Memoir of John Murray
Thomas Carlyle to John Murray, [6 September] 1831
I have seen the Lord Advocate [Jeffrey], who informs me that you are willing to print an
edition of 750 copies of my MS., at your own cost, on the principle of what is
called “half profits;” the copyright of the book after that to
belong to myself.
I came down at present to say that, being very anxious to
have you as a publisher, and to see my book put forth soon, I am ready to
accede to these terms; and I should ![]()
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like much to meet
you, or hear from you, at your earliest convenience, that the business might be
actually put in motion. I much incline to think, in contrasting the character
of my little speculation with the character of the times, that now (even in
these months, say in November) were the best season for emitting it. Hoping
soon to see all this pleasantly settled,
I remain, dear Sir, yours truly,
Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)
Scottish essayist and man of letters; he translated Goethe's
Wilhelm
Meister (1824) and published
Sartor Resartus
(1833-34).
Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (1773-1850)
Scottish barrister, Whig MP, and co-founder and editor of the
Edinburgh
Review (1802-29). As a reviewer he was the implacable foe of the Lake School of
poetry.
