BYRON'S LETTERS TO DOUGLAS KINNAIRD ... - Get a Free Blog

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but on some other security. – – –
You did not answer my real question I asked in the event of my surviving Lady B. & her daughter (and
I have no wish to do either) but I asked in that case what becomes of her original portion – does it go
back to the {N l } family or remain in mine? –
Reply – please your honour – on these financial matters. – –
I have also {quite three} nearly four Cantos of D.J. ready – now I wish to consult you – supposing
them at par as compositions – what ought they to produce us in the present state of publicating? – I will
be guided by you – Murray has had the late things cheap enough – and I don’t expect much for them –
– but for the D.J.s I conceive that we ought to have a previous
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stipulation. – The argument consists of more love – and a good deal of War – a technical description of
a modern siege (in the style of the Storm in the 2 d . C o which is {or was} reckoned Good) 46 with much
philosophy – and satire upon heroes and despots and the present false state of politics and society. –
Now – about fee from Mortgage – don’t contrive to sell out so as that I may lose – a half
year’s income – or I shall be somewhat salvage – as you may presume. – If you would only let me
know what you think I shall have {in the earliest payment} from the Noel Estate – & when – & how
much we ought to have for the {new} D.J.s & c . I will then arrange with you what I ought to set apart
for liquidation {& insurances} – & what to receive for privy purse expenditure. – ever y rs .
N. B.
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P.S.
If we have upon the whole a good year – I should be inclined to encrease the insurance even to £25000
– but that will depend on so many contingencies. – –
Have you sold out of the funds – I wish you would? now is about [Ms. tear: “the”] right time – and I
don’t think that they will hold up much longer. –
With regard to the literary paction with Ridgeway – or others – {for those M.S.S.} – I do not mean to
be hard upon them – indeed my expectations on that score are moderate enough. – Shall I finish the
12 th . C o – and send it – it would make the whole two volumes of the former size –
2:2 [above address:] of course it is by no means expected – that an encrease in the Number of Cantos –
is to bring an exactly proportional encrease of price – {but} that matter will be easily settled – for I
leave it to you – and [below address:] will not have any discussion about it. –
With regard to “omissions” – recollect that the Cant of the Day has already taken it’s tone – and that if
the whole were reduced to an actual homily – they would cant the same. We are not to yield to such
things. – Let me have the proofs to revise – and I will do what I can however. –
Byron to Douglas Kinnaird, from Pisa, August 31st 1822:
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43453; not in 1922 II; BLJ IX 198-9)
[To, The Hon ble Douglas Kinnaird. / Messrs Ransom & C o . Bankers. / Pall Mall. / London. / Angleterre.
// Inghilterra.]
[at top of first side, very cramped:] What do you think we should
ask for the 4 new C os supposing
them at par as compositions – they are upwards of 420. octave stanzas.
Pisa. August 31 st . 1822.
My dear Douglas
Your Circular or rather Circuitous notes – arrived & were acknowledged last week
after their long tour. – – – –
I do not understand how Lady Noel who died in January – can be entitled to rents beyond Lady Day – –
and I never heard of payments of rents except at Lady=day & Michaelmas. – Do you mean to tell me
that I should be entitled to the next half year’s rent if Lady B. was to be translated at present? – – –
46: The Shipwreck versifies parts of Dalyell’s Shipwrecks and Disasters at Sea, the Siege Cantos versify a section
of Castelnau’s Histoire de la Nouvelle Russie.