the offer, holding that the sum should be paid for the new volumes
alone. He and a friend (possibly Campbell), who had conducted the
negotiation, accordingly went off to the house of Longman to see if they
could not get better terms. To their great discomfiture the Longmans
only offered £1000 for the privilege that Murray had valued at three
times the amount; and Crabbe and his friends were placed in a difficult
position. A letter of Moore to John Murray many years afterwards, when
Crabbe's _Memoir_ was in preparation, tells the sequel of the story, and
it may well be given in his words:

"In this crisis it was that Mr. Rogers and myself, anxious
to relieve our poor friend from his suspense, called upon
you, as you must well remember, in Albemarle Street; and
seldom have I watched a countenance with more solicitude,
or heard words that gave me much more pleasure than
when, on the subject being mentioned, you said 'Oh! yes.
I have heard from Mr. Crabbe, and look upon the matter as
all settled.' I was rather pressed, I remember, for time that
morning, having an appointment on some business of my
own, but Mr. Rogers insisted that I should accompany him
to Crabbe's lodgings, and enjoy the pleasure of seeing him
relieved from his suspense. We found him sitting in his
room, alone, and expecting the worst; but soon dissipated
all his fears by the agreeable intelligence which we brought.

"When he received the bills for £3000, we earnestly advised
that he should, without delay, deposit them in some safe hands;
but no--he must take them with him to Trowbridge, and show
them to his son John. They would hardly believe in his
good luck, at home, if they did not see the bills. On his