“An individual taking upon himself to address, in his
own undisguised name, one whom he can only designate officially, starts with
vast odds; because he has no idea how he may most effectually further his own
views; how far candour may be construed impertinence, or a prudent reserve
imply distrust. I can have no other data to go on, in
this case, than a consciousness how I should myself be most easily induced to
give my attention to an unknown corres-
| BERNARD BARTON. | 115 |
“I am engaged just now in superintending a volume of poetry through the press, or, in other words, expect shortly to have one out. As soon as it is ready for delivery, and if possible, a few days before any copies are laid on a bookseller’s counter, I could wish to have one transmitted to thee. This is all in the usual course, certainly, and could hardly require any previous address; but as a thousand things may prevent me at the time from explaining my views as to the claims of this volume on public notice, and as I have a leisure half hour this evening, I feel quite disposed to avail myself of it. Indeed, I could wish, before I actually present my production to thy critical inspection and consequent verdict, to have some grounds for hoping, not that it will be praised, but that it will be fairly and fully examined. Without some such encouragement, I might naturally doubt whether a volume of poems coming out neither from the Row, Albemarle-street, Conduit-street, nor any other birth-place of equal celebrity, but from Grace-church-street, and having in the title-page a name never before in print, would be ever looked into.
“But now for a word or two as to the book itself, and
its claims on public notice. Its author is certainly not the most suitable
judge of those claims; though I believe, judging from the occasional comments
in the ‘Literary Journal,’ we should not
differ very materially on the merits of the volume. I have read too much excellent poetry to over-rate my own very egregiously;
but waving this part of the business, I may be allowed perhaps to know more
than any one can of my own views in publishing, and my own feelings in
composing these poems; and perhaps I may be
| 116 | AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. |
| THE ABBE M’QUIN: ETYMOLOGY. | 117 |
“P.S. If not requesting too great a favour, I would add that I should have great pleasure in paying the postage of a few lines in reply to this. I have no improper curiosity about who my correspondents may be, so, if most agreeable, keep up thy impersonality and address me officially. A letter will find me addressed Bernard Barton, Woodbridge, Suffolk.”
