“As it would not be fair to press you into a dedication, without previous notice, I send you two, and I will tell you why two.  The first, Mr. M., who sometimes takes upon him the critic (and I bear it from astonishment), says, may do you harm—­God forbid!—­this alone makes me listen to him.  The fact is, he is a damned Tory, and has, I dare swear, something of self, which I cannot divine, at the bottom of his objection, as it is the allusion to Ireland to which he objects.  But he be d——­d—­though a good fellow enough (your sinner would not be worth a d——­n).

“Take your choice;—­no one, save he and Mr. Dallas, has seen either, and D. is quite on my side, and for the first.[8] If I can but testify to you and the world how truly I admire and esteem you, I shall be quite satisfied.  As to prose, I don’t know Addison’s from Johnson’s; but I will try to mend my cacology.  Pray perpend, pronounce, and don’t be offended with either.

     “My last epistle would probably put you in a fidget.  But the devil,
     who ought to be civil on such occasions, proved so, and took my
     letter to the right place.

“Is it not odd?—­the very fate I said she had escaped from * *, she has now undergone from the worthy * *.  Like Mr. Fitzgerald, shall I not lay claim to the character of ’Vates?’—­as he did in the Morning Herald for prophesying the fall of Buonaparte,—­who, by the by, I don’t think is yet fallen.  I wish he would rally and route your legitimate sovereigns, having a mortal hate to all royal entails.—­But I am scrawling a treatise.  Good night.  Ever,” &c.

[Footnote 8:  The first was, of course, the one that I preferred.  The other ran as follows:—­

     “January 7. 1814.

     “My dear Moore,

“I had written to you a long letter of dedication, which I suppress, because, though it contained something relating to you which every one had been glad to hear, yet there was too much about politics, and poesy, and all things whatsoever, ending with that topic on which most men are fluent, and none very amusing—­one’s self.  It might have been re-written—­but to what purpose?  My praise could add nothing to your well-earned and firmly-established fame; and with my most hearty admiration of your talents, and delight in your conversation, you are already acquainted.  In availing myself of your friendly permission to inscribe this poem to you, I can only wish the offering were as worthy your acceptance as your regard is dear to,

     “Yours, most affectionately and faithfully,

“BYRON.” ]

* * * * *

TO MR. MURRAY.

     “January 11. 1814.

“Correct this proof by Mr. Gifford’s (and from the MSS.), particularly as to the pointing.  I have added a section for Gulnare, to fill up the parting, and dismiss her more ceremoniously.  If Mr. Gifford or you dislike, ’tis but a sponge and another midnight better employed than in yawning over Miss * *; who, by the by, may soon return the compliment.

     “Wednesday or Thursday.