Chapter XXVI: Sir Walter's Last Years

South American speculation--Captain Head, R.E.--His rapid rides across the Pampas--His return home and publication of his work--Results of his mission--Mr. Disraeli and Mr. Powles--Letter from Mr. B. Disraeli--Irving's "Life of Columbus"--His agent, Col. Aspinwall--Letter of warning from Mr. Sharon Turner--Southey's opinion--"The Conquest of Granada"--Lockhart's and Croker's opinions--The financial result of their publication--Correspondence between Irving and Murray--"Tales of the Alhambra"--Murray's subsequent lawsuit with Bonn about the copyrights--Review of Hallam's "Constitutional History" in the _Quarterly_--Mr. Hallam's remonstrance--Letter from Murray--Letter from Mr. Mitchell--Southey's discontent--Sir W. Scott and Lockhart--Scott's articles for the _Quarterly_--Sir H. Davy's "Salmonia"--Anecdote of Lord Nelson--The Duke of Wellington--Murray's offer to Scott for a History of Scotland--Sale of Sir W. Scott's copyrights--Murray's offer for "Tales of a Grandfather"--Scott's reply--Scott's closing years--Murray's resignation of his one-fourth share of "Marmion"--Scott's last contributions to the _Quarterly_--His death--Mr. John Murray's account of the Theatrical Fund Dinner

CHAPTER XXVII

NAPIER'S "PENINSULAR WAR"--CROKER'S "BOSWELL"--"THE FAMILY LIBRARY" ETC.

Napier's "History of the Peninsular War"--Origin of the work--Col. Napier's correspondence with Murray--Publication of Vol. I.--Controversy aroused by it--Murray ceases to publish the work--His letter to the _Morning Chronicle_--The Duke of Wellington's Despatches--Croker's edition of "Boswell's Johnson"--Correspondence with Croker, Lockhart, etc.--Publication of the book--Its value--Letter from Mrs. Shelley--Mr. Henry Taylor's "Isaac Comnenus"--"Philip van Artevelde"--"The Family Library" and the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge--The progress of "The Family Library"--Milman's "History of the Jews"--Controversy aroused by it--Opinion of the Jews

CHAPTER XXVIII

MOORE'S "LIFE OF BYRON"

Murray purchases the remainder of Byron's Poems--Leigh Hunt's "Recollections"--Moore selected as the biographer of Byron--Collection of Letters and Papers--Lockhart and Scott's opinion of the work--Publication of the first volume of Byron's "Life"--Mrs. Shelley's letter--Publication of the second volume--Letters from Mrs. Somerville and Croker--Capt. Medwin's Conversations--Pecuniary results of Lord Byron's "Life"--Reviews of Moore's works in the _Quarterly_--Moore on Editors--Complete edition of "Byron's Works"--Letters from Countess Guiccioli and Sir R. Peel--Thorwaldsen's statue of Lord Byron--Refused at Westminster Abbey, but erected in Trinity College Library, Cambridge

MEMOIRS OF JOHN MURRAY