Mac-Somebody
[1], without consulting you or me, to prefix the Address to his volume
of "_dejected addresses?"_ Is not this somewhat larcenous? I think the
ceremony of leave might have been asked, though I have no objection to
the thing itself; and leave the "hundred and eleven" to tire themselves
with "base comparisons." I should think the ingenuous public tolerably
sick of the subject, and, except the parodies, I have not interfered,
nor shall; indeed I did not know that Dr. Busby had published his
apologetical letter and postscript [2], or I should have recalled them.
But, I confess, I looked upon his conduct in a different light before
its appearance. I see some mountebank has taken Alderman Birch's name
[3] to vituperate the Doctor; he had much better have pilfered his
pastry, which I should imagine the more valuable ingredient--at least
for a Puff.--Pray secure me a copy of Woodfall's new 'Junius' [4],
and believe me,
Dear Sir, yours very sincerely,
B.
[Footnote 1: B. McMillan]
[Footnote 2: This probably refers to Busby's apologetic letter in the
'Morning Chronicle' for October 23, 1812.]
[Footnote 3: Alderman Birch was a pastry-cook in Cornhill.]
[Footnote 4: In the Catalogue of Byron's books, sold April 5, 1816,
appear two copies of 'Junius':
"Junius's Letters, 2 vol. _russia_, 1806."
"Junius's Letters, by Woodfall, 3 vol., _Large Paper_, 1812."]
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