Letter from Campbell to Murray, 29 Jan 1814

Author(s): Campbell, Thomas

Saty 29. Jany 1814.

Dear Murray


I will finish your work & never more trouble you
on the subject of money — What I sought was not as a matter
of right but of pure favour — I am sorry it has annoyed
you – You are bound to forgive me I think when I say that
I regret the application —


You have a right to refuse me on the
score of a legal claim but you do me some injustice in
stating the grounds of your right of refusal — It is because my
work is unfinished that this just denial must be admitted
by me — but you should not found it on a circumstance
which never existed that of my having used your library
for the purpose of other undertakings — Brewster whose
articles I agreed to write by your own express sanction be
=fore beginning our work gave me a full order upon his
bookseller Richardson for all books necessary for his
biographies [&] they were from the nature of the articles
very few & of slight importance — Again out





of eleven lectures delivered at the Royal Institution
only two were upon the subjects of our criticisms —
the other nine were upon the philosophy of poetry the
Spanish French & Greek Drama & even on our own
dramatic writers respecting whom I had not a single
volume to assist me among your books —


The lengthened delay of the work has been occasioned by
the nature of its materials which lie so diversely
scattered that with all your zeal & liberality & my
own exertions it has been physically impossible to collect
them into one mass at one time — The other things in which
I have been engaged have been resorted to as the mere sup=
=ports of my family at certain intervals when I saw
my finances near a close & found that by the utmost
progress I could make in our work I could not have
a just claim on you in time enough for my necessities —
I write not to ask from you or to annoy you but




to vindicate myself — for past delays — Believe me they
have not been voluntary — Even now I believe I shall
be obliged to cast about for some scheme of lecturing
to make money wherewithall to finish the Criticisms
or at least to stand out the time when I shall be engaged
in correcting the proofs which I should not wish to be
put too hastily off — I do not by this mean
to insinuate the slightest wish again to trouble
you — I feel that your refusal is perfectly
just —


I thank you for expressing a wish that we should
continue friends — I meet it cordially — I trust that the
entire Ms will convince you that instead of the
lectures starving the criticisms they have enrichd them
much — The tone of our future intercourse will depend
on your reception of this letter — I remain disposed as ever
to be sincerely &c yours T. Campbell

Letter from Campbell to Murray, 29 Jan 1814

Document Information

Document ID	232
Title	Letter from Campbell to Murray, 29 Jan 1814
Year group	1800-1850
Genre	Personal writing
Year of publication	1814
Wordcount	492

Author information: Campbell, Thomas

Author ID	54
Forenames	Thomas
Surname	Campbell
Gender	Male
Year of birth	1777
Place of birth	Glasgow, Scotland
Occupation	Author
Father's occupation	Tobacco importer
Education	University
Locations where resident	Glasgow, Edinburgh