Charles Lever, His Life in His Letters Volume I Part 12

"Although I wrote to P. S. about John's baptismal certificate, I have not yet received reply. At the moment I am too hard up to spare a sou, and must ask you to send me the 15 or 20 you speak of with the proceeds of my last two articles in the D. U. I mean the two reviews in Nov. and Dec., and if b.u.t.t be in my debt,--as I believe,--perhaps M'Glashan would see to it for me. I have above 150 to pay here at this confounded season, and something like that number of pence to meet it with.

"Will you also ask M'G. what times of payment will be arranged for 'The Dragoon,' as although I leave the thing to his convenience, it will suit mine much to have some definite knowledge on the subject.

"I have thrown physic to the dogs, for really there is nothing to do. I think, _entre nous_, I must go farther--perhaps to Florence or Naples.

"I have dedicated 'Lorrequer' to Sir H. Seymour, by his special request, which at the same time interferes with my original wish and determination to inscribe it to Lord Douro, who [? half] expects it.

"Since I wrote last I have been laid up with gout in my wrist and knuckles and both feet, and now can only walk with cloth shoes and a stick.... The 'Irish Dragoon' has been shelved these twelve days."

_To Mr Alexander Spencer_.

_Jan_. 17, 1840.

"A most absurd blunder has induced a certain Charles O'Malley, Esq., barrister-at-law, and leader of the Western Circuit, to suppose that my new book under that name is meant to be his Life, &c. And the consequence is that a meeting of the Bar has taken place at Litton's, and resolutions entered to compel a change of t.i.tle.

"Now as I never heard of this gentleman, nor with a very widespread acquaintance do I know of one single Mr O'Malley, I have refused point-blank. My book is already advertised in all the London papers, and if I changed the name for another, any individual bearing the newly-adopted one would have--what Mr O'Malley has not--just and sufficient ground of quarrel with me.

"All my friends here--military, diplomatic, and literary--agree in this view, Lord Lennox, Ranelagh, Suffield, &c, saying that it would be a very weak thing indeed to yield, and one which would undoubtedly reflect both upon my courage and judgment.

"I write these few hurried lines to put you _en courant_ to what is going on....

"For G.o.d's sake send me some gilt. I am terribly hard up just now."

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Brussels, _Jan_. 30,1840.

"I am in the greatest anxiety to hear from M'Glashan, as a MS.--the first of 'O'Malley'--has not yet been acknowledged by him, and if lost will cause me serious inconvenience,--for I never have a copy of a MS.

"What you observe about the change of name is very just, but the demand, not request, made a very great difference in the matter. Besides that, a book once advertised as it was in all the London papers is seriously injured by any change of t.i.tle,--such is at least the view of the trade.

"I am working away, _malgre_ gout and dyspepsia, but by no means satisfied with my labours or sanguine about their success. So long as I had done nothing I felt indifferent on this head, but the unmerited success of 'Lorrequer' has stimulated me to do better, and it appears likely that I may do worse--for such I feel at present. Time will tell.

Meanwhile I go on,--for needs must when somebody is the coachman.

"If you could discover any source of story or anecdote for me, the service would be inestimable. Droll, comic, ludicrous situations I covet; I have latterly become as grave as a hermit, trying to invent fun."

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Quartier Leopold, Brussels, Dec. 20, 1840.

"You will be sorry to learn that Wright's failure has let me in for a loss which, however small, is something to one still smoked. His correspondent here, a Mr Berry (?) King, took the opportunity of failing offered by the great man's break up, and failed accordingly. He was my banker, which doubtless was another predisposing cause for a mishap.

You may remember how a very small credit I once opened with the bank in Coleraine made them close in a week. However, as some one remarked with much good nature, 'It's only another book,'--and so I feel it. Meanwhile I am very hard up, as this is the season of yearly accounts being sent in. With Curry I am in advance, for unluckily, to oblige this confounded Berry King, I gave him my booksellers' bills when drawn--which he has since appropriated.

"Forgive me, my dear friend, all this long story of worry and annoyance, which, now that I have told it, has relieved my mind considerably.

"But, after all, I have found it a hard task and sore test of my courage for the last five weeks to go on daily bolting the egotism, selfishness, and sordid meanness of my sick world, and at night writing till one or two or three o'clock every imaginable kind of nonsense, with a heavy heart and an aching head--for means, ay, for means,--only to continue the same dull drudgery somewhat longer. This is a confession only for a very dear friend....

"My loss with the rascal is about 280--but it is all lost, for however Wright may come round my friend is most genteely cleared out.

"I have written a squib for the D. U. M.--'The Chateau de Vandyck.' Look at it."

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Quartier Leopold, Brussels, _Dec_ 28, 1840.

"I was just puzzling my brains with the knotty problem how to pay two hundred with one, when the solution of the difficulty came from another quarter--a most civil letter from the Currys, enclosing me 100 _en cadeau de saison_, expressing themselves sorry that their finances limited the present, and in fact doing the thing handsomely. The letter contained a pressing proposition to continue 'O'Malley' to 20 Nos.--a project my pocket, but not my brains, concurs in. I fear much that the public may grow very weary of the mere narrative details of battle and bloodshed which must necessarily make up the staple of the additional Nos., but they reply that the Peninsular part is likely to be popular, and in fact press me to give what in a chance conversation I hinted,--a prolongation down to Waterloo, to conclude with the battle, which [task]

as regards locality, &c., I have many opportunities for making a strong thing.

"I should like to have your opinion on this. The plan is to publish the present ten numbers at once complete in one vol., and then proceed seriatim with the others. In a trade point of view a good idea; but the fear is, shall I not mar all by spinning out?--for so much has my head been running on other matters that I have latterly sat down to write without a particle of material in my mind, and merely ran on mechanically stringing sentences, sometimes so far away from the whole thing that but for my wife I had given wrong names to the characters and [made] a dozen similar blunders.

"I am about to have a special audience of the king on Friday. My grandeur costs me nearly 50 for a uniform. Do you know, 'I'm Captain in the Derry Militia' and aide-de-camp to somebody! His Majesty has been graciously pleased to move his royal jaws in laughter at something in 'O'Malley,' and I am to wait upon him while he expounds that same to me in French,--a great bore on many accounts, but an unavoidable one, such requests being very imperative. I am told I shall be asked to dinner, but this I don't calculate on....

"The whole population is skating, and the consumption of schnaps is tremendous....

"The war rumour is over for the present, but both parties have shown their teeth, and the thing will come to blows sooner or later. One must live abroad to comprehend the rooted feeling of dislike the Continent entertains towards England. Waterloo is as great a grudge to the Prussians and Austrians as to the beaten French themselves,--and all the nations hate us."

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Quartier Leopold, Brussels, _Feb_. 15, 1841.

"...I am getting so much more to like the literary [life] than the medical one, that I think very often of abandoning the latter for the former; not, I entreat you to believe, on the strength of anything I have hitherto done (of which I feel in no way vain), but of what I hope and trust I shall do in the future.

"Bentley has this day offered me 1000 for a new book of 12 Nos., but don't mention this to any one, for I would not treat with him pro or con without making Curry & Co. perfectly _au fait_ to all. I owe this equally to myself and to them. They [Curry & Co.] have been most honourable in all their dealings, and they shall certainly not lose by treating me so; in fact, it is in reconnaissance for this conduct that I am now continuing 'O'Malley' to two vols, when double pay awaits me in another quarter. I have also accepted no remuneration for my MSS. lost by fire, so that I think all the generosity comes not on one side."

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Quartier Leopold, Brussels, _May_ 16, 1841.

"I never felt so provokingly pressed, and all for the ill-conduct of others. I have at the moment nearly 200 due to me, and yet I cannot get a sou, and despair of ever receiving more than one-fourth of it.

"Curry is most punctual, but even his fifties won't do everything, and I am sorely put out. Meanwhile, to drown care, I am working hard at my book, and have two whole numbers written in advance after that to appear on the 1st June, so that you see I am not idle.

"I am pleased at your kind mention of the last No., which I half feared was not good; but I am so easily inclined to believe what I wish, that your good-natured criticism has put me on good terms with myself. My next No. is, I think, my best. I should much like your opinion when you see it. I have written to John; indeed I deluge him with letters--but with an object,--for I plainly see how much benefit my 'distraction'

does the poor fellow, and what service it is to take him out of the harness even for a moment, and although I have nothing of interest to tell, yet the very fact that we are engaged about each other has its excitement, and from what _I_ feel I know he also must be the better....

"I am actually nervous when a day's illness comes on me, and solely for this cause [namely, that he feared he could not keep up his insurance payments]. I don't mention this in any low spirits and depression, but as the only available mode I can think of for tying up my hands,--for whatever is once devoted to any given object I'll refrain from, and there is no fear of my incurring debt, though I freely confess I can spend my utmost farthing."