except it be an extraordinary work indeed, ever
throws off at an impression."

Mr. Murray not only published the works of others, but became an author
himself. He wrote two letters in the _Morning Chronicle_ in defence of
his old friend Colonel (afterwards Sir) Robert Gordon, who had been
censured for putting an officer under arrest during the siege of Broach,
in which Gordon had led the attack. The Colonel's brother, Gordon of
Gordonstown, wrote to Murray, saying, "Whether you succeed or not, your
two letters are admirably written; and you have obtained great merit and
reputation for the gallant stand you have made for your friend." The
Colonel himself wrote (August 20,1774): "I cannot sufficiently thank
you, my dear sir, for the extraordinary zeal, activity, and warmth of
friendship, with which you so strenuously supported and defended my
cause, and my honour as a soldier, when attacked so injuriously by
Colonel Stuart, especially when he was so powerfully supported."

Up to this time Mr. Murray's success had been very moderate. He had
brought out some successful works; but money came in slowly, and his
chief difficulty was the want of capital. He was therefore under the
necessity of refusing to publish works which might have done something
to establish his reputation.

At this juncture, i.e. in 1771, an uncle died leaving a fortune of
L17,000, of which Mr. Murray was entitled to a fourth share. On the
strength of this, his friend Mr. Kerr advanced to him a further sum of
L500. The additional capital was put into the business, but even then
his prosperity did not advance with rapid strides; and in 1777 we find
him writing to his friend Mr. Richardson at Oxford.

_John Murray to Mr. Richardson_.

DEAR JACK,

I am fatigued from morning till night about twopenny matters, if any of
which is forgotten I am complained of as a man who minds not his
business. I pray heaven for a lazy and lucrative office, and then I
shall with alacrity turn my shop out of the window.

A curious controversy occurred in 1778 between Mr. Mason, executor of
Thomas Gray the poet, and Mr. Murray, who had published a "Poetical
Miscellany," in which were quoted fifty lines from three passages in
Gray's works.

Mr. Murray wrote a pamphlet in his own defence, and the incident is
mentioned in the following passage from Boswell's "Life":

"Somebody mentioned the Rev. Mr. Mason's prosecution of Mr. Murray, the
bookseller, for having inserted i