Thank you for Holcroft’s “Life,” which is extremely curious and interesting.  I think you will relent and send me “Childe Harold” before any one has it—­this is the first time you have not done so—­and the Quarterly Review; and pray also any other book that is curious....  I quite pine to see the Quarterly Review and “Childe Harold.”  Have mercy and send them, or I shall gallop to town to see you.  Is 450 guineas too dear for a new barouche?  If you know this let me know, as we of the country know nothing.

Yours sincerely, C.L.

In sending home the MS. of the first act of “Manfred,” Lord Byron wrote, giving but unsatisfactory accounts of his own health.  Mr. Murray replied: 

John Murray to Lord Byron.

March 20, 1817.

My Lord,

I have to acknowledge your kind letter, dated the 3rd, received this hour; but I am sorry to say that it has occasioned, me great anxiety about your health.  You are not wont to cry before you are hurt; and I am apprehensive that you are worse even than you allow.  Pray keep quiet and take care of yourself.  My Review shows you that you are worth preserving and that the world yet loves you.  If you become seriously worse, I entreat you to let me know it, and I will fly to you with a physician; an Italian one is only a preparation for the anatomist.  I will not tell your sister of this, if you will tell me true.  I had hopes that this letter would have confirmed my expectations of your speedy return, which has been stated by Mr. Kinnaird, and repeated to me by Mr. Davies, whom I saw yesterday, and who promises to write.  We often indulge our recollections of you, and he allows me to believe that I am one of the few who really know you.

Gifford gave me yesterday the first act of “Manfred” with a delighted countenance, telling me it was wonderfully poetical, and desiring me to assure you that it well merits publication.  I shall send proofs to you with his remarks, if he have any; it is a wild and delightful thing, and I like it myself hugely....

I have just received, in a way perfectly unaccountable, a MS. from St. Helena—­with not a word.  I suppose it to be originally written by Buonaparte or his agents.—­It is very curious—­his life, in which each event is given in almost a word—­a battle described in a short sentence.  I call it therefore simply Manuscrit venu de Ste. Helene d’une maniere inconnue. [Footnote:  This work attracted a considerable amount of attention in London, but still more in Paris, as purporting to be a chapter of autobiography by Napoleon, then a prisoner in St. Helena.  It was in all probability the work of some of the deposed Emperor’s friends and adherents in Paris, issued for the purpose of keeping his name prominently before the world.  M. de Meneval, author of several books on Napoleon’s career, has left it on record that the “M.S. venu de Sainte Helene” was written by M. Frederic