I am, Sir, your obedient humble Servant, etc.,

VASSALL HOLLAND.

It would appear that Mr. Murray called upon Lord Holland and looked over the MSS., but made no proposal to purchase the papers.  The matter lay over until Lord Holland again addressed Mr. Murray.

Lord Holland to John Murray.

“It appears that you are either not aware of the interesting nature of the MSS. which I showed you, or that the indifference produced by the present frenzy about the Queen’s business [Footnote:  The trial of Queen Caroline was then occupying public attention.] to all literary publications, has discouraged you from an undertaking in which you would otherwise engage most willingly.  However, to come to the point.  I have consulted Lord Waldegrave on the subject, and we agree that the two works, viz. his grandfather, Lord Waldegrave’s “Memoirs,” and Horace Walpole’s “Memoirs of the Last Nine Years of George II.,” should not be sold for less than 3,000 guineas.  If that sum would meet your ideas, or if you have any other offer to make, I will thank you to let me know before the second of next month.”

Three thousand guineas was certainly a very large price to ask for the Memoirs, and Mr. Murray hesitated very much before acceding to Lord Holland’s proposal.  He requested to have the MSS. for the purpose of consulting his literary adviser—­probably Mr. Croker, though the following remarks, now before us, are not in his handwriting.

“This book of yours,” says the critic, “is a singular production.  It is ill-written, deficient in grammar, and often in English; and yet it interests and even amuses.  Now, the subjects of it are all, I suppose, gone ad plures; otherwise it would be intolerable.  The writer richly deserves a licking or a cudgelling to every page, and yet I am ashamed to say I have travelled unwearied with him through the whole, divided between a grin and a scowl.  I never saw nor heard of such an animal as a splenetic, bustling kind of a poco-curante.  By the way, if you happen to hear of any plan for making me a king, be so good as to say that I am deceased; or tell any other good-natured lie to put the king-makers off their purpose.  I really cannot submit to be the only slave in the nation, especially when I have a crossing to sweep within five yards of my door, and may gain my bread with less ill-usage than a king is obliged to put up with.  If half that is here told be true, Lord Holland seems to me to tread on

                                   ’ignes
                Suppositos cineri doloso’

in retouching any part of the manuscript.  He is so perfectly kind and good-natured, that he will feel more than any man the complaints of partiality and injustice; and where he is to stop, I see not.  There is so much abuse that little is to be gained by an occasional erasure, while suspicion is excited.  He would have consulted his quiet more by leaving the author to bear the blame of his own scandal.”