drowned himself last week on my
property, I wish he had gone somewhere else. I can't get poor Allan out
of my head. When I come up, intend to go and see his wife. What a woman!
I hope our book will be successful. If so, shall put another on the
stocks. Capital subject; early life, studies, and adventures; some
account of my father, William Taylor, Whiter, Big Ben, etc., etc. Had
another letter from Ford; wonderful fellow; seems in high spirits.
Yesterday read "Letters from the Baltic"; much pleased with it; very
clever writer; critique in _Despatch_ harsh and unjust; quite uncalled
for; blackguard affair altogether.

I remain, dear Sir, ever yours,

GEORGE BORROW,

_December_ 31, 1842.

MY DEAR SIR,

I have great pleasure in acknowledging your very kind letter of the
28th, and am happy to hear that matters are going on so prosperously. It
is quite useless to write books unless they sell, and the public has of
late become so fastidious that it is no easy matter to please it. With
respect to the critique in the _Times_, I fully agree with you that it
was harsh and unjust, and the passages selected by no means calculated
to afford a fair idea of the contents of the work. A book, however, like
"The Bible in Spain" can scarcely be published without exciting
considerable hostility, and I have been so long used to receiving hard
knocks that they make no impression upon me. After all, the abuse of the
_Times_ is better than its silence; it would scarcely have attacked the
work unless it had deemed it of some importance, and so the public will
think. All I can say is, that I did my best, never writing but when the
fit took me, and never delivering anything to my amanuensis but what I
was perfectly satisfied with. You ask me my opinion of the review in the
_Quarterly_. Very good, very clever, very neatly done. Only one fault to
find--too laudatory. I am by no means the person which the reviewer had
the kindness to represent me. I hope you are getting on well as to
health; strange weather this, very unwholesome, I believe, both for man
and beast: several people dead, and great mortality amongst the cattle.
Am tolerably well myself, but get but little rest--disagreeable
dreams--digestion not quite so good as I could wish; been on the water
system--won't do; have left it off, and am now taking lessons in
singing. I hope to be in London towards the end of next month, and
reckon much upon the pleasure of seeing you. On Monday I