Memoir of John Murray
Walter Scott to John Murray, 2 November 1808
Ashestiel, Nov. 2nd, 1808.
My dear Sir,
I wrote you a few days ago, since which I was favoured with
your letter of the 26th, containing the lists of the Novels, &c., which
were very acceptable. I agree with you that the shape of the Drama is
inconvenient, but I really fear there is no other in which our matter will
endure the necessary compression. This size is also most convenient for a
shooting-seat or other place of temporary residence, as it contains a great
deal in little space, and is very easily transported.
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It has also the convenience of not being
“borrowed” with facility, and although the book be heavy, the
subject is light—were it a volume of Sermons, indeed, a fair lady might
endanger her toes by falling asleep with it in her hand. To give the selection
some appearance of arrangement, it will be necessary to separate the
Translations from the original Novels, to place those of each author
together—which I observe is neglected in Harrison’s series—and to keep the Novels, properly
so-called, separate from Romances and Tales. I have little doubt that 20
volumes of 700 pages will hold all the Novels, &c., that are worth
reprinting, but I will be a much better judge when I see the catalogues. Should
we find on strict selection that a volume or two more will be necessary, we can
throw the Tales into a separate division. As I am quite uncertain about my
journey to town, I think you had better send me the catalogues by the mail
coach. The name of work should be fixed. I have thought of two, which I submit
to you: ‘The Cabinet of Novels, being a collection, &c.,’ or
‘The English Novelist.’ I like the first best because it might be
varied into ‘The Cabinet of Tales and Romances;’ but perhaps you
can hit upon some one better than either. We must have as many of Charlotte Smith’s novels as we can
compass—the ‘Old Manor
House’ in particular. Pray look out for ‘Chaou Kiou Choau; or, The Pleasing Chinese
History’; it is a work of equal rarity and curiosity. I agree
entirely with you about Baron Trenck;
but as to Marmontel, don’t you
think a good selection of memoirs might one day be a more fit receptacle for
him than our Cabinet?
Your faithful servant,
James Harrison (1803 fl.)
London bookseller who published a series of popular British novelists in the 1770s; he
retired from trade in 1803.
Jean-François Marmontel (1723-1799)
French dramatist, historian, and encyclopedist, elected to the Académie française in
1763.
Charlotte Smith [née Turner] (1749-1806)
English poet and novelists whose sonnets were widely admired; she published
The Old Manor House (1793) and other novels.
Baron Frederic Trenck (1726-1794)
Prussian adventurer whose autobiography was translated by Holcroft into English in 1788
as
The Life of Baron Frederic Trenck; containing his Adventures; his
cruel and excessive Sufferings, during ten years imprisonment, at the Fortress of
Magdeburg.
The Quarterly Review. (1809-1967). Published by John Murray, the
Quarterly was instigated by Walter
Scott as a Tory rival to the
Edinburgh Review. It was edited by
William Gifford to 1824, and by John Gibson Lockhart from 1826 to 1853.
