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

68
as you knew before never have I – {nor shall I communicate with them through any other channel.} – I
wish to know the exact balance now due to them – after the Rochdale advance. – I perceive in the
accompt (Banker’s i.e.) Griffith’s and the devil knows who – who was not in the list of Creditors sent
by you in Nov r . – I Suppose the Scoundrels will swallow up what little there is one way or the other,
but pray don’t pay {them} too readily – for I suspect some of their {pretensions} [Ms. tear] or
double what they ought – of this I am sure at least that I see “Banger” and “Madison” and names that I
never even [Ms. tear: “heard”] of in my existence – not even as duns and that’s strange. – With regard
to Kirkby – what is the Michaelmas payment? is the sum to be received on our part 1500 – or 700 – {or
l00} – for on this I am quite in the dark – or even if it be three – or two or one – if it be like the last – it
will be hardly worth a Chancery Suit. – – I must positively remit some {of your} Circulars
back and convert them into cash – or we shall never get on with lawyers or other rogues or
{Creditors}. 128 – This was
1:2 [above address:] proposed in a recent letter – and I only wait your answer to send you 1200£ in
your own paper – I return the D.J. corrected – I say that it is good – and will do, – if M. is playing
tricks – through Davison – or there is any further [below address:] difficulty – publish boldly on my
own account – I feel no fears as to the circulation at least. – The whole 7 Cantos – publish, I say. – Call
Murray to a reckoning for Werner – and please to recollect – that it is not upon present sales
{we} are to account with him altogether – but that the fellow has eight and twenty years to treat for of
Copyright – if he has already sold six thousand (as you say) he will perhaps sell some more within 28
years. y rs . ever N. B.
Byron to Douglas Kinnaird, from Genoa, February 6th 1823 (ii):
(Source: Ms. NLS TD 3079, f.58; not in 1922 II; BLJ X 97)
[To – The Honourable Douglas Kinnaird. / Messrs Ransom & Co. Bankers. / Pall Mall. / London. /
Angleterre. // Inghilterra.]
A two-sided sheet.
Genoa. F y . 6 o . 1823.
My dear Douglas – – I have found the enclosed 129 – and signed and had it witnessed. – It must go to the
Hansons directly – as it must be returned to Scotland within sixty days of the Signature. – – –
The money to be received upon it is £133 – 12. – 4. – –
I also enclose two old letters of the Hansons – as they may perhaps let you into some of their affairs
with me – The enclosed could not be signed till yesterday – as it was mislaid – it ought to have been
signed three years ago. – You will receive the money & place it to our Items. –
The first witness is William Fletcher my Valet. –
The second John Dray 130 an English Gentleman at Genoa – he is of Burnash {in} Sussex. –
The place Genoa – the Date F y the sixth 1823.
You will see by the instructions that this statement of the witnesses’ derivations are exacted
particularly.
y rs . ever
N. B.
P.S. – I have returned your D.L. paper
and the D.J. by another packet.
Byron to Douglas Kinnaird, from Genoa, February 12th 1823:
(Source: Ms. NLS TD 3079, f.60; not in 1922 II; BLJ X 98-9)
[To. The Honourable / Douglas Kinnaird. / Messrs Ransom & Co. Bankers. / Pall Mall. / London. /
Angleterre. // Inghilterra.]
Genoa. F y 12 th . 1823. –
My dear Douglas – I have received y rs . of y e 31 st . J y . “You have heard nothing from Davison” you say –
and {you} will hear nothing. – He is a mere Spy of Murray’s depend upon it – think a little – is it likely
that he should be otherwise – connected as they are? – He was merely sent to see what we were about –
that M. might be as mischievous as he could. – You had better publish the Cantos on my account –
taking such precautions as may be eligible against piracy. – I am not at all clear that the poem is not a
Copy right – – at least {all but} the two first cantos – it is not sedition – it is not blasphemy – if Murray
chooses to try the question before a jury with the former cantos – I will with the present ones – indeed I
128: BLJ reads “of fechting”, but “or Creditors” is clear.
129: Described on March 20th 1823 as “a Scotch deed for 133 pounds &c. signed in order to receive the money”.
130: Could be “Davy”.