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

easons for quitting Murray as a publisher – and also my determination to continue to publish; – as to
the profit – that must be as it pleases the Gods – but I shall not give way to discouragement – as long as
I do not feel my mind failing. – – With regard to the public I have expected that to change this many a
good year – but I may perhaps find a reader or two even yet in Germany or America –
y rs . ever & truly [scrawl]
Byron to Douglas Kinnaird, from Pisa, February 6th 1822:
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43453; 1922 II 210-12; BLJ IX 100-1)
[To The Hon ble Douglas Kinnaird / Messrs Ransom & C o . Bankers. / Pall Mall / London. / Angleterre.
// Inghilterra.]
Pisa. F y 6 th . 1822.
My dear Douglas /
“Try back the deep lane” 8 till we find a publisher for “the Vision” – and if none such is
to be found – print fifty copies (at my expence) distribute them amongst my acquaintances – and you
will soon see that the booksellers will publish them – even if we opposed them. – That they are {now}
afraid – is natural – but I do not see that I ought to give way on that account. – I know nothing of
Rivington’s remonstrance by the “eminent Churchman” but I suppose he wants a living {} {I
{{only}} heard of a preacher at Kentish town against Cain} – The same outcry was raised against
Priestley – Hume – Gibbon – Voltaire – and all the men who ever dared put tithes to the question. – – –
–
I wrote to you some time ago {with and} about “the Deluge” & Werner (which I sent to Moore) and
proposed Galignani as an experiment – (always under submission to y r . Judgement in business matters)
recommending you to forward all in your hands & all (unpublished) in M r . Murray’s hands
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(the translation from Pulci & c . – the Po & c .) to Moore at Paris – 17. Rue d’Anjou – S t . Honoré. – –
Murray (who is I suppose heartily alarmed) will I dare say give them up – (and the connection) very
willingly. –
I have written (civilly but coldly) to avise him thereof. 9 – – – – – – – –
What you say of Hobhouse – I had already anticipated by writing to him a letter which will settle the
matter – and of course amicably. – As to any quarrel between him & me – (unless preceded by some
very gross overt act) I should look upon it as out of the question after our long and not barren (on his
part) friendship. – But I was hurt & the more so – as I have been ever very cautious in touching him up
on literary matters. – – For instance on his row with Canning – on which perhaps I might have differed
from him – I kept
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total silence – because I thought that I might annoy him. – As to the ballad which he harps upon 10 – he
has written half a dozen at different {times on me,} – and one I remember in which he quizzed both
you and me – (in 1816) now – did I ever make words or fuss about it? – it was the deliberate and
wrothful – seriousness of his criticism of the poems 11 – which vexed me – and the extreme
unguardedness of [Ms. tear: “his”] expressions. – But it is over. – I wish I was out of the funds for all
your security – but I suppose I must bear the delay. –
y rs . ever
& truly
[scrawl]
P.S.
I have just got Southey’s pretended reply – to which I am surprized that you do not allude –
what
8: This is when the fox doubles back and runs through deep cover.
9: B. to Mu., January 22nd 1822: I shall send to M r . K. the drama of “Werner or the Inheritance” in five acts –
which were completed on the twentieth. – – As you have lately published more of mine than you seem to think
convenient – it is probable that I {shall} not trouble you with the publication of these – but transfer
them to some other publisher, – and I merely apprize you of this – because it may be proper after
the length of the connection – not to terminate it abruptly without such advice of my intention …
10: My Boy Hobbie-O.
11: H.’s letter criticisng Cain has not been found.
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