"Newstead Abbey, Notts., Sept. 5. 1811.
"Sir,
"The time seems to be past when (as Dr. Johnson said) a man was
certain to 'hear the truth from his bookseller,' for you have paid
me so many compliments, that, if I was not the veriest scribbler on
earth, I should feel affronted. As I accept your compliments, it
is but fair I should give equal or greater credit to your
objections, the more so, as I believe them to be well founded. With
regard to the political and metaphysical parts, I am afraid I can
alter nothing; but I have high authority for my errors in that
point, for even the _Æneid_ was a _political_ poem, and written for
a _political_ purpose; and as to my unlucky opinions on subjects of
more importance, I am too sincere in them for recantation. On
Spanish affairs I have said what I saw, and every day confirms me
in that notion of the result formed on the spot; and I rather think
honest John Bull is beginning to come round again to that sobriety
which Massena's retreat had begun to reel from its centre--the
usual consequence of _un_usual success. So you perceive I cannot
alter the sentiments; but if there are any alterations in the
structure of the versification you would wish to be made, I will
tag rhymes and turn stanzas as much as you please. As for the
'_orthodox_,' let us hope they will buy, on purpose to abuse--you
will forgive the one, if they will do the other. You are aware that
any thing from my pen must expect no quarter, on many accounts; and
as the present publication is of a nature very different from the
former, we must not be sanguine.
"You have given me no answer to my question--tell me fairly, did
you show the MS. to some of your corps?--I sent an introductory
stanza to Mr. Dallas, to be forwarded to you; the poem else will
open too abruptly. The stanzas had better be numbered in Roman
characters. There is a disquisition on the literature of the
modern Greeks and some smaller poems to come in at the close. These
are now at Newstead, but will be sent in time. If Mr. D. has lost
the stanza and note annexed to it, write, and I will send it
myself.--You tell me to add two Cantos, but I am about to visit my
_collieries_ in Lancashire on the 15th instant, which is so
unpoetical an employment that I need say no more. I am, sir, your
most obedient," &c.
The manuscripts of both his poems having been shown, much against
his own will, to Mr. Gifford, the opinion of that gentleman was
thus reported to him by Mr. Dallas:--"Of your Satire he spoke
highly; but this poem (Childe Harold) he pronounced not only the
best you have written, but equal to any of the present age."
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