Page:A history of booksellers, the old and the new.djvu/130

98 98 THE LONGMAN FAMILY. going up to town, in the winter of 1814, he 'received the following agreement from Longman. "COPY OF TERMS WRITTEN TO MR. MOORE, " That upon your giving into our hands a poem of yours of the length of Rokeby, you shall receive from us the sum of ,3000. We also agree to the stipulation that the few songs which you may introduce into the work shall be considered as reserved for your own setting." Soon Moore writes to say that about 4000 lines are perfectly finished, but he is unwilling to show any portion of the work until the 6000 are completed, for fear of disheartenment. He requests Longman, how- ever, "to tell our friends that they are done/a poetic licence to prevent the teasing wonderment of the literary quidnuncs at my being so long about it." Long- man replies that " we are certainly impatient for the perusal of your poem, but solely for our gratification. Your sentiments are always honourable." At length, after very considerable delays on the part of the author, the poem appeared, and its wonderful success fully justified the publisher's extraordinary liberality. Moore drew a thousand pounds for the discharge of his debts, and left, temporarily only, we fear, ^"2000 in Longman's hands, the interest of which was to be paid quarterly to his father. This was Moore's greatest effort ; nor did he attempt to surpass it. One substantial proof of admiration of the poet's performance should not be overlooked : " The young Bristol lady," says Moore in his diary, Dec. 23rd, 1818, "who inclosed me three pounds after reading Lalla RookJi had very laudable ideas on the subject ; and if every reader of Lalla RookJi had done the same I need never have written again." As it was, however, he was soon obliged to set to