“P.S. Think again before you shelf your poem.  There is a youngster, (older than me, by the by, but a younger poet,) Mr. G. Knight, with a vol. of Eastern Tales, written since his return,—­for he has been in the countries.  He sent to me last summer, and I advised him to write one in each measure, without any intention, at that time, of doing the same thing.  Since that, from a habit of writing in a fever, I have anticipated him in the variety of measures, but quite unintentionally.  Of the stories, I know nothing, not having seen them[22]; but he has some lady in a sack, too, like The Giaour:—­he told me at the time.

“The best way to make the public ‘forget’ me is to remind them of yourself.  You cannot suppose that I would ask you or advise you to publish, if I thought you would fail.  I really have no literary envy; and I do not believe a friend’s success ever sat nearer another than yours do to my best wishes.  It is for elderly gentlemen to ‘bear no brother near,’ and cannot become our disease for more years than we may perhaps number.  I wish you to be out before Eastern subjects are again before the public.”

[Footnote 21:  Those bitter and powerful lines which he wrote on the opening of the vault that contained the remains of Henry VIII. and Charles I.]

[Footnote 22:  He was not yet aware, it appears, that the anonymous manuscript sent to him by his publisher was from the pen of Mr. Knight.]

* * * * *

LETTER 172.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “March 12. 1814.

“I have not time to read the whole MS. [23], but what I have seen seems very well written (both prose and verse), and, though I am and can be no judge (at least a fair one on this subject), containing nothing which you ought to hesitate publishing upon my account.  If the author is not Dr. Busby himself, I think it a pity, on his own account, that he should dedicate it to his subscribers; nor can I perceive what Dr. Busby has to do with the matter except as a translator of Lucretius, for whose doctrines he is surely not responsible.  I tell you openly, and really most sincerely, that, if published at all, there is no earthly reason why you should not; on the contrary, I should receive it as the greatest compliment you could pay to your good opinion of my candour, to print and circulate that or any other work, attacking me in a manly manner, and without any malicious intention, from which, as far as I have seen, I must exonerate this writer.

“He is wrong in one thing—­I am no atheist; but if he thinks I have published principles tending to such opinions, he has a perfect right to controvert them.  Pray publish it; I shall never forgive myself if I think that I have prevented you.

     “Make my compliments to the author, and tell him I wish him
     success:  his verse is very deserving of it; and I shall be the last
     person to suspect his motives.  Yours, &c.