Chapter I: Preface

When my Grandfather's Memoirs were published, twenty years ago, they met with a most favourable and gratifying reception at the hands of the public. Interest was aroused by the struggle and success of a man who had few advantages at the outset save his own shrewd sense and generous nature, and who, moreover, was thrown on his own resources to fight the battle of life when he was little more than a child.

The chief value of these volumes, however, consists in the fact that they supply an important, if not an indispensable, chapter in the literary history of England during the first half of the nineteenth century. Byron and Scott, Lockhart, Croker, George Borrow, Hallam, Canning, Gifford, Disraeli, Southey, Milman are but a few of the names occurring in these pages, the whole list of which it would be tedious to enumerate.

It may be admitted that a pious desire to do justice to the memory of John Murray the Second--"the Anax of Publishers," as Byron called him--led to the inclusion in the original volumes of some material of minor importance which may now well be dispensed with.

I find, however, that the work is still so often quoted and referred to that I have asked my friend Mr. Thomas Mackay to prepare a new edition for the press. I am convinced that the way in which he has discharged his task will commend itself to the reading public. He has condensed the whole, has corrected errors, and has rewritten certain passages in a more concise form.

I desire to acknowledge my debt to him for what he has done, and to express a hope that the public may extend a fresh welcome to "an old friend with a new face."

JOHN MURRAY.

_December_, 1910.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

JOHN MACMURRAY OR MURRAY

The first John Murray--An Officer of Marines--Retires from Active Service--His marriage--Correspondence with William Falconer--Falconer's death--Murray purchases Sandby's business--John Murray's first publications--His writings--Mr. Kerr--Thomas Cumming goes to Ireland on behalf of Murray--Prof. J. Millar--Mr. Whitaker--Defence of Sir R. Gordon--Ross estate--His controversy with Mr. Mason--The Edinburgh booksellers--Creech and Elliot--Dr. Cullen--The second John Murray--His education--Accident to his eye--Illness and death of the elder John Murray

CHAPTER II

JOHN MURRAY (II.)--BEGINNING OF HIS PUBLISHING CAREER--ISAAC D'ISRAELI, ETC.

John Murray the Second--"The Anax of Publishers"--His start in business--Murray and Highley--Dissolution of the partnership--Colman's "John Bull"--Mr. Joseph Hume--Archibald Constable--John Murray a Volunteer--The D'Israeli family--Isaac D'Israeli's early works--"Flim-Flams"--Birth of Benjamin D'Israeli--Projected periodical the "Institute"--The "Miniature"--Murray's acquaintance with Canning and Frere

CHAPTER III

MURRAY AND CONSTABLE--HUNTER AND THE FORFARSHIRE LAIRDS--MARRIAGE OF JOHN MURRAY

Archibald Constable & Co.--Alexander Gibson Hunter--The _Edinburgh Review_--Murray's early associations with Constable--Dispute between Longman and Constable--Murray appointed London Agent--He urges reconciliation between Constable and Longman--Mr. Murray visits Edinburgh--Engaged to Miss Elliot--Goes into Forfarshire--Rude Hospitality--Murray's marriage--The D'Israelis

CHAPTER IV

"MARMION"--CONSTABLES AND BALLANTYNES--THE "EDINBURGH REVIEW"

Murray's business prospects--Acquires a share of "Marmion"--Becomes London publisher of the _Edinburgh Review_--Acquaintance with Walter Scott--Constable's money transactions--Murray's remonstrance--He separates from Constable--The Ballantynes--Scott joins their printing business--Literary themes

CHAPTER V

ORIGIN OF THE "QUARTERLY REVIEW"

Canning's early schemes for a Penny Newspaper--The _Anti-Jacobin_--The _Edinburgh Review_--John Murray's letter to Mr. Canning--Walter Scott's assistance--Southey's letter to Scott--Review of "Marmion" in the _Edinburgh_--Murray's conditions--Meeting with James Ballantyne at Ferrybridge--Visit to Scott at Ashestiel--Letters to Scott--Scott's letters to Murray, Ellis, and Gifford on the _Quarterly_--Arrangements for the first number--Articles by Scott--James Mill--Mrs. Inchbald--Dr. Thomas Young

CHAPTER VI

THE "QUARTERLY" LAUNCHED

Meeting of Murray and Ballantyne at Boroughbridge--Walter Scott's interest in the new _Review_--Publication of the first number of the _Quarterly_ --Scott's proposed "Secret History of the Court of James I."--_Portcullis_ copies--"Old English Froissart"--Opinions of the _Quarterly_--Scott's energy and encouragement--Murray's correspondence with Mr. Stratford Canning--Murray's energy--Leigh Hunt--James Mill--Gifford's unpunctuality--Appearance of the second number--Mr. Canning's contributions--Appearance of No. 3--Letters from Mr. Ellis to Isaac D'Israeli--John Barrow's first connection with the _Quarterly_--Robert Southey--Appearance of No. 4

CHAPTER VII

CONSTABLE AND BALLANTYNE

Murray's and Ballantyne's joint enterprises--Financial difficulties--Murray's remonstrances--Ballantyne's reckless speculations--And disregard of Murray's advice--Revival of Murray's business with Constable--Publication of the "Lady of the Lake"--Murray excluded from his promised share of it--Transfers his Edinburgh agency to Mr. William Blackwood--Publication of No. 5 of the _Quarterly_ --Southey's articles and books--Unpunctuality of the _Review_ --Gifford's review of "The Daughters of Isenberg"--His letter to Miss Palmer--Dispute between Murray and Gifford--Attacks on the _Edinburgh Review_ by the _Quarterly_--Murray's disapproval of them--The Ballantynes and Constables applying for money--Nos. 8 and 9 of the _Review_--Southey's Publications--Letters from Scott--His review of the "Curse of Kehama"--Southey's dependence on the _Quarterly_--His letter to Mr. Wynn

CHAPTER VIII

MURRAY AND GIFFORD--RUPTURE WITH CONSTABLE--PROSPERITY OF THE "QUARTERLY"

Increasing friendship between Murray and Gifford--Gifford's opinion of humorous articles--Mr. Pillans--Gifford's feeble health--Murray's financial difficulties--Remonstrates with Constable--Correspondence with and dissociation from Constable--_Quarterly Review_ No. 12--Gifford's severe remarks on Charles Lamb--His remorse--_Quarterly Review_ No. 14--Murray's offer to Southey of 1,000 guineas for his poem

CHAPTER IX

LORD BYRON'S WORKS, 1811 TO 1814

Lord Byron's first acquaintance with Mr. Murray--Mr. Dallas's offer to Cawthorn and Miller--Murray's acceptance of "Childe Harold"--Byron's visits to Fleet Street--Murray's letters to Byron--Gifford's opinion of the Poem--Publication of "Childe Harold"--Its immediate success--Byron's presentation to the Prince of Wales--Murray effects a reconciliation between Byron and Scott--Letters to and from Scott--Publication of "The Giaour," "Bride of Abydos" and "Corsair"--Correspondence with Byron--"Ode to Napoleon"--"Lara" and "Jacqueline"

CHAPTER X

MR. MURRAY'S REMOVAL TO 50, ALBEMARLE STREET

Murray's removal to Albemarle Street--Miller's unfriendly behaviour--Progress of the _Quarterly_--Miscellaneous publications --D'Israeli's "Calamities of Authors"--Letters from Scott and Southey--Southey's opinions on the patronage of literature--Scott's embarrassments--Recklessness of the Ballantynes--Scott applies to Murray for a loan--Publication of "Waverley"--Mystery of the authorship--Mr. Murray's proposed trip to France--His letters to Mrs. Murray--Education of his son--Announcement of Lord Byron's engagement--Mr. Murray's visit to Newstead Abbey--Murray in Edinburgh--Mr. William Blackwood--Visit to Abbotsford--Letter to Lord Byron--Letters from Blackwood--The "Vision of Don Roderick"

CHAPTER XI

MURRAY'S DRAWING-ROOM--BYRON AND SCOTT--WORKS PUBLISHED IN 1815

Murray's drawing-room in Albemarle Street--A literary centre--George Ticknor's account of it--Letter from Gifford--Death of his housekeeper Nancy--First meeting of Byron and Scott--Recollections of John Murray III.--Napoleon's escape from Elba--Waterloo--Mr. Blackwood's letter--Suppression of an article written for the _Edinburgh_--Mr. Murray's collection of portraits of authors--Mr. Scott's visit to Brussels, Waterloo, etc.--Mr. Murray's visit to Paris--Return home--Important diplomatic correspondence offered by Miss Waldie--Miss Austen--"Emma"--Mr. Malthus's works--Letters from W. Scott

CHAPTER XII

VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS--CHARLES MATURIN--S.T. COLERIDGE--LEIGH HUNT

Charles Maturin--His early career--His early publications--And application to W. Scott--Performance of "Bertram" at Drury Lane--Published by Murray--"Manuel, a Tragedy"--Murray's letter to Byron--Death of Maturin--S.T. Coleridge--Correspondence about his translation of "Faust"--"Glycine," "Remorse," "Christabel," "Zapolya," and other works--Further correspondence--Leigh Hunt--Asked to contribute to the _Quarterly_--"Story of Rimini"--Murray's letters to Byron and Hunt--Negotiations between Murray and Leigh Hunt

CHAPTER XIII

THOMAS CAMPBELL--JOHN CAM HOBHOUSE--J.W. CROKER--JAMES HOGG, ETC.

Thomas Campbell--His early works--Acquaintance with Murray--"Selections from the British Poets"--Letters to Murray--Proposed Magazine--And Series of Ancient Classics--Close friendship between Campbell and Murray--Murray undertakes to publish the "Selections from British Poets"--Campbell's explanation of the work--"Gertrude of Wyoming"--Scott reviews Campbell's poems in the _Quarterly_--Campbell's Lectures at the Royal Institution--Campbell's satisfaction with Murray's treatment of him--"Now Barabbas was a publisher"--Increase of Murray's business--Dealings with Gifford--Mr. J.C. Hobhouse--His "Journey to Albania"--Isaac D'Israeli's "Character of James I."--Croker's "Stories for Children"--The division of profits--Sir John Malcolm--Increasing number of poems submitted to Mr. Murray--James Hogg--His works--And letters to Murray--The "Repository"--Correspondence with Murray--Hogg asks Murray to find a wife for him

CHAPTER XIV

LORD BYRON'S DEALINGS WITH MR. MURRAY--_continued_

Lord Byron's marriage--Letters from Mr. Murray during the honeymoon--Mr. Fazakerly's interview with Bonaparte--Byron's pecuniary embarrassments--Murray's offers of assistance--"Siege of Corinth"--"Parisina"--Byron refuses remuneration--Pressed to give the money to Godwin, Maturin, and Coleridge--Murray's remonstrance --Gifford's opinion of the "Siege of Corinth" and Mr. D'Israeli's --Byron leaves England--Sale of his Library--The "Sketch from Private Life"--Mr. Sharon Turner's legal opinion--Murray's letter on the arrival of the MS. of "Childe Harold," Canto III.

[Transcriber's Note: two pages missing from source document]

CHAPTER XIX

WORKS PUBLISHED IN 1817-18--CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

Works published by Murray and Blackwood jointly--Illness of Scott--Efforts to help the Ettrick Shepherd--Murray's offers of assistance--Scott reviews the "Wake"--Hogg's house at Eltrive--Scott and the _Quarterly_--"Rob Roy"--The "Scottish Regalia"--"The Heart of Midlothian"--Appeal to Scott for an article--"Lord Orford's Letters"--Murray and James Hogg at Abbotsford--Conclusion of Hogg's correspondence--Robert Owen--Increased number of would-be poets--Sharon Turner--Gifford's illness--Croker and Barrow edit _Quarterly Review_

CHAPTER XX

HALLAM--BASIL HALL.--CRABBE--HOPE--HORACE AND JAMES SMITH

Mr. Hallam--Sir H. Ellis's "Embassy to China"--Correspondence with Lady Abercorn about new books--Proposed _Monthly Register_--Mr. Croker's condemnation of the scheme--Crabbe's Works--Mr. Murray's offer--Mr. Rogers's negotiations--Hope's "Anastasius"--"Rejected Addresses" --Colonel Macirone's action against the _Quarterly_--Murray's entertainments--Mrs. Bray's account of them

CHAPTER XXI

MEMOIRS OF LADY HERVEY AND HORACE WALPOLE--BELZONI--MILMAN--SOUTHEY--MRS. RUNDELL, ETC.

Lady Hervey's Letters--Mr. Croker's letter about the editing of them--Horace Walpole's Memoirs--Mr. Murray's correspondence with Lord Holland--The Suffolk papers, edited by Mr. Croker--Mrs. Delany's Letters--Letter from Mr. Croker--Horace Walpole's "Reminiscences," edited by Miss Berry--Tomline's "Life of Pitt"--Giovanni Belzoni--His early career and works--His sensitiveness--His death--Examples of his strength--Rev. H.H. Milman's Works, "Fazio," "Samor," "The Fall of Jerusalem," "Martyr of Antioch," "Belshazzar"--Murray's dealings with Milman--Benjamin Disraeli--Letters from Southey about his articles on Cromwell--The New Churches, etc.--"The Book of the Church"--Warren Hastings, etc--The Carbonari--Mr. Eastlake--Mrs. Graham--Galignani's pirated edition of Byron--Mrs. Rundell's "Cookery Book"--Dispute with Longman's--An injunction obtained

CHAPTER XXII

WASHINGTON IRVING--UGO FOSCOLO--LADY CAROLINE LAMB--"HAJJI BABA"--MRS. MARKHAM'S HISTORIES

Washington Irving--His early dealings with Murray--He comes to England--His description of a dinner at Murray's--"The Sketch Book"--Published in England by Miller--Afterwards undertaken by Murray--Terms of purchase--Irving's ill-success in business --"Bracebridge Hall"--James Fenimore Cooper--Ugo Foscolo--His early career--First article in the _Quarterly_--Letter from Mr. T. Mitchell--Foscolo's peculiarities--Digamma Cottage--His Lectures--Death of Foscolo--Lady C. Lamb--"Glenarvon"--"Penruddock"--"Ada Reis"--Letter from the Hon. Wm. Lamb--Lord J. Russell--His proposed History of Europe--Mr. James Morier's "Hajji Baba"--Letter of Mirza Abul Hassan--Mrs. Markham's "History of England"--Allan Cunningham

CHAPTER XXIII

GIFFORD'S RETIREMENT FROM THE EDITORSHIP OF THE "QUARTERLY"--AND DEATH

Gifford's failing health--Difficulty of finding a successor--Barrow's assistance--Gifford's letter to Mr. Canning--Irregularity of the numbers--Southey's views as to the Editorship--Gifford's letter to Mr. Canning--Appointment of Mr. J.T. Coleridge--Murray's announcement of the appointment to Gifford--Close of Mr. Gifford's career--His correspondence with Murray--Letter from Mr. R. Hay to the present Mr. Murray about Gifford