BYRON, George Gordon Noel, 6th Lord (1788-1824). Autograph letter (signature cut away) to John Hunt, n.p., 2 April 1823, referring to the failure of Hunt's periodical The Liberal which Byron attributed to his own contribution [The Vision of Judgement], 'I see no cause for seeking deeper than my own unpopularity - which is undeniable at present', assuring Hunt that he was not disposed to attribute the failure of publications to their publishers, 'I am aware that a large publisher like Murray or Longman - can and ofter do - force a book through the market ... but this can be but temporary - and no defect in a publisher can long keep down a work which has within it the principle of Life - If the Age of Bronze fails (as is very likely at present) it is either because the Author has ceased to write well - or at least that the public thinkes so', asking him to enquire of Kinnaird whether the 'various canto of D.J. as far as the 15..
BYRON, George Gordon Noel, 6th Lord (1788-1824). Autograph letter (signature cut away) to John Hunt, n.p., 2 April 1823, referring to the failure of Hunt's periodical The Liberal which Byron attributed to his own contribution [The Vision of Judgement], 'I see no cause for seeking deeper than my own unpopularity - which is undeniable at present', assuring Hunt that he was not disposed to attribute the failure of publications to their publishers, 'I am aware that a large publisher like Murray or Longman - can and ofter do - force a book through the market ... but this can be but temporary - and no defect in a publisher can long keep down a work which has within it the principle of Life - If the Age of Bronze fails (as is very likely at present) it is either because the Author has ceased to write well - or at least that the public thinkes so', asking him to enquire of Kinnaird whether the 'various canto of D.J. as far as the 15... Canto ... Also ... a poem in four Cantos called the Island' had arrived, 'Who - is to be their publisher - I do not know - because I am in a state of helpless ignorance and absence - which renders me incapable of judging for myself upon that or any other personal subject', and insisting that whatever Kinnaird's objections were to Hunt publishing Byron's works 'they are not personal', 3 pages, 4to, integral address leaf, postmarked 'Genova', seal, editor's annotation in ink on one page (one word) and page three (two words, (seal tear professionally repaired, small tears in upper margin and folds of first page, folds of address panel weak). The text is published in the supplementary volume of Marchand, Byron's Letters and Journals, 1994, pp.71-72, from a transcript made by Josephine Bordwine Macrone and contained in a notebook of hers dated 1853 (Private Collection). Apart from alteration to punctuation, the editor has inserted three words and apparently failed to transcribe the last sentence. This letter is a somewhat disingenious attempt on Byron's part to detach himself from his commitment to The Liberal by suggesting that his connection with the periodical would damage it. At the time Byron was irritated by John Murray's timidity as a publisher, and Murray himself was not slow to let Byron know what was being said in England about Hunt, his periodical and Byron's role in supporting it.

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BYRON, George Gordon Noel, 6th Lord (1788-1824). Autograph letter (signature cut away) to John Hunt, n.p., 2 April 1823, referring to the failure of Hunt's periodical The Liberal which Byron attributed to his own contribution [The Vision of Judgement], 'I see no cause for seeking deeper than my own unpopularity - which is undeniable at present', assuring Hunt that he was not disposed to attribute the failure of publications to their publishers, 'I am aware that a large publisher like Murray or Longman - can and ofter do - force a book through the market ... but this can be but temporary - and no defect in a publisher can long keep down a work which has within it the principle of Life - If the Age of Bronze fails (as is very likely at present) it is either because the Author has ceased to write well - or at least that the public thinkes so', asking him to enquire of Kinnaird whether the 'various canto of D.J. as far as the 15... Canto ... Also ... a poem in four Cantos called the Island' had arrived, 'Who - is to be their publisher - I do not know - because I am in a state of helpless ignorance and absence - which renders me incapable of judging for myself upon that or any other personal subject', and insisting that whatever Kinnaird's objections were to Hunt publishing Byron's works 'they are not personal', 3 pages, 4to, integral address leaf, postmarked 'Genova', seal, editor's annotation in ink on one page (one word) and page three (two words, (seal tear professionally repaired, small tears in upper margin and folds of first page, folds of address panel weak).

The text is published in the supplementary volume of Marchand, Byron's Letters and Journals, 1994, pp.71-72, from a transcript made by Josephine Bordwine Macrone and contained in a notebook of hers dated 1853 (Private Collection). Apart from alteration to punctuation, the editor has inserted three words and apparently failed to transcribe the last sentence.

This letter is a somewhat disingenious attempt on Byron's part to detach himself from his commitment to The Liberal by suggesting that his connection with the periodical would damage it. At the time Byron was irritated by John Murray's timidity as a publisher, and Murray himself was not slow to let Byron know what was being said in England about Hunt, his periodical and Byron's role in supporting it.

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