"]
[Footnote 2: Colley Cibber's 'Richard III', act v. sc. 3:
"Conscience, avaunt! Richard's himself again."]
[Footnote 3: 'The Bride of Abydos' was published December, 1813.]
[Footnote 4:
"Horrible imaginings."
'Macbeth', act i. sc. 3.]
* * * * *
365.--To Francis Hodgson.
Nov'r--Dec'r 1st, 1813.
I have just heard that _Knapp_ is acquainted with what I was but too
happy in being enabled to do for you [1].
Now, my dear Hn., you, or Drury, must have told this, for, upon my own
honour, not even to Scrope, nor to one soul, (Drury knew it before) have
I said one syllable of the matter. So don't be out of humour with me
about it, but you can't be more so than I am. I am, however, glad of one
thing; if you ever conceived it to be in the least an obligation, this
disclosure most fairly and fully releases you from it:
"To John I owe some obligation,
But John unluckily thinks fit
To publish it to all the nation,
So John and I are more than quit."
And so there's an end of the matter.
Ward _wavers_ a little about the Dutch, till matters are more sedative,
and the French more sedentary.
The 'Bride' will blush upon you in a day or two; there is _much_, at
least a _little_ addition. I am happy to say that Frere and Heber, and
some other "good men and true," have been kind enough to adopt the same
opinion that you did.
Pray write when you like, and believe me,
Ever yours,
BYRON.
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