" The
Colonel himself wrote (August 20,1774): "I cannot sufficiently thank
you, my dear sir, for the extraordinary zeal, activity, and warmth of
friendship, with which you so strenuously supported and defended my
cause, and my honour as a soldier, when attacked so injuriously by
Colonel Stuart, especially when he was so powerfully supported."
Up to this time Mr. Murray's success had been very moderate. He had
brought out some successful works; but money came in slowly, and his
chief difficulty was the want of capital. He was therefore under the
necessity of refusing to publish works which might have done something
to establish his reputation.
At this juncture, i.e. in 1771, an uncle died leaving a fortune of
L17,000, of which Mr. Murray was entitled to a fourth share. On the
strength of this, his friend Mr. Kerr advanced to him a further sum of
L500. The additional capital was put into the business, but even then
his prosperity did not advance with rapid strides; and in 1777 we find
him writing to his friend Mr. Richardson at Oxford.
_John Murray to Mr. Richardson_.
DEAR JACK,
I am fatigued from morning till night about twopenny matters, if any of
which is forgotten I am complained of as a man who minds not his
business.
Pages:
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37