[Footnote: See "Life of W.E.
Forster," ch. iv.] reserving the remainder for another volume to be
published at a future day. I should like to have 1,500 copies of the
first volume thrown off without delay."

The book was published, and was followed by a cheaper volume in the
following year, of which a large number was sold and distributed.

The following letter illustrates the dangerous results of reading sleepy
books by candle-light in bed:

_Mr. Longman to John Murray_.

2 HANOVER TERRACE, 1838.

MY DEAR MURRAY,

Can you oblige me by letting me have a third volume of "Wilberforce"?
The fact is, that in reading that work, my neighbour, Mr. Alexander,
fell fast asleep from exhaustion, and, setting himself on fire, burnt
the volume and his bed, to the narrow escape of the whole Terrace. Since
that book has been published, premiums of fire assurance are up, and not
having already insured my No. 2, now that the fire has broken out near
my own door, no office will touch my house nor any others in the Terrace
until it is ascertained that Mr. Alexander has finished with the book.
So pray consider our position, and let me have a third volume to make up
the set as soon as possible.

Mr. Murray had agreed with the Bishop of Llandaff to publish Lord
Dudley's posthumous works, but the Bishop made certain complaints which
led to the following letter from Mr. Murray:

_John Murray to the Bishop of Llandaff_.

_December_ 31, 1839.

MY LORD,

I am told that your Lordship continues to make heavy complaints of the
inconvenience you incur by making me the publisher of "Lord Dudley's
Letters," in consequence of the great distance between St. Paul's
Churchyard and Albemarle Street, and that you have discovered another
cause for dissatisfaction in what you consider the inordinate profits of
a publisher.

My Lord, when I had the honour to publish for Sir Walter Scott and Lord
Byron, the one resided in Edinburgh, the other in Venice; and, with
regard to the supposed advantages of a publisher, they were only such as
custom has established, and experience proved to be no more than
equivalent to his peculiar trouble and the inordinate risque which he
incurs.

My long acquaintance with Lord Dudley, and the kindness and friendship
with which he honoured me to the last, made me, in addition to my
admiration of his talents, desire, and, indeed, expect to become the
publisher of his posthumous works, being convinced that he would hav