"August 26. 1813.
"I have looked over and corrected one proof, but not so carefully
(God knows if you can read it through, but I can't) as to preclude
your eye from discovering some _o_mission of mine or _com_mission
of your printer. If you have patience, look it over. Do you know
any body who can stop--I mean _point_--commas, and so forth? for I
am, I hear, a sad hand at your punctuation. I have, but with some
difficulty, _not_ added any more to this snake of a poem, which has
been lengthening its rattles every month. It is now fearfully long,
being more than a Canto and a half of Childe Harold, which contains
but 882 lines per book, with all late additions inclusive.
"The last lines Hodgson likes. It is not often he does, and when he
don't he tells me with great energy, and I fret and alter. I have
thrown them in to soften the ferocity of our Infidel, and, for a
dying man, have given him a good deal to say for himself.
"I was quite sorry to hear you say you stayed in town on my
account, and I hope sincerely you did not mean so superfluous a
piece of politeness.
"Our _six_ critiques!--they would have made half a Quarterly by
themselves; but this is the age of criticism."
* * * * *
The following refer apparently to a still later edition.