advance should have been prepared, or earlier if it were thought fit)
either to Ireland or to America, and to write from thence a series of
papers descriptive of the places and people I see, introducing local
tales, traditions, and legends, something after the plan of Washington
Irving's _Alhambra_. I should wish the republication of these papers in
a separate form, with others to render the subject complete (if we
should deem it advisable), to form part of the arrangement for the work;
and I should wish the same provision to be made for the republication of
the Gog and Magog series, or indeed any that I undertook.

"This is a very rough and slight outline of the project I have in view.
I am ready to talk the matter over, to give any further explanations, to
consider any suggestions, or to go into the details of the subject
immediately. I say nothing of the novelty of such a publication
nowadays, or its chances of success. Of course I think them very great,
very great indeed,--almost beyond calculation,--or I should not seek to
bind myself to anything so extensive.

"The heads of the terms upon which I should be prepared to go into this
undertaking would be--That I be made a proprietor in the work and a
sharer in the profits. That when I bind myself to write a certain
portion of every number, I am insured, _for_ that writing in every
number, a certain sum of money. That those who assist me, and contribute
the remainder of every number, shall be paid by the publishers
immediately after its appearance, according to a scale to be calculated
and agreed upon, on presenting my order for the amount to which they may
be respectively entitled. Or, if the publishers prefer it, that they
agree to pay me a certain sum for the _whole_ of every number, and leave
me to make such arrangements for that part which I may not write, as I
think best. Of course I should require that for these payments, or any
other outlay connected with the work, I am not held accountable in any
way; and that no portion of them is to be considered as received by me
on account of the profits. I need not add that some arrangement would
have to be made, if I undertake my Travels, relative to the expenses of
traveling.

"Now, I want our publishing friends to take these things into
consideration, and to give me the views and proposals they would be
disposed to entertain when they have maturely considered the matter."

The result of their consideration was, on