After some controversy and litigation the matter was arranged.  Mr. Murray voluntarily agreed to pay to Mrs. Rundell L2,000, in full of all claims, and her costs and expenses.  The Messrs. Longman delivered to Mr. Murray the stereotype plates of the Cookery Book, and stopped all further advertisements of Mrs. Rundell’s work.  Mr. Sharon Turner, when writing to tell Mr. Murray the result of his negotiations, concludes with the recommendation:  “As Home and Shadwell [Murray’s counsel] took much pains, I think if you were to send them each a copy of the Cookery Book, and (as a novelty) of ‘Cain,’ it would please them.”

Moore, in his Diary, notes:  [Footnote:  “Moore:  Memoirs, Journal, and Correspondence,” v. p. 119.] “I called at Pickering’s, in Chancery Lane, who showed me the original agreement between Milton and Symonds for the payment of five pounds for ‘Paradise Lost.’  The contrast of this sum with the L2,000 given by Mr. Murray for Mrs. Rundell’s ‘Cookery’ comprises a history in itself.  Pickering, too, gave forty-five guineas for this agreement, nine times as much as the sum given for the poem.”

CHAPTER XXII

WASHINGTON IRVING—­UGO FOSCOLO—­LADY CAROLINE LAMB—­“HAJJI BABA”—­MRS. MARKHAM’S HISTORIES.

The book trade between England and America was in its infancy at the, time of which we are now writing, and though Mr. Murray was frequently invited to publish American books, he had considerable hesitation in accepting such invitations.

Mr. Washington Irving, who was already since 1807 favourably known as an author in America, called upon Mr. Murray, and was asked to dine, as distinguished Americans usually were.  He thus records his recollections of the event in a letter to his brother Peter at Liverpool: 

Mr. Washington Irving to Mr. Peter Irving.

August 19, 1817.

“I had a very pleasant dinner at Murray’s.  I met there D’Israeli and an artist [Brockedon] just returned from Italy with an immense number of beautiful sketches of Italian scenery and architecture.  D’Israeli’s wife and daughter came in in the course of the evening, and we did not adjourn until twelve o’clock.  I had a long tete-a-tete with old D’Israeli in a corner.  He is a very pleasant, cheerful old fellow, curious about America, and evidently tickled at the circulation his works have had there, though, like most authors just now, he groans at not being able to participate in the profits.  Murray was very merry and loquacious.  He showed me a long letter from Lord Byron, who is in Italy.  It is written with some flippancy, but is an odd jumble.  His Lordship has written some 104 stanzas of the fourth canto (’Childe Harold’).  He says it will be less metaphysical than the last canto, but thinks it will be at least equal to either of the preceding.  Murray left town yesterday for some watering-place, so that I have had no further talk with him, but am to keep my eye on his advertisements and write to him when anything offers that I may think worth republishing in America.  I shall find him a most valuable acquaintance on my return to London.”