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

Byron to Douglas Kinnaird, from Genoa, December 9th 1822:
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43454; not in 1922 II; BLJ X 51)
[To, The Honorable / Douglas Kinnaird, / Messrs Ransom & C o . Bankers. / Pall Mall / London /
Angleterre. // Inghilterra.]
Genoa. 10b re . 9 o 1822.
My dear Douglas – I address to you a line of advice that I have received – signed – & will forward to
you the deed for the Rochdale Tolls’ purchase. – You can, if it seems fitting pay the money to Messrs.
Hanson – when their account is duly examined and audited by the proper persons chosen for the
purpose. – In the mean time – methinks the amount (i.e. the five hundred pounds) are quite as well in
your hands as theirs. – I shall send the deeds by the diligence – or {some} of the Es h
Minister’s {} Messengers – to avoid postage which is heavy upon
parchments. – – I have also to tell you that I have completed the 12 th . Canto of D.J. & will forward it
when copied {over} fairly. 91 – –
With the three first (6 th . 7 th . 8 th . i.e.) in one volume – (as being the longest –) and the 9 th . l0 th . 11 th . 12 th .
– in another – the whole
1:2 [above address:] may form two volumes – of about the same size as the two former. – But – I will
correct {the} proofs of the whole when you send them to me. – Perhaps you had better publish one
with one publisher and the other with another – it would be [Ms. tear: “a”] [below addresss:] new
experiment – or one {in} one month – & the other {in} the next – or both at once? – what thinkest
thou? – There are some good things in them, as perhaps may be allowed. – – – –
Are you not quite well yet? – I hope so. – I am selling two more horses – and dismissing two
superfluous servants. – My horses now amount to four instead of nine – & I have arranged my
establishment on the same footing. – So you perceive that I am [up left-hand side:] in earnest in my
frugalities. –
y rs . ever & affect ly .
N. B.
Douglas Kinnaird to Byron, from London, December 10th 1822:
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43456)
[à Milord / Milord Byron / en son Hotel / à Genoa / Italie]
Kinnaird answers Byron’s long letter of November 28th.
Pall Mall Dec r 10 – 1822
My dear Byron
Your letter of the 28 th Nov r is before me – I will attend to your wishes with regard to the
payment of your debts – But Mr Hanson has this day acquainted with the existence of some of which I
was not aware – Firstly there is a Butcher’s Bill near Newstead – but that does not exceed £40 – 2 dly
There is the Principal Sum (several hundred Pounds) of an Annuity which you raised before you came
of age, & for which a servant of your mother was Security 92 – He redeemed it – Hanson was to have
sent y e Particulars to – day – but he has not – I have paid him about £50 for the Seals &c order’d by
you – Mr Maddison shall not be paid till You are satisfied of the correctness of the
1:2
claim – I am really & sincerely glad that you are taking the trouble to look after & understand your
own affairs – Exchequer Bills are as good a means of procuring an interest for your surplus monies – &
at the same time having the principal at Sudden Command without the risk of any but a trifling loss, as
any other security I know – the interest they yield is a little less than 3 per cent – I shall be delighted to
see you accumulate – I have sent the letter to Mr Deardon – Ridgway, 93 I have already written to you,
has declined to publish Don Juan – A true Bill has been formed against the Publisher of the Vision of
Judgement 94 – My opinion is that Mr Scarlett 95 shd be retained & be employed – I suppose the expence
of the Defence will fall on you – This should be understood – Mr Hunt, whom
1:3
91: B.’s copyist is Mary Shelley, though he never mentions her to K.
92: On December 23rd B. denies this.
93: James Ridgway and Son, publishers, had considered taking the new Cantos.
94: John Hunt had published TVOJ in the first volume of The Liberal on October 15th 1822
95: James Scarlett (subsequently Attorney General under Canning) did indeed defend John Hunt; but the case was
lost, and Hunt was fined £100, which B. paid.
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