"I have no time to cross-investigate, but I believe and hope all is right. I care less than you will believe about its success, but I can't survive a single misprint: it chokes me to see words misused by the printers. Pray look over, in case of some eyesore escaping me.
"P.S. Send the earliest copies to Mr. Frere, Mr. Canning, Mr. Heber, Mr. Gifford, Lord Holland, Lord Melbourne (Whitehall), Lady Caroline Lamb, (Brocket), Mr. Hodgson (Cambridge), Mr. Merivale, Mr. Ward, from the author."
TO MR. MURRAY.
"November 23. 1813.
"You wanted some reflections, and I send you per Selim (see his speech in Canto 2d, page 46.), eighteen lines in decent couplets, of a pensive, if not an ethical tendency. One more revise—positively the last, if decently done—at any rate the penultimate. Mr. Canning's approbation (if he did approve) I need not say makes me proud.[110] As to printing, print as you will and how you will—by itself, if you like; but let me have a few copies in sheets.
"November 24. 1813.
"You must pardon me once more, as it is all for your good: it must be thus—
"He makes a solitude, and calls it peace.
'Makes' is closer to the passage of Tacitus, from which the line is taken, and is, besides, a stronger word than 'leaves'