[ John Murray publishers ] Autograph Letter Signed "E W Dundas" of John Murray, publishers, to an unknown correspondent with information about Murray publications, inc.mention of Byron..

2.5pp., 12mo, bifolium, edges duted, mainly good condition, text clear and complete. "The Comment on Dante Vol 1 was recd by the late Mr Murray in 1822. It came from the author at Leghorn - recommended by Lord Byron - the author's name I think was Taaffe [John Taaffe, 'A Comment on the Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri', vol. 1, all published, a scarce book] - we recd 400 copies [... some] printed in Italian." They have four copies in English left. "There were none sold except perhaps some 10 or 12 Copies & the rest wasted. The price was [...] I know of no 2d volume ever being published & from the complete failure (in commercial sense) of the first, I don't think there ever was one [...]" In a postscript he is pleased that his correspondent has recovered for illness and will bear him in mind for copying, but had heard that he and Hayes had declined the copying. Note: Information bout Edward William Dundas is more than scant but he earned an obituary of a couple of lines in the Illustrated London News for 8 Sept. 1866, "for forty-five years the friend and confidential clerk of the late and present John Murray, at Albemarle St., London."