Memoir of John Murray
Mary Shelley to John Murray, 12 November 1829
33 Somerset Street, Portman Square.
November 12th, 1829.
My dear Sir,
I am sorry to hear from Mr.
Moore that you decline my Romance, because I would rather that
you published it than any other person. I can assure you I feel all the
kindness of your message to me through Mr. Moore. Do you
remember speaking to me about a ‘Life of the Empress Josephine,’ ‘Madame de Staël,’ etc.? When I have got free from my
present occupation, I will communicate with you on the subject, and I hope by
some plan, either of my writing for your ‘Family
Library,’ or in some other way, to liquidate my debt; or I
must do it even in a more usual manner. I am aware of your kindness concerning
it, but I could not consent that an act of civility on my part to Mr.
Moore should be brought forward as cancelling my debt to you.
Besides, it would make me break a vow I made, never to make money of my
acquaintance with Lord Byron. His ghost would certainly come and taunt me if I
did. This does not remove but rather enhance the value I have for your kind
intention.
I am, dear Sir, your obliged,
Empress Joséphine (1763-1814)
Consort of Napoleon, whom she married in 1796 after her first husband was guillotined;
she was divorced in 1809.
Thomas Moore (1779-1852)
Irish poet and biographer, author of the
Irish Melodies (1807-34),
The Fudge Family in Paris (1818), and
Lalla
Rookh (1817); he was Byron's close friend and designated biographer.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley [née Godwin] (1797-1851)
English novelist, daughter of William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecaft, and the second wife
of Percy Bysshe Shelley. She is the author of
Frankenstein (1818)
and
The Last Man (1835) and the editor of Shelley's works
(1839-40).
Germaine de Staël (1766-1817)
French woman of letters; author of the novel
Corinne, ou L'Italie
(1807) and
De l'Allemagne (1811); banned from Paris by Napoleon, she
spent her later years living in Germany, Britain, and Switzerland.
