John Murray (1778-1843)

John Murray (1778–1843) was a Scottish publisher and member of the famous John Murray publishing house.

Related Topics:
1778 - 1843 - Scottish - Publisher - John Murray publishing house

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He was the son of the founder, who died when Murray was but fifteen years old. During his minority the business was conducted by Samuel Highley, who was admitted a partner, but in 1803 the partnership was dissolved. Murray soon began to show the courage in literary speculation which earned for him later the name given him by Lord Byron of "the Anak of publishers." In 1807 he took a share with John Constable in publishing Marmion, and became part owner of the Edinburgh Review, although with the help of George Canning he launched in opposition the Quarterly Review in 1809, with William Gifford as its editor, and Sir Walter Scott, Canning, Robert Southey, John Hookham Frere and John Wilson Croker among its earliest contributors. Murray was closely connected with Constable, but, to his distress, was compelled in 1813 to break this association on account of Constable's business methods, which, as he foresaw, led to disaster.

Related Topics:
Samuel Highley - 1803 - Lord Byron - 1807 - John Constable - Edinburgh Review - George Canning - Quarterly Review - 1809 - William Gifford - Sir Walter Scott - Robert Southey - John Hookham Frere - John Wilson Croker - 1813

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In 1811 the first two cantos of Childe Harold were brought to Murray by R. C. Dallas, to whom Byron had presented them. Murray paid Dallas 500 guineas for the copyright. In 1812 he bought the publishing business of William Miller (1769-1844), and migrated to 50 Albemarle Street. Literary London flocked to his house, and Murray became the centre of the publishing world. It was in his drawing-room that Scott and Byron first met, and here, in 1824, after the death of Lord Byron, the manuscript of his memoirs, considered by Gifford unfit for publication, was destroyed. A close friendship existed between Byron and his publisher, but for political reasons business relations ceased after the publication of the fifth canto of Don Juan. Murray paid Byron some 20,000 pounds for his various poems. To Thomas Moore he gave nearly 5000 for writing the life of Byron, and to George Crabbe 3000 for Tales of the Hall. He died on the 27th of June 1843.

Related Topics:
1811 - Guineas - 1812 - William Miller - Don Juan - Thomas Moore - George Crabbe

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