245—to John Murray
Cheltenham, Sept. 14, 1812.
Dear Sir,—The parcels contained some letters and verses, all (but one) anonymous and complimentary, and very anxious for my conversion from certain infidelities into which my good-natured correspondents conceive me to have fallen.
The books were presents of a convertible kind also,— Christian Knowledge and the Bioscope 1 , a religious Dial of Life explained:—to the author of the former (Cadell, publisher,) I beg you will forward my best thanks for his letter, his present, and, above all, his good intentions. The Bioscope contained an MS. copy of very excellent verses, from whom I know not, but evidently the composition of some one in the habit of writing, and of writing well. I do not know if he be the author of the Bioscope which accompanied them; but whoever he is, if you can discover him, thank him from me most heartily. The other letters were from ladies, who are welcome to convert me when they please; and if I can discover them, and they be young, as they say they are, I could convince them perhaps of my devotion. I had also a letter from Mr. Walpole on matters of this world, which I have answered.
So you are Lucien's publisher 2 ! I am promised an interview with him, and think I shall ask you for a letter of introduction, as "the gods have made him poetical." From whom could it come with a better grace than from his publisher and mine? Is it not somewhat treasonable in you to have to do with a relative of the "direful foe," as the Morning Post calls his brother?
But my book on Diet and Regimen, where is it? I thirst for Scott's Rokeby; let me have y'e first-begotten copy. The Anti-Jacobin Review 3 is all very well, and not a bit worse than the Quarterly, and at least less harmless. By the by, have you secured my books? I want all the Reviews, at least the Critiques, quarterly, monthly, etc., Portuguese and English, extracted, and bound up in one volume for my old age; and pray, sort my Romaic books, and get the volumes lent to Mr. Hobhouse—he has had them now a long time. If any thing occurs, you will favour me with a line, and in winter we shall be nearer neighbours.
Yours very truly,
Byron.
P. S.—I was applied to to write the Address for Drury Lane, but the moment I heard of the contest, I gave up the idea of contending against all Grub Street, and threw a few thoughts on the subject into the fire. I did this out of respect to you, being sure you would have turned off any of your authors who had entered the lists with such scurvy competitors; to triumph would have been no glory, and to have been defeated—'sdeath!—I would have choked myself, like Otway, with a quartern loaf 4 ; so, remember I had, and have, nothing to do with it, upon my Honour!
Footnote 1:
Granville Penn (1761-1844) was the author of numerous works on religious subjects. The Bioscope, or Dial of Life Explained appeared in 1812. The other work referred to by Byron is probably Penn's Christian's Survey of all the Primary Events and Periods of the World (1811), of which a second edition was published in 1812.
Footnote 2:
Lucien Buonaparte (1775-1840), Prince of Canino, since 1810 a landed proprietor in Shropshire, wrote an epic poem, Charlemagne, ou l'Église délivrée. It was translated (1815) by Dr. Butler of Shrewsbury and Francis Hodgson.
Footnote 3:
The Anti-Jacobin Review criticized Childe Harold in August, 1812; the Quarterly, in March, 1812.
Footnote 4:
Otway died April, 1685, at the age of thirty-three, from a fever contracted by drinking water when heated by running after an assassin (Spence's Anecdotes, p. 44). Theophilus Cibber (Lives of the Poets, ed. 1753, vol. ii. pp. 333, 334) gives another account of his death, viz. that he begged a shilling of a gentleman, and, being given a guinea, bought a roll, with which he was choked.
