assures me the whole will be paid you, or the proportion for the two
former, as soon as ever the Treasury will permit it. He offered to write
the same to you, if I pleased. He thinks in a month or so they will be
able to liquidate it. He is positive no trick could be meant you, as Mr.
Planche's alterations, which were trifling, were not at all considered
as affecting your bargain. With respect to the copyright of Ali, he was
of opinion no money would be given for it, as Ali is quite laid aside.
This explanation being given, you would not think of printing the two
copies together by way of recrimination. He told me the secret of the
two Galley Slaves at Drury Lane. Elliston, if he is informed right,
engaged Poole to translate it, but before Poole's translation arrived,
finding it coming out at Cov. Gar., he procured copies of two several
translations of it in London. So you see here are four translations,
reckoning yours. I fear no copyright would be got for it, for anybody
may print it and anybody has. Your's has run seven nights, and R. is of
opinion it will not exceed in number of nights the nights of Ali,--about
thirteen. But your full right to your bargain with the management is in
the fullest manner recognized by him officially. He gave me every hope
the money will be spared as soon as they can spare it. He said _a month
or two_, but seemed to me to mean about _a month_. A new lady is coming
out in Juliet, to whom they look very confidently for replenishing their
treasury. Robertson is a very good fellow and I can rely upon his
statement. Should you have any more pieces, and want to get a copyright
for them, I am the worst person to negotiate with any bookseller, having
been cheated by all I have had to do with (except Taylor and
Hessey,--but they do not publish theatrical pieces), and I know not how
to go about it, or who to apply to. But if you had no better negotiator,
I should know the minimum you expect, for I should not like to make a
bargain out of my own head, being (after the Duke of Wellington) the
worst of all negotiators. I find from Robertson you have written to