till more
singular is, that the FIRST part, where you have found a coincidence
in some events within your observations on LIFE, was DRAWN from
OBSERVATION of mine also, and I meant to have gone on with the story,
but on SECOND thoughts, I thought myself TWO CENTURIES at least too
late for the subject; which, though admitting of very powerful
feeling and description, yet is not adapted for this age, at least
this country. Though the finest works of the Greeks, one of
Schiller's and Alfieri's, in modern times, besides several of our OLD
(and best) dramatists, have been grounded on incidents of a similar
cast, I therefore altered it as you perceive, and in so doing have
weakened the whole, by interrupting the train of thought; and in
composition I do not think SECOND thoughts are the best, though
SECOND expressions may improve the first ideas.

"I do not know how other men feel towards those they have met abroad,
but to me there seems a kind of tie established between all who have
met together in a foreign country, as if we had met in a state of
pre-existence, and were talking over a life that has ceased; but I
always look forward to renewing my travels; and though YOU, I think,
are now stationary, if I can at all forward your pursuits THERE as
well as here, I shall be truly glad in the opportunity. Ever yours
very sincerely,

"B.

"P.S. I believe I leave town for a day or two on Monday, but after
that I am always at home, and happy to see you till half-past two."

This letter was dated on Saturday, the 11th of December, 1813. On
Sunday, the 12th, he made the following other note in his memorandum
book:

"By Galt's answer, I find it is some story in REAL life, and not any
work with which my late composition coincides. It is still more
singular, for mine is drawn from EXISTENCE also."

The most amusing part of this little fracas is the denial of his
Lordship, as to pilfering the thoughts and fancies of others; for it
so happens, that the first passage of The Bride of Abydos, the poem
in question, is almost a literal and unacknowledged translation from
Goethe, which was pointed out in some of the periodicals soon after
the work was published.

Then, as to his not thieving from me or mine, I believe the fact to
be as he has stated; but there are singular circumstances connected
with some of his other productions, of which the account is at least
curious.

On leaving England I began to write a poem in the Sp