Chapter LXIX: Letter 224: To Mr. Sotheby

"Sept. 15. 1815. Piccadilly Terrace.

"Dear Sir,

"'Ivan' is accepted, and will be put in progress on Kean's arrival.

"The theatrical gentlemen have a confident hope of its success. I
know not that any alterations for the stage will be necessary; if
any, they will be trifling, and you shall be duly apprised. I would
suggest that you should not attend any except the latter
rehearsals--the managers have requested me to state this to you.
You can see them, viz. Dibdin and Rae, whenever you please, and I
will do any thing you wish to be done on your suggestion, in the
mean time.

"Mrs. Mardyn is not yet out, and nothing can be determined till she
has made her appearance--I mean as to her capacity for the part you
mention, which I take it for granted is not in Ivan--as I think
Ivan may be performed very well without her. But of that hereafter.
Ever yours, very truly,

"BYRON.

"P.S. You will be glad to hear that the season has begun uncommonly
well--great and constant houses--the performers in much harmony
with the Committee and one another, and as much good-humour as can
be preserved in such complicated and extensive interests as the
Drury Lane proprietary."

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TO MR. SOTHEBY.

"September 25. 1815.

"Dear Sir,

"I think it would be advisable for you to see the acting managers
when convenient, as there must be points on which you will want to
confer; the objection I stated was merely on the part of the
performers, and is _general_ and not _particular_ to this instance.
I thought it as well to mention it at once--and some of the
rehearsals you will doubtless see, notwithstanding.

"Rae, I rather think, has his eye on Naritzin for himself. He is a
more popular performer than Bartley, and certainly the cast will be
stronger with him in it; besides, he is one of the managers, and
will feel doubly interested if he can act in both capacities. Mrs.
Bartley will be Petrowna;--as to the Empress, I know not what to
say or think. The truth is, we are not amply furnished with tragic
women; but make the best of those we have,--you can take your
choice of them. We have all great hopes of the success--on which,
setting aside other considerations, we are particularly anxious, as
being the first tragedy to be brought out since the old Committee.

"By the way--I have a charge against you. As the great Mr. Dennis
roared out on a similar occasion--'By G----d, _that_ is _my_
thunder!' so do I exclaim, '_This_ is _my_ lightning!' I allude to
a speech of Ivan's, in the scene with Petrowna and the Empress,
where the thought and almost expression are similar to Conrad's in
the 3d Canto of 'The Corsair.' I, however, do not say this to
accuse you, but to exempt myself from suspicion[84], as there is a
priority of six months' publication, on my part, between the
appearance of that composition and of your tragedies.

"George Lambe meant to have written to you. If you don't like to
confer with the managers at present, I will attend to your
wishes--so state them. Yours very truly, BYRON."

[Footnote 84: Notwithstanding this precaution of the poet, the coincidence in question was, but a few years after, triumphantly cited in support of the sweeping charge of plagiarism brought against him by some scribblers. The following are Mr. Sotheby's lines:--

"And I have leapt
In transport from my flinty couch, to welcome
The thunder as it burst upon my roof,
And beckon'd to the lightning, as it flash'd
And sparkled on these fetters."

I have since been informed by Mr. Sotheby that, though not published, these lines had been written long before the appearance of Lord Byron's poem.]

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