Botany Bay.]

* * * * *

The service thus humanely proffered was no less punctually performed;
and the following is one of the many acknowledgments of payment which I
find in Ashe's letters to Mr. Murray:--"I have the honour to enclose you
another memorandum for the sum of ten pounds, in compliance with the
munificent instructions of Lord Byron."[115]

His friend, Mr. Merivale, one of the translators of those Selections
from the Anthology which we have seen he regretted so much not having
taken with him on his travels, published a poem about this time, which
he thus honours with his praise.

LETTER 154. TO MR. MERIVALE.

"January, 1814.

"My dear Merivale,

"I have redde Roncesvaux with very great pleasure, and (if I were
so disposed) see very little room for criticism. There is a choice
of two lines in one of the last Cantos,--I think 'Live and protect'
better, because 'Oh who?' implies a doubt of Roland's power or
inclination. I would allow the--but that point you yourself must
determine on--I mean the doubt as to where to place a part of the
Poem, whether between the actions or no. Only if you wish to have
all the success you deserve, _never listen to friends_, and--as I
am not the least troublesome of the number, least of all to me.