hand, because, in case of any reckoning between you and me, these two are only to go for ONE, as this was the original form and in fact the two together are not longer than one of the first; so remember, that I have not made this division to DOUBLB upon you, but merely to suppress some tediousness in the aspect of the thing. I should have served you a pretty trick if I had sent you, for example, cantos of fifty stanzas each." next week's circular) — it is certainly handsome, and any thing but unkind or unfair." Note. — The passage about the Admiralty is unfounded in fact, and no otherwise deserving of notice than to marš its absurdity; and with regard to the “ Quarterly Review," his lordship well knew that it was established, and constantly conducted, on principles which absolutely excluded Mr. Mar. ray from all such interference and influence as is implied in the Conversations." CAPT. MEDWIN, p. 169. " I don't wish to quarrel with Murray, but it seems inevitable. I had no reason to be pleased with him the other day. Galignani wrote to me, offering to purchase the copyright of my works, in order to obtain an exclusive privilege of printing them in France. I might have made my own terms, and put the money in my own pocket; instead of which, I enclosed Galignani's letter to Murray, in order that he might conclude the matter as he pleased. He did so, very advantageously for his own interest ; but nerer had the complaisance, the common politeness, to thank me, or acknowledge my letter." Capt. MEDWIX, p. 168. " Because I gave Mr. Murray one of my poems, he wanted to make me believe that I had made him a present of two others, and hinted at some lines in • English Bards' that were certainly to the point. But I have altered my mind considerably upon that subject : as I once hinted to him, I see no reason why a man should not profit by the sweat of his brain as well as that of his brow, &c.; besides, I was poor at that time, and have no idea of aggrandizing booksellers" LORD BYRON'S LETTER. Ravenna, 9bre 4. 1820. " I have received from Mr. Galignani the enclosed letters, duplicates, and receipts, which will erplain themselves. As the poems are your property by purchase, right, and justice, ALL MATTERS OF PUBLICATION, &c. &c. ARE FOR YOU TO DECIDE UPON, I know not how far mny compliance with Mr. G.'s re. quest might be legal, and I doubt that it would not be honest. In case you choose to arrange with him, I enclose the permits to you, and in so doing I wash my hands of the business alto. gether. I sign them merely to enable you to evert the power you justly possess more properly. I will have nothing to do with it further, ercept in my answer to Mr. Galignani, to state that the letters, &c. &c. are sent to you, and the causes thereof. If you can check these foreign pirates do; if not, put the permissive papers in the fire. I can have no vicw nor object whatever but to secure to you your property." Note. – Mr. Murray derived no advantage from the proposed agreement, which was by no means of the importance here ascribed to it, and therefore was never attempted to be carried into effect : the documents alluded to are still in his possession. LORD BYRON'S LETTER. “ January 2 1816 « Dear Sir, “ Your afer is liberal in the extreme, and much more than the two poems can possibly be worth — but I cannot accept it, nor will not. You are most welcome to them, as additions to the collected rolumes, without any demand or espectation on my part whatever. “ BYRON. " P. S. – I have enclosed your dras TORN, for fear of ac. cidents by the way. - I wish you would not throw temptation in mine; it is not from a disdain of the universal idol - mor from a present superfuity of his treasures - I can assure you, that I refuse to worship him – but what is right is right, and must not yield to circumstances. “ To J. Murray, Esq." NOTE. - The above letter relates to a draft for 1,000 guineas, offered by Mr. Murray for two poems, the Siege of Corinth and Parisina, which his lordship had previously, at a short interval, presented to Mr. Murray as donations. Lord Byron was afterwards induced by Mr. Murray's earnest persuasion, to accept the 1,000 guineas, and Mr. Murray bas his lordship's assigument of the copyright of the two pieces accordingly, CAPT. MEDWIN, pp. 169–171. “ Murray has long prevented the ' Quarterly' from abusing me. Some of their bullies have had their fingers itching to be at me; but they would get the worêt of it in a set-to. “ Murray and I hare dissolved all connection: he had the choice of giving up me or the Navy List. There was no hesitation which way he should decide : the Admiralty carried the day. Now for the Quarterly: their batteries will be opened ; but I can fire broadsides too. They have been letting off lots of squibs and crackers against me, but they only make a noise and ..." “ "Werner' was the last book Murray published for me, and three months after came out the Quarterly's article on in Plays, when Marino Faliero' was noticed for the first time.” LORD BYRON'S LETTER. “ Genoa, 10bre 25. 1822. "I had sent you back the Quarterly without perusal, having resolved to read no inore reviews, good, bad, or indifferent; but who can control his fate? 'Galignani,' to whom my English studies are confined, has forwarded a copy of at least one hall of it in his indefatigable weekly compilation, and as, 'like ho. nour, it came urlooked for,' I have looked through it. I must say that upon the WHOLE - that is, the whole of the HALF which I have read for the other hal is to be the segment of Gal.'s CAPT. MEDWIX, p. 166. " Murray pretends to have lost money by my writings, and pleads poverty; but if he is poor, which is somewhat problematical to me, pray who is to blame? " Mr. Murray is tender of my fame. How kind in him ! He is afraid of my writing too fast. Why? because he has a tender regard for his own pocket, and does not like ebe look of any new acquaintance in the shape of a book of mine, till he has seen his old friends in a variety of new faces; ID EST, disposed of a vast many editions of the former works. I don't know what would become of me without Douglas Kin. naird, who has always been my best and kindest friend. It is not easy to deal with Mr. Murray." NOTE. - In the numerous letters received by Mr. Murray yearly from Lord Byron (who, in writing them, was not accustomed to restrain the expression of his feelings), not one has any tendency towards the imputations here thrown out: the incongruity of which will be evident from the fact of Mr. Murray having paid at various times, for the copyright of his lordship's poems, sumns amounting to upwards of 15,0001., viz. Childc Harold, I. II. III. IV. III. IV. V. 700 525 525 315 315 525 1,525 1,525 1,050 1,100 “ May 8th, 1819. " I have a great respect for your good and gentlemanly qualities, and return your personal friendship towards me. You deserve and possess the estceon of those whose estcem is worth having, and W none more (however useless it may be) than “ Yours, very truly, “ BYRON." 525 525 450 £ 15,155 Carr. MedWix, p. 170. “My differences with Murray are not over. When he purchased · Cain,' The Two Foscari,' and 'Sardanapalus, he sent me a dced, which you may remember witnessing. Well ; after its return to England it was discovered that But I shall take no notice of it." NOTE. - Mr. Murray of course cannot answer a statement which he does not sec; but pledges himself to disprove any inculpation the suppressed passage may contain, whenever disclosed. Ile has written twice to Captain Medwin's publisher, desiring, as an act of justice, to have the passage printed entire in any new edition of the book, and in the mean time to be favoured with a copy of it. As this has not yet been obtained, and as the context seems to imply that it accuses him of endeavouring to take some pecuniary advantage of Lord Byron, he thinks he shall be forgiven for stating the following circumstances. Mr. Murray having accidentally heard that Lord Byron was in pecuniary difficulties, immediately forwarded 1,5001. to him, with an assurance that another such sum should be at his service in a few months; and that, if such assistance should not be sufficient, Mr. Murray would be ready to sell the copyright of all his lordship's works for his use. The following is Lord Byron's acknowledgment of this offer. " November 11th, 1815. " Dear Sir, " I return you your bills not accepted, but certainly not UNHONOURED. Your present attir is a favour which I would accept from you if I accepted such from any man. Had such been my intention, I can assure you I would have asked you fairly and as freely as you would give; and I cannot say more of my confidence or your conduct. The cir. cumstances which induce me to part with my books, though sufficiently are not iMMEDIATELY pressing. I have made up my mind to them, and there is an end. Had I been disposed to trespass on your kindness in this way, it would have been before now; but I am not sorry to have an opportunity of declining it, as it sets my opinion V you, and indeed of human nature, in a different light from that in which I have been accustomed to consider it. “ Believe me, very truly, " BYROV. “ To John Murray, Esq." “ Missolonghi, Feb. 25. 1571. “ I have heard from Mr. Douglas Kinnaird that you stale a report of a satire on Dr. Gifford having arrived from Italy, said to be written by me, but that you do not believe it ; I dare say you do not, nor any body else, I should think. Whoever asserts that I am the author or abellor of any thing of the kind on Gifford, lies in his throal: I a’unys regarded him as my literary father, and myself as his prodigal son. I any such composition crists, it is none of mine. You know, as well as any body, upon whom I have or have not written, and You also know whether they do or did not deserve the same and so much for such matters. " You will, perhaps, be anxious to hear some netus from this part of Greece (which is most linble to invasion), but you will hear enough through public and private channels, on that head. I will, however, give you the events of a week, mingling my own private peculiar with the public, for we are here jumbled a little together at present. "On Sunday (the 15th, I believe), I had a strong and sudden convulsive attack which left me speechless, though not motionless, for some strong men couid not hold me; but whether it was epilepsy, catalepsy, cachery, apoplery, or what other exy or cpsy, the doctors have not decided, or whether it was spasmodic or nervous, &c., but it was very unpleasant, and nearly carried me off, and all that. On Monday they put leeches to my temples, no difficult matter, but the blood could not be stopped till eleven at night (they had gone too near the temporal artery for my temporal safety), and neither styptic nor caustic would cauterize the orifice till after a hundred attempts. “ On Tuesday, a Turkish brig of war ran on shore. On Wednesday, great preparations being made to attack her, Though protected by her consorts, the Turks burned her, and retired to Patras. On Thursday, a quarrel ensued between the Suliotes and the Frank guard at the arsenal; a Swedish Uticer was killed, and a Suliote severely wounded, and a general fight expected, and with some difficulty prevented. On Priday, the officer buried, and Captain Parry's English ar. lificers mutinied, under pretence that their lives were in danger, and are for quitting the country - they may. On Saturday, we had the smartest shock of an earthquake which I remember (and I have felt thirty, slight or smart, at different periods ; they are common in the Mediterranean), and the whole ar may discharged their arms, upon the same principle that savages beat drums or howvi, during an eclipse of the moon : it was a rare scene altogether. If you had but seen the English John. nies, who had never been out of a Cockney workshop before, nor will again if they can help il! And on Sunday we heard that the Vizier is come down to Larissa with one hundred and odd thousand men. “ In coming here I had two escapes, from the Turks (one of my vessels was taken, but afterwards released), and the other from shipwreck; we drove twice on the rocks near the Scrophes (islands near the coast). “ I have obtained from the Greeks the release of cight and twenty Turkish prisoners, men, ivomen, and children, and sont them to Patras and Prevesa at my own charges. One little girl of nine years old, who proposes remaining with me, I shall (if I live) send with her mother, probably, to Italy, or to England, and adopt her. ller name is Halo Hatagec; she NOTE. - That nothing had occurred to subrert these friendly sentiments will appear from the three letters sub "SIT, is a very pretty lively child. All her brothers were killed by day and night till he arrives in London. - I must, Sir, praythe Greeks, and she herself and her mother were spared by ing forgiveness, and hoping at the same time that you will so special favour, and owing to her extreme youth, she being then far oblige me as to execute all my wishes, which I am well but five or six years old. convinced you will not refuse. “ My health is rather belter, and I can ride about again " I remain, Sir, My office here is no sinecure - 50 many parties and difficul. “ Your most obedient and very humble screari, ties of every kind; but I will do what I can Prince Mavro. " W. FLETCHER, cordati is an excellent person, and does all in his power ; but " Valet to the late L. B. for twenty years. his situation is perplering in the extreme : still we have great hopes of the success of the contest. You will hear, however, " P. S. – I mention my name and capacity that you may more of public news from plenty of quarters, for I have little remember and forgive this, when you remember the quality time to write. Believe me, of times I have been at your house in dibemarle-street. “ Youts, &c. Sc. “ To John Murray, Esq." “ N. B. “ To John Murray, Esq." NOTE. - Other letters from Lord Byron, of the same tenor and force with these now produced, might have been added. But it is presumed that these are sufficient to dernonstrate in the present case, what has been demonstrated in many others, LETTER OP LORD BYRON'S VALET. that desultory, ex parte conversations, even is accurately re ported, will often convey imperfect and erroneous notions of Missolonghi, dpril 21. 1994 the speaker's real sentiments. JOHN MURRAY. “ Forgive me for this intrusion which I now am under Albemarle Street, the painful necessity of writing to you, to inform you of the 301h Oct. 1824. mcluncholy news of my Lord Byron, who is no more. He de. parted this miserable life on the 19th of April, after an illness of only ten days. His lordship began by a nervous fever, and terminated with an inflammation on the brain, for want of Capt. MEDWIN, p. 170. being bled in time, which his lordship refused till it was too My differences with Murray are not over. When he late. I have sent the Hon. Mrs. Leigh's letter inclosed in purchased • Cain,' . The two Foscari,' and 'Sardanapalus,' yours, which I think would be better for you to open and er. he sent me a deed, which you may remember witnessing. plain to Mrs. Leigh, for I fear the contents of the letter will be after its return to England, it was discovered that it too much for her. And you will please to inform Lady Byron contained a clause which had been introduced without my and the Honourable Miss Byron, whom I am wished to see knowledge, a clause by which I bound myself to offer Nr. when I return with my lord's effects, and his dear and nobie Murray all my future compositions. But I shall take do remains : Sir, you will please manage in the mildest way pos notice of it." sible, or I am much afraid of the consequences. Sir, you will please give my duty to Lady Byron ; hoping she will allow me NOTE. The words in italic are those which were supto see her, by my lord's particular wish, and Miss Byron like. pressed in the two first editions of Captain Medwin's book, wise. Please to ercuse all defects, for I scarcely know what I and which Mr. Murray has received from the publisher after either say or do, for after twenty years' service with my lord, the foregoing statement was printed. He has only to observe he was more to me than a father, and I am too much dis upon the subject, that on referring to the deed in question, tressed to now give a correct account of every particular, no such clause is to be found ; that this instrument was signed which I hope to do at my arrival in England. - Sir, you will in London by the Hon. Douglas Kinnaird, as Lord Byron's likewise have the goodness to forward the letter to the Honour procurator, and witnessed by Richard Williams, Esq., one of able Captain George Byron, who, as the representative of the the partners in Mr. Kinnaird's banking-house ; and that the family and title, I thought it my duty to send him a line. But signature of Captain Medwin is not affixed. you, Sir, will please to esplain to him all particulars, as I J. M. have not time, as the erpress is now ready to make his voyage 2nd Nov. Well ; Index. A. fourth earl of, 17. 428. 436. 739. of, 618. 650. drunkenness, epitaph on, 537. remarkable dream, 6-13. His faint praise,' 759. Drury Lane Theatre,' 552. Caledonian Meeting,' 558. sion that the author would soon die,' 534. dying,' translation of, 379. • Seven before Thebes,' 192. Trans- 390. His Persians' quoted, 637. et Annus haud Mirabilis,' 526. 641. Aglietti, Dr., 42. 230. mens of, 763. 22, 23. 703. Their resemblance to the highlanders of Scotland, 763. her chalky belt, 700. General charm of his name, 303. His character, 315. 744. tomb of Ajax, 82. 647. His sarcopha- Issus, 808. 675. 742. rossa to, 771. tomb in the church of Santa Croce, 776. wife Isabella, 107. His letter in Latin to Lord Byron, tro, 84. The original of Lambro, 644. ter), 418, fecting epitaph, 35. n. passing the, 544. Reflections on the past and present state of, 21. East, 83. Anacreon, his θελω λεγειν Ατρειδας" translated, 380. His MicevurTICL15 Tod' worse than those of Ovid, 595. 540. 551. 594. logues, 431. Some account of, 431. n. of Santa Croce, 48. His Statue of Leo X., 503. Anecdote of, 803. sports,' 735. 597, The slave of love, 629. 668. society hinges,' 733. 754. Argyro-Castro, 84. Ilis bust, 46. 775. Contrasted with the public robber, 805. semblance to the highlanders of Scot- land, 762 718. play of, 590, 591. on the past and present condition of, art at, 17. ing it into a statue of Alexander, 726. vious to the battle or Chalons, 460. to,' 470. 751. versified, 677. 609. Panegyric on, 719. roser !'401. Bacon, Lord, 633, 744. Essay on Em- · Beppo, a Venetian Story,' 142. pire, 665. Inaccuracies in his Apo- Beranger, M., 697. Bergami, Princess of Wales's courier Berkeley, Bishop, his scepticism con. Lord Byron, 593. Remarkable for Berlin, 528. 709. Bernard, St., monks of, 763. Bernese Alps, 36. Berni, the father of the Boppo style of writing, 143. 482. Bernis, Abbé de, 195. Bertram, Mathurin's tragedy of, 196 Pope Alexander the Third, 43. 771. Bigamy, 693. Bigotry, 6. 174. Bile, energetic, described, 664. Birds, belief that the souls of the dead Eiren, John Ernest, Duke of Courland, 703. Blackburn, Archbishop, 107. Blackett, Joseph, the poetical cobbler, 150, 432, 547. Don Juan, 581, 582. • Some Obser. rations upon its Remarks on Doa Juan,' 800. Critical notes from, pos- $117. Blair, Dr., his Sermons, 625 Blake, fashionable tonsor, 446. Bland, Rer. Robert, his Collections from the Greek Anthology, 43 907. Blank-verse, excellence of rhyme over, in English poetry, 439. 608. 806. Blatant Beast, 7. Blessington, Countess of, Impromptu on her taking a villa called ' Il Para- diso,' 577. Lines written at the re- quest of, 577. Mutiny of the Bounty, 161. the correctness of Lord Byron's deli- hands,'702. neation of Napoleon Buonaparte, 590. Bloomfield, Robert, 432. 450. Bloomfield, Nathaniel, 433. 450. Blue, instrument for measuring the in- complaint that one of Lord Byron's Blue Devils, 743. Blues, 149. 151. 507. 651. 715. * Boatswain,' Lord Byron's favourite at Cintra described, 6. Character of ment,'539. his. Vathek,'6. Some account of, 6. Boccaccio, treatment of his ashes, 45. Defence of, 778. Baotia, 12. 764. Boehm, Mrs., 149. Bolero, 738. Boleyn, Anne, her remark on the scar- fold, 100. Bolingbroke, Lord, hires Ma'let to tra. Bolivar, Simon, 529. Bonn, 709. Bonne fortune, 740. B. discoverer of gunpowder, 637. |