The Autobiography of William Jerdan
John Macken to William Jerdan, [1821]
“Thursday Morning.
“My Dear Sir,
“For some days past I have very anxiously expected
a line or two from you, touching our projected poetical operations.
Conformably to your suggestion, I wish to transfer the copyright of the
‘Harp,’
and the unsold part of the impression, if any, to Longman and Co., together with the
‘Lays on
Land,’ in case they would think themselves justified in
advancing any present
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consideration for the whole. To use the most
unlimited candour with you (for you have made one feel that confidence in
your friendship, which long intimacy does not always warrant), I am at this
moment utterly destitute of any other resource to enable me to remain here,
unless by still further encroachments on the much abused generosity of one
friend, the only one, who knows my situation, and without whose assistance
I verily believe I should long since have fallen a victim to misfortune. If
nothing tangible (as your silence appears to indicate) is likely to come
from the proposed plan, I must leave London forthwith, and await a more
auspicious moment. As you will be in town tomorrow, I beg you will leave a
few words in reply to this at the ‘Literary Gazette’ Office, where I will
call for them. I am glad to find there has been a considerable order for
the ‘Harp’ from Ireland. I have made
some progress in preparing the ‘Lays’
for the press, but am much retarded by personal inconveniences and
privations, from which my health suffers deeply. If gratitude for your
goodness did not so entirely engross my mind, I should certainly feel
compunction for all this gratuitous trouble; but your humanity will
dispense with apologies.
“Believe me, my dear Sir,
“Most sincerely and faithfully,
“Yours, &c,
Thomas Norton Longman (1771-1842)
A leading London publisher whose authors included Southey, Wordsworth, Scott, and
Moore.
John Macken [Ismael Fitzadam] (1784 c.-1823)
He was editor of the
Enniskillen Chronicle (1808), a friend of
William Jerdan, and an early contributor to the
Literary
Gazette.
