194—to R. C. Dallas
Newstead Abbey, Sept. 26, 1811.
My Dear Sir
,-In a stanza towards the end of canto 1st, there is in the concluding line,
Some bitter bubbles up, and e'en on roses stings.
I have altered it as follows:
Full from the heart of joy's delicious springs
Some bitter o'er the flowers its bubbling venom flings.
If
you
will point out the stanzas on Cintra
which you wish recast, I will send you mine answer. Be good enough to address your letters here, and they will either be forwarded or saved till my return. My agent comes tomorrow, and we shall set out immediately.
The press must not proceed of course without my seeing the proofs, as I have much to do.
Pray
, do you think any alterations should be made in the stanzas on Vathek
?
I should be sorry to make any improper allusion, as I merely wish to adduce an example of wasted wealth, and the reflection which arose in surveying the most desolate mansion in the most beautiful spot I ever beheld.
Pray keep Cawthorn back; he was not to begin till November, and even that will be two months too soon. I am so sorry my hand is unintelligible; but I can neither deny your accusation, nor remove the cause of it.—It is a sad scrawl, certes.—A perilous quantity of annotation hath been sent; I think almost
enough
, with the specimens of Romaic I mean to annex.
I will have nothing to say to your metaphysics, and allegories of rocks and beaches; we shall all go to the bottom together, so "let us eat and drink, for tomorrow," etc. I am as comfortable in my creed as others, inasmuch as it is better to sleep than to be awake.
I have heard nothing of Murray; I hope he is ashamed of himself. He sent me a vastly complimentary epistle, with a request to alter the two, and finish another canto. I sent him as civil an answer as if I had been engaged to translate by the sheet, declining altering anything in sentiment, but offered to tag rhymes, and mend them as long as he liked.
I will write from Rochdale when I arrive, if my affairs allow me; but I shall be so busy and savage all the time with the whole set, that my letters will, perhaps, be as pettish as myself. If so, lay the blame on coal and coal-heavers. Very probably I may proceed to town by way of Newstead on my return from Lancs. I mean to be at Cambridge in November, so that, at all events, we shall be nearer. I will not apologise for the trouble I have given and do give you, though I ought to do so; but I have worn out my politest periods, and can only say that I am much obliged to you.
Believe me, yours always,
Byron
.
Footnote 1:
Childe Harold
, Canto I. stanza xviii.
Footnote 2:
i. e.
on Bedford (see
Letters
, vol. i. p. 228,
note
1 [Footnote 2 of Letter 125]; and
Childe Harold
, Canto I, stanza xxii.).
