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

eported upon, if money could be advanced in outlay. – Or I would sell the remainder of the Manor – at
a Valuation – on Deardon making some sacrifice on his part. – Or – what you think fair. – Let me have
proofs of the 7 D.J.’s. I shall greatly extend the preface – and say some grand [vertically in left-hand
margin:] things. – Retain Counsel for M r . J. H t on my guarantee – believe me y rs . ever and truly N. B. –
Douglas Kinnaird to Byron, from London, January 3rd 1823:
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43456)
59
Pall Mall Jany 3 d 1822
My dear Byron –
Heaven & Earth (which appeared on the 1 st ins t as the leading article in the Liberal) 114 has delighted
every body (except Moore I presume) 115 – It’s success is perfect – Hunt sent it to me three days before
the publication of the liberal, & I had taste enough to anticipate vociferously in all quarters it’s great
success – I cannot say more of it’s success than this – the Public seems fairly to have appreciated it’s
merits – I am quite delighted – What will John Murray Esq re say? – Surely he will bite his fingers off 116
– I send you inclosed a copy such as Hunt would propose to print of the Juans at the same time he
printed the good copies, in order to defeat the Pirates – the volume thus printed would cost one shilling
– you will receive the Cantos successively for correction – he will do something good with these 7
Cantos 117 or I am mistaken – But you must at least hear me before you decide any
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thing – Being on the spot, I am better able than you can possibly be to judge when & how to strike – if
the Iron be hot – We will have all the Cantos ready to fire off at a moment’s notice & in what way we
like – I keep you & myself perfectly free with M r Hunt – By the bye, I hear John Hunt universally well
spoken of as an upright honest & honourable man – and all that has passed between him & me tends to
make me believe he merits his Character – But it is my duty as a man of business to put implicit
confidence in no man – We will not publish if you please till after the Vision is judged – But I let it be
generally known that I have got seven Cantos – M r Murray’s known wish not to publish Heaven &
Earth will take away all weight from any refusal of his to print any of your works hereafter – your
M.S.S. shall no longer be mislaid – I can confide in M r Hunt’s not taking any copy – I have come into
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close contact within this week with M r Davison, M r Murray’s Printer – They are not the best friends –
He is within a week to give me an insight into the mystery of M r Murray’s profits &c with your works
– He is to look out for a purchaser of Don Juan – I am inclined to think he would like to Speculate
himself – He is a good man on Change – In the mean time we are beforehand with time – I lose sight of
none of your affairs – & they are multifarious, God knows – I shall receive your fee on the 6 th – & will
write to you by next Post – I send you M r Deardon’s statement on the receipt of your letter – I have
prevented Lord Dacre & Sir F. Burdett 118 noticing M r Hanson’s intrusive & improper Communication
to them – You had distinctly told me you would not act on any opinion till after mature deliberation &
consulting with me – Had I happened to have been abroad, these men would have had your Kirkby
property in Chancery too – They have sound M r Metcalfe – & I have sent their accts to him to be
examined – I see that from 1817
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they amount to £2400 – a fearful & horrible sum to throw away in law – However I trust in God & in
Crabtree 119 we shall put an end to all future lawsuits – I shall not be at ease till you cease to spend £50
per an: on your Solicitor – I write in great hurry of business & of Spirits – for the Horizon is bright – I
shall have the delight of seeing your soar majestically above all your wretched Detractors –
114: Published January 1st 1822, together with the second edition of the first number, which included the
corrected version of TVOJ.
115: Moore’s Loves of the Angels was on a theme similar to that of Heaven and Earth.
116: Mu. had at first expressed willingness to publish Heaven and Earth.
117: Cantos X and XI had been sent to K. on October 27th and Canto XII on December 16th 1822.
118: In the deliberations over the division of property at the death of Lady Noel, B.’s mother-in-law, Sir Francis
Burdett (1770-1844) well-known rich radical (friend of H.), had represented B., and the twentieth Lord Dacre
(1774-1851), former Whig MP, had represented Annabella.
119: Mr Crabtree was an agent whom K. had sent to Lancashire to sort out the problem of the Rochdale collieries.