With tears, that, in a flux of grief, To shatter'd nerves and quicken'd pulses, I like your moral and machinery; Your plot, too, has such scope for scenery; Your dialogue is apt and smart ; The play's concoction full of art; Your hero raves, your heroine cries, All stab, and every body dies. In short, your tragedy would be The very thing to hear and see: And for a piece of publication, If I decline on this occasion, It is not that I am not sensible To merits in themselves ostensible, But-and I grieve to speak it—plays Are drugs-mere drugs, sir-now-a-days. I had a heavy loss by "Manuel,”. Too lucky if it prove not annual,And Sotheby, with his "Orestes," (Which, by the by, the author's best is,) Has lain so very long on hand That I despair of all demand. I've advertised, but see my books, My back-shop glut, my shelves encumber. There's Byron too, who once did better, Has sent me, folded in a letter, A sort of-it's no more a drama I write in haste; excuse each blunder; The Quarterly-Ah, sir, if you The room's so full of wits and bards, Crabbes, Campbells, Crokers, Freres, and Wards All persons in the dress of gent., A party dines with me to-day, They're at this moment in discussion On poor De Staël's late dissolution. Her book, they say, was in advance— Pray Heaven, she tell the truth of France! Thus run our time and tongues away. · But, to return, sir, to your play: Sorry, sir, but I can not deal, JOHN MURRAY. EPISTLE TO MR. MURRAY. (1) My dear Mr. Murray, You're in a damn'd hurry To set up this ultimate Canto; (2) But (if they don't rob us) You'll see Mr. Hobhouse Will bring it safe in his portmanteau. For the Journal hint of, you As ready to print off, No doubt you do right to commend it ; But as yet I have writ off The devil a bit of Our "Beppo:"-when copied, I'll send it. (1) [See antè, VOL IV. p. 76.] (2) [The fourth Canto of " Childe Harold."-E] Then you've ***'s Tour, No great things, to be sure, You could hardly begin with a less work; For the pompous rascallion, Who don't speak Italian Nor French, must have scribbled by guesswork. You can make any loss up A work which must surely succeed; Then you've General Gordon, Who girded his sword on, To serve with a Muscovite master, And help him to polish A nation so owlish, They thought shaving their beards a disaster. For the 66 With whom you'd conclude Perhaps some such pen is Still extant in Venice; But please, sir, to mention your pay. Venice, January 8. 1818. TO MR. MURRAY. (1) STRAHAN, Tonson, Lintot of the times, Patron and publisher of rhymes, For thee the bard up Pindus climbs, My Murray. To thee, with hope and terror dumb, Upon thy table's baize so green My Murray? Along thy sprucest bookshelves shine Tours, Travels, Essays, too, I wist, And Heaven forbid I should conclude Venice, March 25. 1818. (1) [See Moore's Notices, antè, Vol. IV. p. 96.] |