With Doctor Bowring I drank tea,
Nor of his cakes consumed a particle;
And yet th' ungrateful LL.D.
Let fly at me, next week, an article!
John Wilson gave me suppers hot,
With bards of fame, like Hogg and Packwood;
A dose of black-strap then I got,
And after a still worse of Blackwood.
Alas! and must I close the list
With thee, my Lockhart of the Quarterly?
So kind, with bumper in thy fist,—
With pen, so very gruff and tartarly.
Now in thy parlour feasting me,
Now scribbling at me from your garret,—
Till, 'twixt the two, in doubt I be,
Which sourest is, thy wit or claret?
Should you again see the Noble Scott before he goes, remember me most affectionately to him. Ever yours,
Thomas Moore.
Mr. Murray now found himself at liberty to proceed with his cherished scheme of a complete edition of Lord Byron's works.
John Murray to Mr. Moore.
February 28, 1832.
When I commenced this complete edition of Byron's works I was so out of heart by the loss upon the first edition of the "Life," and by the simultaneous losses from the failure of three booksellers very largely in my debt, that I had little if any hopes of its success, and I felt myself under the necessity of declining your kind offer to edit it, because I did not think that I should have had it in my power to offer you an adequate remuneration. But now that the success of this speculation is established, if you will do me the favour to do what you propose, I shall have great satisfaction in giving you 500 guineas for your labours.