The Works of Lord Byron: Letters and Journals Volume II Part 81

Sir James Mackintosh ('Life', vol. ii. p. 271).]

360.--To John Murray.

November 29, 1813.

Sunday--Monday morning--three o'clock--in my doublet and hose,--_swearing_.

Dear Sir,--I send you in time an Errata page, containing an omission of mine [1], which must be thus added, as it is too late for insertion in the text. The pa.s.sage is an imitation altogether from Medea in Ovid, and is incomplete without these two lines. Pray let this be done, and directly; it is necessary, will add one page to your book(-_making_), and can do no harm, and is yet in time for the _public_. Answer me, thou Oracle, in the affirmative. You can send the loose pages to those who have copies already, if they like; but certainly to all the _Critical_ copyholders.

Ever yours, BIRON.

P.S.--I have got out of my bed (in which, however, I could not sleep, whether I had amended this or not), and so good morning. I am trying whether _De l'Allemagne_ will act as an opiate, but I doubt it.

[Footnote 1: 'The Bride of Abydos', Canto II. stanza xx. The lines were:

"Then, if my lip once murmurs, it must be No sigh for Safety, but a prayer for thee."]

361.--To John Murray.

November 29, 1813.

"_You have looked at it!_" to much purpose, to allow so stupid a blunder to stand; it is _not_ "_courage_" but "_carnage_;" and if you don't want me to cut my own throat, see it altered.

I am very sorry to hear of the fall of Dresden.

362.--To John Murray.

Nov. 29, 1813, Monday.

Dear Sir,--You will act as you please upon that point; but whether I go or stay, I shall not say another word on the subject till May--nor then, unless quite convenient to yourself. I have many things I wish to leave to your care, princ.i.p.ally papers. The _vases_ need not be now sent, as Mr. W. is gone to Scotland. You are right about the Er[rata] page; place it at the beginning. Mr. Perry is a little premature in his compliments [1]: these may do harm by exciting expectation, and I think _we_ ought to be above it--though I see the next paragraph is on the 'Journal' [2], which makes me suspect _you_ as the author of both.

Would it not have been as well to have said in 2 cantos in the advertis.e.m.e.nt? they will else think of _fragments_, a species of composition very well for _once_, like _one ruin_ in a _view_; but one would not build a town of them. 'The Bride', such as it is, is my first _entire_ composition of any length (except the Satire, and be d.a.m.ned to it), for 'The Giaour' is but a string of pa.s.sages, and 'Childe Harold'

is, and I rather think always will be, unconcluded. I return Mr. Hay's note, with thanks to him and you.

There have been some epigrams on Mr. W[ard]: one I see to-day [3].

The first I did not see, but heard yesterday. The second seems very bad and Mr. P[erry] has placed it over _your_ puff. I only hope that Mr. W.

does not believe that I had any connection with either. The Regent is the only person on whom I ever expectorated an epigram, or ever should; and even if I were disposed that way, I like and value Mr. W. too well to allow my politics to contract into spleen, or to admire any thing intended to annoy him or his. You need not take the trouble to answer this, as I shall see you in the course of the afternoon.

Yours very truly, B.

P.S.--I have said this much about the epigrams, because I live so much in the _opposite camp_, and, from my post as an Engineer, might be suspected as the flinger of these hand Grenadoes; but with a worthy foe I am all for open war, and not this bush-fighting, and have [not] had, nor will have, any thing to do with it. I do not know the author.

[Footnote 1: In the 'Morning Chronicle', November 29, 1813, appeared the following paragraph:

"Lord Byron's muse is extremely fruitful. He has another poem coming out, ent.i.tled 'The Bride of Abydos', which is spoken of in terms of the highest encomium."]

[Footnote 2: 'Journal of Llewellin Penrose, a Seaman.']

[Footnote 3:

"Ward has no heart, they say; but I deny it;-- He has a heart, and gets his speeches by it."]