Moore was greatly gratified by the gift, and said the Memoirs would make a fine legacy for his little boy.  Lord Byron informed Mr. Murray by letter what he had done.  “They are not,” he said, “for publication during my life, but when I am cold you may do what you please.”  In a subsequent letter to Mr. Murray, Lord Byron said:  “As you say my prose is good, why don’t you treat with Moore for the reversion of my Memoirs?—­conditionally recollect; not to be published before decease.  He has the permission to dispose of them, and I advised him to do so.”  Moore thus mentions the subject in his Memoirs: 

“May 28, 1820.—­Received a letter at last from Lord Byron, through Murray, telling me he had informed Lady B. of his having given me his Memoirs for the purpose of their being published after his death, and offering her the perusal of them in case she might wish to confute any of his statements.  Her note in answer to this offer (the original of which he enclosed me) is as follows”: 

KIRKBY MALLORY, March 10, 1820.

I received your letter of January 1st, offering for my perusal a Memoir of part of my life.  I decline to inspect it.  I consider the publication or circulation of such a composition at any time is prejudicial to Ada’s future happiness.  For my own sake I have no reason to shrink from publication; but notwithstanding the injuries which I have suffered, I should lament more of the consequences.

A. BYRON.

To LORD BYRON. [Footnote:  For Byron’s reply to this letter, see Moore’s
Memoirs, iii. 115.]

Moore received the continuation of Lord Byron’s Memoirs on December 26, 1820, the postage amounting to forty-six francs and a half.  “He advises me,” said Moore in his Diary, “to dispose of the reversion of the MS. now.”  Accordingly, Moore, being then involved in pecuniary responsibilities by the defalcations of his deputy in Bermuda, endeavoured to dispose of the “Memoirs of Lord Byron.”  He first wrote to the Messrs. Longman, who did not offer him enough; and then to Mr. Murray, who offered him the sum of 2,000 guineas, on condition that he should be the editor of the Memoirs, and write the Life of Lord Byron.

John Murray to Lord Byron. July 24, 1821.

Dear Lord Byron,

I have just received a letter from Mr. Moore—­the subject of it is every way worthy of your usual liberality—­and I had not a moment’s hesitation in acceding to a proposal which enabled me in any way to join in assisting so excellent a fellow.  I have told him—­which I suppose you will think fair—­that he should give me all additions that you may from time to time make—­and in case of survivorship edit the whole—­and I will leave it as an heirloom to my son.

I have written to accede to Mr. Moore’s proposal.  I remain, dear Lord
Byron, Your grateful and faithful Servant, JOHN MURRAY.

Mr. Moore accepted the proposal, and then proceeded to draw upon Mr. Murray for part of the money.  It may be added that the agreement between Murray and Moore gave the former the right of publishing the Memoirs three months after his Lordship’s death.  When that event was authenticated, the manuscript remained at Mr. Murray’s absolute disposal if Moore had not previously redeemed it by the repayment of the 2,000 guineas.