Memoir of John Murray
John Murray to Lord Byron, 22 September 1818
I was much pleased to find, on my arrival from Edinburgh on
Saturday night, your letter of the 26th of August. The former one of the 21st I
received whilst in Scotland. The Saturday and Sunday previous I passed most
delightfully with Walter Scott, who was
incessant in his inquiries after your welfare. He entertains the noblest
sentiments of regard towards you, and speaks of you with the best feelings. I
walked about ten miles with him round a very beautiful estate, which he has
purchased by degrees, within two miles of his favourite Melrose. He has nearly
completed the centre and one wing of a castle on the banks of the Tweed, where
he is the happiness as well as pride of the whole neighbourhood. He is one of
the most hospitable, merry, and entertaining of mortals. He would, I am
confident, do anything to serve you; and as the paper* which I now enclose is a
second substantial proof of the interest he takes in your literary character,
perhaps it may naturally enough afford occasion for a letter from you to him. I
sent you by Mr. Hanson four volumes of a
second series of ‘Tales of my
Landlord,’ and four others are actually in the press.
Scott does not yet avow them, but no one doubts his
being their author. I should have much liked to see how you look in a full suit
of prose; and the slight drapery which you have occasionally put on affords a
very promising specimen. I regret, of course, your procrastination of the Memoir; but this is a subject of
delicacy which should be regulated entirely by your own feelings; but the
‘Tales’* I yet hope the spirit may move
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you to complete. I hope, in the search for Lady M. W. Montagu’s most interesting
letters, the Doctor† may stumble
upon some others of value. You told me some time ago that a lady was writing
the ‘Life of Lady M. W. Montagu.’ As
there may probably be some original anecdotes of that part of it which was
passed in Italy, I should be glad to be favoured with a copy of it as soon as
possible. I sent by Mr. Hanson a number
or two of Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, and I have in a
recent parcel sent the whole. I think that you will find in it a very great
share of talent, and some most incomparable fun; and as I have purchased half
the copyright of it, I shall feel very much obliged if you would occasionally
send me some anonymous (if you please) fun to add to it, and any news, literary
or scientific, that may fall in your way. If any of your literary acquaintances
are disposed to communicate interesting articles, you may insure to them ten
guineas a sheet; and if there be any poor fellows to whom you would like to
bestow such a trifle, you can direct me accordingly. John Wilson, who wrote the article on Canto IV. of ‘Childe Harold’ (of which, by
the way, I am anxious to know your opinion), has very much interested himself
in the journal, and has communicated some most admirable papers. Indeed, he
possesses very great talents and a variety of knowledge. I send you a very
well-constructed kaleidoscope, a newly-invented toy which, if not yet seen in
Venice, will I trust amuse some of your female friends.
Francesco Aglietti (1757-1836)
Venetian physician and man of letters; he edited the
Opere of
Algarotti (Venice, 1791-94).
John Hanson (1755-1841)
Byron's solicitor and business agent.
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu [née Pierrepont] (1689-1762)
English poet and epistolary writer, daughter of the first duke of Kingston; she quarreled
with Alexander Pope and after living in Constantinople (1716-18) introduced inoculation to
Britain.
John Murray II (1778-1843)
The second John Murray began the
Quarterly Review in 1809 and
published works by Scott, Byron, Austen, Crabbe, and other literary notables.
John Wilson [Christopher North] (1785-1854)
Scottish poet and Tory essayist, the chief writer for the “Noctes Ambrosianae” in
Blackwood's Magazine and professor of moral philosophy at Edinburgh
University (1820).
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. (1817-1980). Begun as the
Edinburgh Monthly Magazine,
Blackwood's assumed the name of its proprietor, William Blackwood after the sixth
number. Blackwood was the nominal editor until 1834.
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.
