It provokes me that a foolish spirit of revenge and retaliation in Mr. Johnson, owing to my giving Mr. Carr five hundred pounds for his Northern Summer, for which he had offered but one hundred pounds, should have stimulated him to step between you and me, and give so monstrous a price for a work which he has not seen, on a first application; a species of work, too, wholly out of his line of publication.
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I am content, however, because such a spirit cannot but meet with its own punishment, and because, though unlawfully obtained, you are to benefit by it!
Still I am persuaded that my honest (legitimate) two hundred, and fifty pounds per edition, would have produced as much to you, and you would have no qualms of conscience, arising from your having robbed a parent of his own child.
In the first emotions, after receiving your letters, Cherry happening to call at the very instant, I resolved to outbid Johnson, though I might give five hundred pounds; some further consideration of the subject, has however, resolved me not to alter my last offer of two hundred pounds, to be drawn for in any way convenient to yourself, and fifty pounds per future edition after the first of fifteen hundred copies, which will little more than repay the two hundred pounds.
I am sorry you had not faith in me, and that you have been misled and dazzled so as not to feel your true interest. I am ever disposed to give to authors three-fourths of the product of their labours—and I could not live with less than the other fourth.
A little calculation (my favourite theme) may satisfy you that I made you a fair offer; and Johnson might as well have given you three thousand pounds as three hundred pounds, stimulated as he is by pique and a spirit of revenge.
The letter of Mr.
Cherry must, therefore, be considered as nothing. I shall be glad to receive the re-
| 274 | LADY MORGAN'S MEMOIR. |
