Print:
And tints to-morrow with _prophetic_ ray.
The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, And tints to-morrow with prophetic ray;
Or,
And {_gilds_/tints} the hope of Morning with its ray;
Or,
And gilds to-morrow"s hope with heavenly ray.
Dear Sir,--I wish you would ask Mr. G. which of them is best, or rather _not worst_.
Ever yours, B.
You can send the request contained in this at the same time with the _revise, after_ I have seen the _said revise_.
350.--To John Murray.
Nov. 13, 1813.
Certainly. Do you suppose that no one but the Galileans are acquainted with _Adam_, and _Eve_, and _Cain,_ [1] and _Noah_?--Surely, I might have had Solomon, and Abraham, and David, and even Moses, or the other.
When you know that _Zuleika_ is the _Persian poetical_ name for _Potiphar"s_ wife, on whom and Joseph there is a long poem in the Persian, this will not surprise you. If you want authority look at Jones, D"Herbelot, "Vathek", or the notes to the "Arabian Nights"; and, if you think it necessary, model this into a _note_.
Alter, in the inscription, "the most affectionate respect," to "with every sentiment of regard and respect,"
[Footnote 1:
"Some doubt had been expressed by Murray as to the propriety of his putting the name of Cain into the mouth of a Mussulman."
(Moore).]
351.--To John Murray.
Nov. 14, 1813.
I send you a note for the _ignorant_, but I really wonder at finding _you_ among them. I don"t care one lump of Sugar for my _poetry_; but for my _costume_, and my _correctness_ on those points (of which I think the _funeral_ was a proof), I will combat l.u.s.tily.
Yours ever,
B.
352.--To John Murray.
November 15, 1813.
DEAR SIR,--Mr. Hodgson has looked over and _stopped_, or rather _pointed_, this revise, which must be the one to print from. He has also made some suggestions, with most of which I have complied, as he has always, for these ten years, been a very sincere, and by no means (at times) flattering critic of mine. _He_ likes it (you will think _flatteringly_, in this instance) better than "The Giaour", but doubts (and so do I) its being so popular; but, contrary to some others, advises a separate publication. On this we can easily decide. I confess I like the _double_ form better. Hodgson says, it is _better versified_ than any of the others; which is odd, if true, as it has cost me less time (though more _hours_ at a time) than any attempt I ever made.
Yours ever, B.
P.S.--Do attend to the punctuation: I can"t, for I don"t know a comma--at least where to place one.
That Tory of a printer has omitted two lines of the opening, and _perhaps more_, which were in the MS. Will you, pray, give him a hint of accuracy? I have reinserted the 2, but they were in the ma.n.u.script, I can swear.