Life of Lord Byron, Vol. II eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 344 pages of information about Life of Lord Byron, Vol. II.

Life of Lord Byron, Vol. II eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 344 pages of information about Life of Lord Byron, Vol. II.
“Pray write; you shall hear when I remove to Lancs.  I have brought you and my friend Juvenal Hodgson upon my back, on the score of revelation.  You are fervent, but he is quite glowing; and if he take half the pains to save his own soul, which he volunteers to redeem mine, great will be his reward hereafter.  I honour and thank you both, but am convinced by neither.  Now for notes.  Besides those I have sent, I shall send the observations on the Edinburgh Reviewer’s remarks on the modern Greek, an Albanian song in the Albanian (not Greek) language, specimens of modern Greek from their New Testament, a comedy of Goldoni’s translated, one scene, a prospectus of a friend’s book, and perhaps a song or two, all in Romaic, besides their Pater Noster; so there will be enough, if not too much, with what I have already sent.  Have you received the ‘Noetes Atticae?’ I sent also an annotation on Portugal.  Hobhouse is also forthcoming.”

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LETTER 70.  TO MR. DALLAS.

     “Newstead Abbey, Sept. 23. 1811.

Lisboa is the Portuguese word, consequently the very best.  Ulissipont is pedantic; and as I have Hellas and Eros not long before, there would be something like an affectation of Greek terms, which I wish to avoid, since I shall have a perilous quantity of modern Greek in my notes, as specimens of the tongue; therefore Lisboa may keep its place.  You are right about the ‘Hints;’ they must not precede the ‘Romaunt;’ but Cawthorn will be savage if they don’t; however, keep them back, and him in good humour, if we can, but do not let him publish.
“I have adopted, I believe, most of your suggestions, but ‘Lisboa’ will be an exception to prove the rule.  I have sent a quantity of notes, and shall continue; but pray let them be copied; no devil can read my hand.  By the by, I do not mean to exchange the ninth verse of the ‘Good Night.’  I have no reason to suppose my dog better than his brother brutes, mankind; and Argus we know to be a fable.  The ‘Cosmopolite’ was an acquisition abroad.  I do not believe it is to be found in England.  It is an amusing little volume, and full of French flippancy.  I read, though I do not speak the language.
“I will be angry with Murray.  It was a book-selling, back shop, Paternoster-row, paltry proceeding, and if the experiment had turned out as it deserved, I would have raised all Fleet Street, and borrowed the giant’s staff from St. Dunstan’s church, to immolate the betrayer of trust.  I have written to him as he never was written to before by an author, I’ll be sworn, and I hope you will amplify my wrath, till it has an effect upon him.  You tell me always you have much to write about.  Write it, but let us drop metaphysics;—­on that point we shall never agree.  I am dull and drowsy, as usual.  I do nothing, and even that nothing fatigues me.  Adieu.”

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Life of Lord Byron, Vol. II from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.