The Works of Lord Byron: Letters and Journals Volume II Part 78

Print:

And tints to-morrow with _prophetic_ ray.

The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, And tints to-morrow with prophetic ray;

Or,

And {_gilds_/tints} the hope of Morning with its ray;

Or,

And gilds to-morrow's hope with heavenly ray.

Dear Sir,--I wish you would ask Mr. G. which of them is best, or rather _not worst_.

Ever yours, B.

You can send the request contained in this at the same time with the _revise, after_ I have seen the _said revise_.

350.--To John Murray.

Nov. 13, 1813.

Certainly. Do you suppose that no one but the Galileans are acquainted with _Adam_, and _Eve_, and _Cain,_ [1] and _Noah_?--Surely, I might have had Solomon, and Abraham, and David, and even Moses, or the other.

When you know that _Zuleika_ is the _Persian poetical_ name for _Potiphar's_ wife, on whom and Joseph there is a long poem in the Persian, this will not surprise you. If you want authority look at Jones, D'Herbelot, 'Vathek', or the notes to the 'Arabian Nights'; and, if you think it necessary, model this into a _note_.

Alter, in the inscription, "the most affectionate respect," to "with every sentiment of regard and respect,"

[Footnote 1:

"Some doubt had been expressed by Murray as to the propriety of his putting the name of Cain into the mouth of a Mussulman."

(Moore).]

351.--To John Murray.

Nov. 14, 1813.

I send you a note for the _ignorant_, but I really wonder at finding _you_ among them. I don't care one lump of Sugar for my _poetry_; but for my _costume_, and my _correctness_ on those points (of which I think the _funeral_ was a proof), I will combat l.u.s.tily.

Yours ever,

B.

352.--To John Murray.

November 15, 1813.

DEAR SIR,--Mr. Hodgson has looked over and _stopped_, or rather _pointed_, this revise, which must be the one to print from. He has also made some suggestions, with most of which I have complied, as he has always, for these ten years, been a very sincere, and by no means (at times) flattering critic of mine. _He_ likes it (you will think _flatteringly_, in this instance) better than 'The Giaour', but doubts (and so do I) its being so popular; but, contrary to some others, advises a separate publication. On this we can easily decide. I confess I like the _double_ form better. Hodgson says, it is _better versified_ than any of the others; which is odd, if true, as it has cost me less time (though more _hours_ at a time) than any attempt I ever made.

Yours ever, B.

P.S.--Do attend to the punctuation: I can't, for I don't know a comma--at least where to place one.

That Tory of a printer has omitted two lines of the opening, and _perhaps more_, which were in the MS. Will you, pray, give him a hint of accuracy? I have reinserted the 2, but they were in the ma.n.u.script, I can swear.