t
is needless to regret what cannot be undone; at all events, I perceive
that it is now over with us for the present. I do not, however, believe
but that he will continue to do what he has been used to do for the
_Review_; indeed, unless he makes the newspaper business his excuse, he
stands completely pledged to me to adhere to that.

But with reverence be it spoken, even this does not seem to me a matter
of very great moment. On the contrary, I believe that his papers in the
_Review_ have (with a few exceptions) done the work a great deal more
harm than good. I cannot express what I feel; but there was always the
bitterness of Gifford without his dignity, and the bigotry of Southey
without his _bonne-foi._ His scourging of such poor deer as Lady Morgan
was unworthy of a work of that rank. If we can get the same
_information_ elsewhere, no fear that we need equally regret the
secretary's quill. As it is, we must be contented to watch the course of
things and recollect the Roman's maxim, "quae casus obtullerint ad
sapientiam vertenda."

I an vexed not a little at Mr. Barrow's imprudence in mentioning my name
to Croker and to Rose as in connection with the paper; and for this
reason that I was most anxious to have produced at least one number of
the _Review_ ere that matter should have been at all suspected. As it
is, I hope you will still find means to make Barrow, Rose, and Croker
(at all events the two last) completely understand that you had, indeed,
wished me to edit the paper, but that I had declined that, and that
_then_ you had offered me the _Review_.

No matter what you say as to the firm belief I have expressed that the
paper _will_ answer, and the resolutions I have made to assist you by
writing political articles in it. It is of the highest importance that
in our anxiety about a new affair one should not lose sight of the old
and established one, and I _can_ believe that if the real state of the
case were known at the outset of my career in London, a considerable
feeling detrimental to the _Quarterly might_ be excited. We have enough
of adverse feelings to meet, without unnecessarily swelling their number
and aggravating their quality.

I beg you to have a serious conversation with Mr. Barrow on this head,
and in the course of it take care to make him thoroughly understand that
the prejudices or doubts he gave utterance to in regard to me were heard
of by me without surprise, and excited no sort of angry