| dc.description.transcription | 13 Lisson Grove North
October 13. 1817.
Sir
I send you the 4 first sheets of my Poem, entitled Laon
& Cythne, or the Revolution of the Golden City."
I believe this commencement affords a sufficient specimen
of the work. I am conscious indeed that some of the concluding cantos
when "the plot thickens" & human passions are brought into more critical
situations of development, are written with more energy & clearness, and
that to see a work of which unity is one of the qualifications aimed at
by the author, in a disjointed state, is in a certain degree unfavourable
to the general impression. If, however, you submit it to Mr. Moore's
judgment, he will make due allowance for these circumstances.
The whole poem, with the exception of the first canto & part
of the last is a mere human story without the smallest intermixture of
supernatural interference. The first canto is indeed in some measure
a distinct poem, tho' very necessary to the wholeness of the work. I
say this, because, if it were all written in the manner of the first
canto, I could not expect that it should be interesting to any great
number of people.
I have attempted in the progress of my work to speak to the
common & elementary emotions of the human heart, so that tho' it is the
story of violence & revolution, it is relieved by milder pictures of
friendship & love & natural affections.
The scene is supposed to be laid in Constantinople & modern
Greece, but without much attempt at minute delineation of Mahometan manners. It is in fact a tale illustrative of such a Revolution as
might be supposed to take place in an European nation, acted upon by
the opinions of what has been called (erroneously, as I think), the
modern philosophy, and contending with antient notions & the supposed
advantage derived from them to those who support them. It is a
Revolution of this kind, that is, the beau ideal, as it were of the French
Revolution, but produced by the influence of individual genius, & out
of general knowledge. The authors of it are supposed to be my hero &
heroine whose names appear in the title.
My private friends have expressed to me a very high, & therefore
I do not doubt, a very erroneous judgment of my work. However, of
this I can determine neither way. I have resolved to give it a fair
chance, & my wish therefore, is first, to know whether you would purchase
any interest in the copyright, an arrangement which, if there be any
truth in the opinions of my friends Lord Byron & Mr. Leigh Hunt of my
powers cannot be disadvantageous to you & in the second place, how far
are you willing to be the publisher of it on my own account, if such an
arrangement, which I should infinitely prefer, cannot be made.
I rely however on your having the goodness at least to send
this sheet to Mr. Moore & ask his opinion of their merits.
I have the honor to be
Sir Your very obed. Ser.
PERCY B. SHELLEY | |
