And again, eight months later, Murray made Irving a
second gratuitous contribution of a hundred pounds, to which the author
replied, "I never knew any one convey so much meaning in so concise and
agreeable a manner." The author's "Bracebridge Hall" and other works
were also published by Mr. Murray.
In 1822 Irving, who liked to help his literary fellow-countrymen, tried
to induce Mr. Murray to republish James Fenimore Cooper's novels in
England. Mr. Murray felt obliged to decline, as he found that these
works were pirated by other publishers; American authors were then
beginning to experience the same treatment in England which English
authors have suffered in America. The wonder was that Washington
Irving's works so long escaped the same doom.
In 1819 Mr. Murray first made the acquaintance of Ugo Foscolo. A native
of Zante, descended from a Venetian family who had settled in the Ionian
Islands, Foscolo studied at Padua, and afterwards took up his residence
at Venice. The ancient aristocracy of that city had been banished by
Napoleon Bonaparte, and the conqueror gave over Venice to Austria.
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