' I told him it would be a happy day when he
left off that subject, and that the only thing that reconciled me to
it was, that the doctors had said that it was so fortunate, with his
partial loss of health, that he could find something to interest and
occupy his days. He said, 'This is to be your jointure, and the
proceeds are to be set apart for an annuity for you'; and I said, 'I
hope not; I hope you will live to spend it like the other.' He said,
'I am afraid it will make a great row in England, because _The Arabian
Nights_ was a baby tale in comparison to this, and I am in communication
with several men in England about it.' The next morning, at 7 a.m., he
had ceased to exist. Some days later, when I locked myself up in his
rooms, and sorted and examined the manuscripts, I read this one. No
promise had been exacted from me, because the end had been so unforeseen,
and I remained for three days in a state of perfect torture as to what
I ought to do about it. During that time I received an offer from a
man whose name shall be always kept private, of six thousand guineas
for it. He said, 'I know from fifteen hundred to two thousand men who
will buy it at four guineas, _i.e._ at two guineas the volume; and as
I shall not restrict myself to numbers, but supply all applicants on
payment, I shall probably make 20,000 pounds out of it.' I said to
myself, 'Out of fifteen hundred men, fifteen will probably read it
in the spirit of science in which it was written; the other fourteen
hundred and eighty-five will will read it for filth's sake, and pass
it to their friends, and the harm done may be incalculable.
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