Page:A history of booksellers, the old and the new.djvu/327

287 HENRY COLBURN. 287 and the generous publisher made the author a present of 350. For the second series (published in 1825), and the third series (published in 1828), he re- ceived a thousand guineas each. In 1830 appeared "Maxwell," perhaps the best of his novels, and this was followed by the "Parson's Daughter" (1833), "Jack Brag" (1837), and numerous others, for all of which he was very handsomely paid. But though he was earning at this period, upwards of 3000 a year by his pen, he was spending more than ^"6000, and was obliged, not only to make fresh engagements with his publishers, but to fore-draw to a very large extent, and to change his plans considerably with each instal- ment of indebtedness. Colburn and Bentley seem to have treated him with marked esteem and considera- tion, and his letters perpetually show this : " I have been so liberally treated by your house, that it seems almost presuming upon kindnesses" (1831). Again, in 1837 : "I assure you I would not press the matter in a quarter where I am proud and happy to say as I do to everybody I have met with the greatest liberality." In 1834 he took the management of the New Monthly, and to its pages he contributed what may be considered an autobiographical sketch. "Gilbert Gurney" and the sequel " Gilbert Married," the second of which unfortunately was not autobiographi- cal ; for he had formed ties with a woman who had not only sacrificed everything to him, but during the period of his imprisonment and his many troubles had behaved with exemplary faithfulness and un- remitting attention ; and these ties he had not the courage to legally strengthen. At his death the crown seized what little property he possessed, in the