Star.
London, England, 1824-11-06 00:00:00

LORD BYRON'S LETTER.

" Ravenna, February 7,1820.
" MclaaAY—l have copied and cut the Third Canto of
Don Juan into two, because it was too lung, and I tell you this
before hand, because, in case of any reckoning between you and
re, these two are only to go for one, as this wa. the original form,
and in fact the two together are sot longer than is:vc of the first;
so remember that I have .not made this divi,ion to eloteb'e upon you,
br.t merely to suppress some tediousness in the aspect of the thing. I
alouid have served you a pretty trick if I had sent you, fur example,
Cantos of fifty stems each."
CAPT. MEDWIN, p. 169.
- • - -

" I don't wish to quarrel with Murray, but it seems
inevitable. I had no reason to be pleased with him
the other day. Galignani wrote to me, offering to pur-
chase the copy-right of my works, in order to obtain
an exclusive privilege of printing them in France. I
might have made my own terms, and put the money in
my own pocket; instead of which, I enclosed Gal ignaiii's
letter to Murray, in order that he might conclude the
matter as he iieased. Ile did S) very advantageously for
his own interest; but never had the complaisance, the
common 'politeness to thank meur ackno a ledge m y letter."
. LORD BYRON'S LETTER.
• " Ravenna, 9hie 4,1820.

" I have received from Mr. Galignani the inclosed letters, du-
plicates, and receipts,-which will explain themselves. As the poems
are yiaur property by purchase, right, and justice, all inauers pub-
&c. &c. arefor you to decide upon. I know not how far
my compliance with Mr. G.'s request might be legal, and I doubt
that it would not be honest. In case you . choose to arrange with
Ern I inclose the permits to yea, and in so• doing I wash my hauls
of the business altogether. I sign them merely to enable you to
exact the power you justly possess more properly. I will have no.
thing to do with it further, except in my answer to Mr. Galignani,
to itate that the letters, &c. ate sent to you, and the causes
thereof. If you can check these foreign pirates, do; if not, put the
permissive papers in the fire. I can have no view nor object what-
ever but to secure to you your property."
Non.—Mr. Murray derived no advantage from the
proposed agreement, which was by no means of the im-
portance here ascribed to it, and therelere was never
attempted to be car ried into effect : the documents al.
luded to are still in his possession.
CAPT. ASEDwIN, pp. 169-171.
" Murray has long prevented The Quarterly from
abusing me.* Some of their bullies have had their
angers itching to be at use; but they would get the
worst of it in a set-to. - - - -

•6 Murray and I have dissolved all connection: he had
the choice of giving up me or the Navy List. There was
no hesitation which way he should decide, the Admiralty
carried the day. Now for the Quarterly their batteries
will be opened ; but I can fire broadsides too. They
have been letting off lots of squibs and crackers against
me, but they only make a noise and ... . .
" 4 Werner was the last book Murray publi hed for
ate, and three months after came out the Quarte►ly's
article on my plays, when Marino Taliero' was no-
ticed for the first time."

LORD BYRON.S LETTER.

" Genoa, 10bre.25, 1822.

" I bad sent you back the Quarterly without perusal, having re-
solved to read no more reviews, good, bad, or indifferent ; but who
can cottroul his fate? ' Galignani: to whom my English studies
are confined, has forwarded a copy of at least one half of it in his
ildefatigable weekly compilation, and as, like honour, it came
unlooked for,' I. have looked through it. I must say, that upon the
whole—that is, the whole of the hay" which I have read (for the
other half is to be the segment of Gal.'s next week's circular), it is
certainly handsome, and anything but unkind or unfair."
NOT E.—The passage about the Admiralty is un-
founded in fact, and no otherwise deserving of notice
than to mai k its absurdity : and with regard to the
Quarterly Iteview, his Lordship well knew that it was
established, and constantly conducted on principles
which absolutely excluded Mr. Murray from all such
interference and influence as is implied in the " Con-
3a/ions."

CAPT. NIEDwIN, page 168.
" Because I gave Mr. Murray one of my poems, he
wanted to make me believe that 1 had made liim a pre-
sent of two others, and hinted at some lines in English
Bards' that were certainly to the point. But I have al-
tered my mind •considerably upon that subject: as I
mice hinted to him, I see no mason why a man should
rot profit by the sweat of his brain as well as that of his
brow, &c. besides, I was poor at that time, and have no
idea of aggrandizing booksellers."