umph that soon after ensued, and
the success which, in other pursuits besides those of literature,
attended him, again diverted his thoughts from these migratory projects.
But the roving fit soon returned; and we have seen, from one of his
letters to Mr. William Bankes, that he looked forward to finding
himself, in the course of this spring, among the mountains of his
beloved Greece once more. For a time, this plan was exchanged for the
more social project of accompanying his friends, the family of Lord
Oxford, to Sicily; and it was while engaged in his preparatives for this
expedition that the annexed letters were written.

[Footnote 71: His speech was on presenting a petition from Major
Cartwright.]

* * * * *

LETTER 121. TO MR. MURRAY.

"Maidenhead, June 13. 1813.

"* * * I have read the 'Strictures,' which are just enough, and not
grossly abusive, in very fair couplets. There is a note against
Massinger near the end, and one cannot quarrel with one's company,
at any rate. The author detects some incongruous figures in a
passage of English Bards, page 23., but which edition I do not
know. In the _sole_ copy in your possession--I mean the _fifth_
edition--you may make these alterations, that I may profit (though
a little too late) by his remarks:--For '_hellish_ instinct,'
substitute '_brutal_ instinct;' '_harpies_' alter to '_felons_;'
and for 'blood-hounds' write 'hell-hounds.'[72] These be 'very
bitter words, by my troth,' and the alterations not much sweeter;
but as I shall not publish the thing, they can do no harm, but are
a satisfaction to me in the way of amendment. The passage is only
twelve lines.

"You do not answer me about H.'s book; I want to write to him, and
not to say any thing unpleasing. If you direct to Post Office,
Portsmouth, till _called_ for, I will send and receive your letter.
You never told me of the forthcoming critique on Columbus, which is
not _too_ fair; and I do not think justice quite done to the
'Pleasures,' which surely entitle the author to a higher rank than
that assigned him in the Quarterly. But I must not cavil at the
decisions of the _invisible infallibles_; and the article is very
well written. The general horror of '_fragments_' makes me
tremulous for 'The Giaour;' but you would publish it--I presume, by
this