any one's judgment than my own.

P.S.-Pray let me have the proofs I sent all to

night. I have some alterations that I have thought of that I wish to make speedily. I hope the proof will be on separate pages, and not all huddled together on a mile-long ballad-singing sheet, as those of The Giaour sometimes are; for then I can't read them distinctly.

TO MR. MURRAY

Nov. 13, 1813.

Will you forward the letter to Mr. Gifford with ccii the proof? There is an alteration I may make in Zuleika's speech, in second canto (the only one of hers in that canto). It is now thus—

And curse-if I could curse-the day.

In the last MS. lines sent, instead of 'living heart,' correct to 'quivering heart.' It is in line ninth of the MS. passage.-Ever yours again,

B.

TO MR. MURRAY

Alteration of a line in Canto 2nd.
Instead of-

And tints to-morrow with a fancied ray,

Print

Or,

Or,

And tints to-morrow with prophetic ray.

The evening beam that smiles the clouds away,
And tints to-morrow with prophetic ray;

[gilds

And tints the hope of morning with its ray;

And gilds to-morrow's hope with heavenly ray.

I wish you would ask Mr. Gifford which of them is best, or rather not worst.-Ever, etc.

You can send the request contained in this at the same time with the revise, after I have seen the said revise.

TO MR. MURRAY

cciu

Νου. 13, 1813.

Certainly. Do you suppose that no one but the Galileans are acquainted with Adam, and Eve, and Cain, and Noah ?-Surely, I might have had Solomon, and Abraham, and David, and even Moses. When you know that Zuleika is the Persian poetical name for Potiphar's wife, on whom and Joseph there is a long poem, in the Persian, this will not surprise you. If you want authority, look at Jones, D'Herbelot, Vathek, or the notes to the Arabian Nights; and, if you think it necessary, model this into a note. Alter, in the inscription, 'the most affectionate respect,' to 'with every sentiment of regard and respect.'

TO MR. MURRAY

Νου. 14, 1813.

I sent you a note for the ignorant, but I really ccv wonder at finding you among them. I don't care one lump of sugar for my poetry; but for my costume, and my correctness on those points (of which I think the funeral was a proof), I will combat lustily.Yours, etc.

TO MR. MURRAY

Nov. 14, 1813.

Let the revise which I sent just now (and not the ccvi proof in Mr. Gifford's possession) be returned to the printer, as there are several additional corrections, and two new lines in it.-Yours, etc.

TO MR. MURRAY

November 15, 1813.

Mr. Hodgson has looked over and stopped, or ccvii rather pointed, this revise, which must be the one to print from. He has also made some suggestions, with most of which I have complied, as he has always, for these ten years, been a very sincere, and by no means (at times) flattering critic of mine. He likes it (you will think flatteringly, in this instance) better than The Giaour, but doubts (and so do I) its being so popular; but, contrary to some others, advises a separate publication. On this we can easily decide. I confess I like the double form better.