Murray after fuller consideration offered a thousand guineas, which Colonel Napier accepted, and the volume was accordingly published in the course of 1828.  Notwithstanding the beauty of its style and the grandeur of its descriptions, the book gave great offence by the severity of its criticism, and called forth a multitude of replies and animadversions.  More than a dozen of these appeared in the shape of pamphlets bearing their authors’ names, added to which the Quarterly Review, departing from the general rule, gave no less than four criticisms in succession.  This innovation greatly disgusted the publisher, who regarded them as so much lead weighing down his Review, although they proceeded from the pen of the Duke’s right-hand man, the Rt.  Hon. Sir George Murray.  They were unreadable and produced no effect.  It is needless to add the Duke had nothing to do with them.

Mr. Murray published no further volumes of the “History of the Peninsular War,” but at his suggestion Colonel Napier brought out the second and succeeding volumes on his own account.  In illustration of the loss which occurred to Mr. Murray in publishing the first volume of the history, the following letter may be given, as addressed to the editor of the Morning Chronicle: 

John Murray to the Editor of the Morning Chronicle.

ALBEMARLE STREET, February 13, 1837.

SIR,

My attention has been called to an article in your paper of the 14th of January, containing the following extract from Colonel Napier’s reply to the third article in the Quarterly Review, on his “History of the Peninsular War.” [Footnote:  The article appeared in No. 111 of Quarterly, April 1836.]

“Sir George Murray only has thrown obstacles in my way, and if I am rightly informed of the following circumstances, his opposition has not been confined to what I have stated above.  Mr. Murray, the bookseller, purchased my first volume, with the right of refusal for the second volume.  When the latter was nearly ready, a friend informed me that he did not think Murray would purchase, because he had heard him say that Sir George Murray had declared it was not ‘The Book.’  He did not point out any particular error, but it was not ‘The Book,’ meaning, doubtless, that his own production, when it appeared, would be ‘The Book.’  My friend’s prognostic was not false.  I was offered just half of the sum given for the first volume.  I declined it, and published on my own account, and certainly I have had no reason to regret that Mr. Bookseller Murray waited for ‘The Book,’ indeed, he has since told me very frankly that he had mistaken his own interest.”

In answer to the first part of this statement, I beg leave to say, that I had not, at the time to which Colonel Napier refers, the honour of any acquaintance with Sir George Murray, nor have I held any conversation or correspondence with him on the subject of Colonel Napier’s book, or of any other book on the Peninsular War.  In reply to the second part of the statement, regarding the offer for Colonel Napier’s second volume of half the sum (viz. 500 guineas) that I gave for the first volume (namely, 1,000 guineas), I have only to beg the favour of your insertion of the following letter, written by me to Colonel Napier, upon the occasion referred to.