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

I have written to you three times lately – (with two Cantos additional of D. J.) about the six of which
[Ms. tear: “I”] crave your opinion – and how they may be least disadvantageously published & by
whom. – You can Judge from circumstances – though profit is of course (like Honour –) when it comes
reasonably – – yet it is not the sole object of y rs . ever & truly
N. B.
P.S. – – You will let M r . J. Hunt have such pieces as are mentioned in my letters to him [vertically up
right-hand side:] as “Werner” & “Heaven [Ms. tear: “& Ear”]th” & c .
1:2
[above address:] P.S. – You will recollect that you yourself delivered into Murray’s hands the preface
and carefully corrected copy of the “Vision & c .” which I transmitted to you – I have [below address:]
your letter stating that you had done so 70 – and another of yours stating the preface and the corrections.
– If Murray plays these tricks purposely – he is a villain – & shall be exposed accordingly.
Byron to Douglas Kinnaird, from Genoa, November 13th 1822:
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43453; 1922 II 232-3; BLJ X 33)
[To, The Honourable / Douglas Kinnaird. / Messrs Ransom & C o . / Bankers / Pall Mall. / London]
A single sheet. In the address, Byron forgets to specify which country London is in.
Genoa. 9 bre . 13 th . 1822.
My dear Douglas –
The papers say that you have met with a serious accident. 71 I hope that they lie – or at
least exaggerate as usual. – But pray let me know – I shall not be easy till I hear that you are well. – – –
I had written to you lately on business two or three letters and sent a packet – but it is no time to be
bothering you now with such matters. – Only let me know how you are – or tell some one else to write
to say how you are going on.
y rs . ever
very aff ly
N. B.
Douglas Kinnaird to Byron, from London, November 15th 1822:
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43456: not in 1922 II; not in Kinnaird’s hand)
[A Milord / Milord Byron / en son hotel / à Genoa / Italie]
Kinnaird answers Byron’s of November 2nd. Shopping around for alternative publishers, he has
contacted James Ridgway and John Hunt. This really is the end for the Byron / Murray relationship.
London – Nov. 15 th 1822
My dear Byron
I am still obliged to write to you in another’s hand. 72 I have your letters up to the 2 d of Nov r . I have
since seen M r . Murray & M r . Henry Leigh Hunt. I have given my best attention to the subjects on
which you have invested me with a certain discretion. I do not believe that M r . Murray gave to M r .
Hunt any wrong copy intentionally of the “vision of judgment” 73 – This is my conviction – He had no
interest in so doing. The fact is – having sent the MSS both of the preface & the poem to M r Davison
his printer, he invested me with full authority over them & he was so frightened at having a copy of
either in his house that I recollect applying to him some time afterwards & he had none. In
consequence of an interview with M r . Henry Leigh Hunt this morning I have given him a letter to M r .
Davison desiring he may be furnished with the copy corrected by yourself & the preface. I recollect
thinking the latter excellent. Werner & Heaven & Earth have been for some days advertised to be
published by M r Murray. 74 Availing myself of the discretion allowed me & of the best reflection, I have
sanctioned M r Murray’s proceeding with the publication of Werner alone. He states that the one will
70: K. may not have delivered the TVOJ Preface to Murray, who thus could not have delivered it to Hunt: hence
the poem’s faulty first edition.
71: K. had been injured in a riding accident.
72: K. is recovering from his riding accident.
73: TVOJ was published in The Liberal on October 15th 1822, but from an uncorrected proof; see BLJ X 24-5 for
B.’s corrections, which were made in a second edition of the first number on January 1st 1823.
74: M. published Werner on November 22nd 1822; it was the last B. title he published. He did not publish Heaven
and Earth, which came out in the second number of The Liberal on January 1st 1823.
39