merely add in return, as Johnson said of, and to, somebody or other, "Are we alive after all this · censure?"

'Sheridan was yesterday, at first, too sober to re'member your invitation, but in the dregs of the third 'bottle he fished up his memory. The Staël out-talked 'Whitbread, was ironed by Sheridan, confounded Sir Humphry, and utterly perplexed your slave. The rest (great names in the red book, nevertheless) were mere segments of the circle. Ma'mselle ' danced a Russ saraband with great vigour, grace, ' and expression.

Ever, &c.'

TO MR. MURRAY.

'June 21st, 1814.

'I suppose "Lara" is gone to the devil,-which 'is no great matter, only let me know, that I may be 'saved the trouble of copying the rest, and put the 'first part into the fire. I really have no anxiety about 'it, and shall not be sorry to be saved the copying, 'which goes on very slowly, and may prove to you 'that you may speak out-or I should be less sluggish. Yours, &c.'

LETTER 186.

TO MR. ROGERS.

'June 27th, 1814.

You could not have made me a more acceptable

present than Jacqueline,—she is all grace, and softness, and poetry; there is so much of the last, that 'we do not feel the want of story, which is simple, yet

VOL. II.

G

'enough. I wonder that you do not oftener unbend 'to more of the same kind. I have some sympathy 'with the softer affections, though very little in my way, and no one can depict them so truly and suc'cessfully as yourself. I have half a mind to pay you in kind, or rather unkind, for I have just "supped 'full of horror" in two Cantos of darkness and dismay.

'Do you go to Lord Essex's to-night? if so, will you let me call for you at your own hour? I dined 'with Holland-house yesterday at Lord Cowper's; my lady very gracious, which she can be more than any 'one when she likes. I was not sorry to see them again, for I can't forget that they have been very 'kind to me.

'P. S. Is there any chance or possibility of making 'it up with Lord Carlisle, as I feel disposed to do 'anything reasonable or unreasonable to effect it? I would before, but for the "Courier," and the pos'sible misconstructions at such a time. Perpend, ' pronounce.'

On my return to London, for a short time, at the beginning of July, I found his Poem of "Lara," which he had begun at the latter end of May, in the hands of the printer, and nearly ready for publication. He had, before I left town, repeated to me, as we were on our way to some evening party, the first one hundred and twenty lines of the Poem, which he had written the day before, at the same time giving me a general sketch of the characters and the story.

His short notes to Mr. Murray, during the printing of this work, are of the same impatient and whimsical

character as those, of which I have already given specimens, in my account of his preceding publications: but, as matter of more interest now presses upon us, I shall forbear from transcribing them at length. In one of them he says, I have just corrected some of the 'most horrible blunders that ever crept into a proof:'in another, 'I hope the next proof will be better; this was one which would have consoled Job, if it had "been of his "enemy's book:"-a third contains only the following words: Dear sir, you demanded more 'battle-there it is. Yours, &c.'

The two letters that immediately follow were addressed to me, at this time, in town.

LETTER 187.

TO MR. MOORE.

⚫ July 8th, 1814.

I returned to town last night, and had some hopes of seeing you to-day, and would have called,but I have been (though in exceeding distempered good health) a little head-achy with free living, as it is called, and am now at the freezing point of ' returning soberness. Of course, I should be sorry. that our parallel lines did not deviate into intersec'tion before you return to the country,-after that same nonsuit*, whereof the papers have told us,-but, as you must be much occupied, I won't be affronted, should your time and business militate against our meeting.

Rogers and I have almost coalesced into a joint 'invasion of the public. Whether it will take place ' or not, I do not yet know, and I am afraid Jacqueline

* He alludes to an action for piracy brought by Mr. Power (the publisher of my musical works), to the trial of which I had been summoned as a witness.

(which is very beautiful) will be in bad company*. 'But in this case, the lady will not be the sufferer.

'I am going to the sea, and then to Scotland; and 'I have been doing nothing,—that is, no good,—and am very truly, &c.'

'I suppose, by your non-appearance, that the philasophy of my note, and the previous silence of 'the writer, have put or kept you in humeur. Never mind-it is hardly worth while.

'This day have I received information from my man ' of law of the non-and never likely to be-perform'ance of purchase by Mr. Claughton, of impecuniary memory. He don't know what to do, or when to pay; and so all my hopes and worldly projects and prospects are gone to the devil. He (the purchaser, ' and the devil too, for aught I care) and I, and my legal advisers, are to meet to-morrow,-the said pur'chaser having first taken special care to inquire ""whether I would meet him with temper?"-Cer

tainly. The question is this-I shall either have the 'estate back, which is as good as ruin, or I shall go 'on with him dawdling, which is rather worse. I have brought my pigs to a Mussulman market. If I ' had but a wife now, and children, of whose paternity 'I entertained doubts, I should be happy, or rather 'fortunate, as Candide or Scarmentado. In the mean 'time, if you don't come and see me, I shall think think that Sam.'s bank is broke too; and that you, 'having assets there, are despairing of more than a 'piastre in the pound for your dividend. Ever, &c.'

* Lord Byron afterwards proposed that I should make a third in this publication; but the honour was a perilous one, and I begged leave to decline it.

TO MR. MURRAY.

July 11th, 1814.
I wish
I wish you

'You shall have one of the pictures. to send the proof of "Lara" to Mr. Moore, 33, Bury'street, to-night, as he leaves town to-morrow, and wishes to see it before he goes*; and I am also willing to have the benefit of his remarks. Yours, &c.'

TO MR. MURRAY.

'July 18th, 1814.

'I think you will be satisfied even to repletion with 'our northern friendst, and I won't deprive you longer ' of what I think will give you pleasure; for my own part, my modesty, or my vanity, must be silent.

'P.S. If you could spare it for an hour in the evening, I wish you to send it up to Mrs. Leigh, your 'neighbour, at the London Hotel, Albemarle-street.'

July 23rd, 1814. 'I am sorry to say that the print is by no means approved of by those who have seen it, who are pretty 'conversant with the original, as well as the picture 'from whence it is taken. I rather suspect that it is 'from the copy, and not the exhibited portrait, and in 'this dilemma would recommend a suspension, if not ' an abandonment, of the prefixion to the volumes which you purpose inflicting upon the public.

'With regard to Lara, don't be in any hurry. I have not yet made up my mind on the subject, nor 'know what to think or do till I hear from you; and

In a note which I wrote to him, before starting, next day, I find the following:-'I got Lara at three o'clock this morning-read him before I ⚫ slept, and was enraptured. I take the proofs with me.'

+ He here refers to an article in the number of the Edinburgh Review, just then published (No. 45), on the Corsair and Bride of Abydos. An engraving by Agar from Phillips's portrait of him.