re the public. In one of my own letters to him, I find this
apprehension thus expressed:--"If you did not write so well,--as the
Royal wit observed,--I should say you write too much; at least, too much
in the same strain. The Pythagoreans, you know, were of opinion that the
reason why we do not hear or heed the music of the heavenly bodies is
that they are always sounding in our ears; and I fear that even the
influence of _your_ song may be diminished by falling upon the world's
dull ear too constantly."

The opinion, however, which a great writer of our day (himself one of
the few to whom his remark replies) had the generosity, as well as
sagacity, to pronounce on this point, at a time when Lord Byron was
indulging in the fullest lavishment of his powers, must be regarded,
after all, as the most judicious and wise:--"But they cater ill for the
public," says Sir Walter Scott, "and give indifferent advice to the
poet, supposing him possessed of the highest qualities of his art, who
do not advise him to labour while the laurel around his brows yet
retains its freshness. Sketches from Lord Byron are more valuable than
finished pictures from others; nor are we at all sure that any labour
which he might bestow in revisal would not rather efface than refine
those outlines of striking and powerful originality which they exhibit
when flung rough from the hand of a master."--_Biographical Memoirs_, by
SIR W. SCOTT.]

* * * * *

LETTER 180. TO MR. MURRAY.

"2. Albany, April 29. 1814.

"Dear Sir,

"I enclose a draft for the money; when paid, send the copyright. I
release you from the thousand pounds agreed on for The Giaour and
Bride, and there's an end.

"If any accident occurs to me, you may do then as you please; but,
with the exception of two copies of each for _yourself_ only, I
expect and request that the advertisements be withdrawn, and the
remaining copies of _all_ destroyed; and any expense so incurred I
will be glad to defray.

"For all this, it might be as well to assign some reason. I have
none to give, except my own caprice, and I do not consider the
circumstances of consequence enough to require explanation.

"In course, I need hardly assure you that they never shall be
published with my consent, directly, or indirectly, by any other
person whatsoever,--that I am perfectly satisfied, and have ever