Mr. Murray, in acknowledging the receipt of the first and second cantos, was not so congratulatory as he had formerly been.  The verses contained, no doubt, some of the author’s finest poetry, but he had some objections to suggest.  “I think,” he said, “you may modify or substitute other words for the lines on Romilly, whose death should save him.”  But Byron entertained an extreme detestation for Romilly, because, he said, he had been “one of my assassins,” and had sacrificed him on “his legal altar”; and the verse [Footnote:  St. 16, First Canto.] was allowed to stand over.  “Your history,” wrote Murray, “of the plan of the progress of ’Don Juan’ is very entertaining, but I am clear for sending him to hell, because he may favour us with a description of some of the characters whom he finds there.”  Mr. Murray suggested the removal of some offensive words in Canto II.  “These,” he said, “ladies may not read; the Shipwreck is a little too particular, and out of proportion to the rest of the picture.  But if you do anything it must be done with extreme caution; think of the effects of such seductive poetry!  It probably surpasses in talent anything that you ever wrote.  Tell me if you think seriously of completing this work, or if you have sketched the story.  I am very sorry to have occasioned you the trouble of writing again the “Letter of Julia”; but you are always very forgiving in such cases.”  The lines in which the objectionable words appeared were obliterated by Lord Byron.

From the following letter we see that Mr. Murray continued his remonstrances: 

John Murray to Lord Byron.

May 3, 1819.

“I find that ‘Julia’s Letter’ has been safely received, and is with the printer.  The whole remainder of the second canto will be sent by Friday’s post.  The inquiries after its appearance are not a few.  Pray use your most tasteful discretion so as to wrap up or leave out certain approximations to indelicacy.”

Mr. Douglas Kinnaird, who was entrusted with the business portion of this transaction, wrote to Mr. Murray: 

Mr. Douglas Kinnaird to John Murray.

June 7, 1819.

My Dear Sir,

Since I had the pleasure of seeing you, I have received from Lord Byron a letter in which he expresses himself as having left to Mr. Hobhouse and myself the sole and whole discretion and duty of settling with the publisher of the MSS. which are now in your hands the consideration to be given for them.  Observing that you have advertised “Mazeppa,” I feel that it is my duty to request you will name an early day—­of course previous to your publishing that or any other part of the MSS.—­when we may meet and receive your offer of such terms as you may deem proper for the purchase of the copyright of them.  The very liberal footing on which Lord Byron’s intercourse with you in your character of publisher of his Lordship’s works has hitherto been placed, leaves no doubt in my mind that our interview need be but very short, and that the terms you will propose will be met by our assent.