158 — To William Miller 1
Reddish's Hotel, July 30th, 1811.
Sir
, — I am perfectly aware of the justice of your remarks, and am convinced that, if ever the poem is published, the same objections will be made in much stronger terms. But as it was intended to be a poem on
Ariosto's plan,
that
is
to
say
on
no plan
at all, and, as is usual in similar cases, having a predilection for the worst passages, I shall retain those parts, though I cannot venture to defend them. Under these circumstances I regret that you decline the publication, on my own account, as I think the book would have done better in your hands; the pecuniary part, you know, I have nothing to do with.
But
I can perfectly conceive, and indeed
approve
your reasons, and assure you my sensations are not
Archiepiscopal
enough as yet to regard the rejection of my Homilies.
I am, Sir, your very obed't humble serv't,
Byron
.
Footnote 1:
William Miller (1769-1844), son of Thomas Miller, bookseller, of Bungay (see Beloe's
Sexagenarian,
2nd edit., vol. ii pp. 253, 254), served his apprenticeship in Hookham's publishing house. In 1790 he set up for himself as a bookselling publisher in Bond Street. From 1804 onwards his place of business was at 50, Albemarle Street. But in September, 1812, he sold his stock, copyrights, good will, and lease to John Murray, and retired to a country farm in Hertfordshire. He declined to publish
Childe Harold,
on the grounds that it contained "sceptical stanzas," and attacked Lord Elgin as a plunderer. But on the latter point, Byron, who was in serious earnest, was not likely to give way. In Beloe's
Sexagenarian
(vol. ii pp. 270, 271), Miller is described as
"the splendid bookseller," who "was enabled to retire to tranquillity and independence long before the decline of life, or infirmities of age, rendered it necessary to do so. He was highly respectable, but could drive a hard bargain with a poor author, as well as any of his fraternity."
cross-reference: return to Footnote 4 of Letter 149
cross-reference: return to Footnote 1 of Letter 167
Footnote 2:
Alluding to Gil Blas and the Archbishop of Grenada (see page 121,
3).
