Mr. Gifford, after consulting me,
omitted your close of the drama from no other motive than because he thought
that the words you allude to lessened the effect; and I was convinced of this
myself, and the omission to send a copy to you earlier was merely that, having
no direct opportunity, it did not before occur to me to send it by post; and,
upon my honour, the alteration was so trivial in my mind that I forgot the
importance which it might have in the eye of an author. I have written up this
day to have the page cancelled and your reading restored. In future I propose
to send you every proof by post, with any suggestions of Mr. G. upon them for
your approbation. The slight errors of the press which you point out in the
fifth volume have been corrected against a new edition. I
| 388 | MEMOIRS OF JOHN MURRAY |
How I have omitted to tell you what I have heard of ‘Manfred,’ I cannot conceive, but so it appears to be. All the higher critics, such as Frere, are in ecstasy with it, averring that it places you far above all your former efforts; but it is not so popular with the general reader, because they go through it at once, expecting to find their pleasure in the intricacy and interest of the plot, and being therein disappointed, they do not recur to the beauties which they had hastily passed over; to conclude, it is less popular, but more praised. Mr. Crabbe did not think ‘Tasso’ equal to yourself; but, he added, who could have written it but Lord Byron?
By the way, I asked Gifford and some others how Scott would like to be called the Scottish Ariosto, and no one can tell why you should call him so, except, perhaps, on account of his adopting the same measure.
