[2018: images from the “Thank You For Your Letter” project have been deleted to make space for new posts. The images have been retained within Derbyshire County Council’s internal records system so that we may re-use them in the future.]
D239 M/F 16302: April 4th 1815
Dear Knight
I have read “Alashtar” with attention and great pleasure. It appears to me preferable to the Yaniote but that may be owing to the measure which is a favourite of mine. I have seen nothing to make me change the opinion already expressed – very little to alter – & hardly anything which is not or may not be made very good. I have always thought both the risk & the reward of publication (I don’t mean pecuniary reward but fame & so forth) very much overrated – & half imaginary – but I have seldom seen less ground for apprehension on the part of an author than in the poem before me. Believe me very truly your obliged & affectionate servant,
Byron
Lest we leave the impression that Lord Byron’s assessment of Gally Knight’s talents was wholly positive, here is a section of a satirical ditty Byron composed three years later:
He has twelve thousand pounds a year–
I do not mean to rally
His songs at sixpence would be dear
So give them gratis–Gally.
And if this statement should seem queer
Or set down in a hurry
Go–ask (if he will be sincere)
His Publisher–John Murray.–
Come say–how Many have been sold?
And don’t stand shilly-shally,
Of bound & lettered, red & gold,
Well printed works of Gally?
(See, for instance: readytogoebooks.com/LB-gally.htm)