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George Gordon Byron - Epistle To Mr. Murray
Work rating: Low

My dear Mr. Murray,
You`re in a damn `d hurry,
    To set up this ultimate Canto;
But (if they don`t rob us)
You`ll see Mr. Hobhouse
    Will bring it safe in his portmanteau.
 
For the Journal you hint of,
As ready to print off,
        No doubt you do right to commend it;
But as yet I have writ off                           
The devil a bit of
    Our `Beppo:`--when copied, I`ll send it.
 
Then you`ve Sotheby`s Tour,-- 
No great things, to be sure­,--
       You could hardly begin with a less work;
For the pompous rascallion,
Who don`t speak Italian
    Nor French, must have scribbled by guess work.
 
You can make any loss up
With `Spence` and his gossip,                         
    A work which must surely succeed; 
Then Queen Mary`s Epistle-craft, 
With the new `Fytte` of `Whistlecraft,`
    Must make people purchase and read.
 
Then you`ve General Gordon,
Who girded his sword on,
    To serve with a Muscovite master
And help him to polish
A nation so owlish,
    They thought shaving their beards a disaster. 
 
For the man, `poor and shrewd,`
With whom you`d conclude
   A compact without more delay,
Perhaps some such pen is
Still extant in Venice;               
   But please, sir, to mention your pay.
 
Venice, January 8, 1818.
Source
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