Murray, John

ACHIEVEMENTS: Publisher of leading authors

NICKNAME/ALIAS: None

DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: November 27, 1778, London, England

DATE AND PLACE OF DEATH/AGE AT DEATH: June 27, 1843, London, England. Aged 65

DISCIPLINE: Publisher

FIELD: Publishing.

LANGUAGE: English

PARENTS: John MacMurray, bookseller and publisher; Mother's name unknown

(father's second wife)

SIBLINGS: 2 brothers, both died in infancy; sisters Jane and Mary Anne

SPOUSE: Anne Elliott

CHILDREN: John Murray

EDUCATION: Private schools in Edinburgh, Scotland and Margate, Gosport,

and London, England

MAJOR WORKS: Publisher of Byron's "Childe Harold"

LIFE AND TIMES:

At school in Gosport, Murray lost the sight of his right eye in an accident. At the age of 25, he began what would be an extraordinary career in publishing. Murray made a deal with Edinburgh publisher, Archibald Constable (who published the novels of Sir Walter Scott*) to become his London agent. Murray got a half share in Scott’s novel "Marmion", and became London agent and part publisher of the "Edinburgh Review", also Constable’s.

Murray soon began to resent Constable's casualness in paying bills, and in 1807, proposed the idea of starting a review on Conservative principles. In 1808, Murray persuaded Scott, who wrote for the "Edinburgh Review" but also was dissatisfied with Constable, to co-operate in the endeavor. Scott wrote a letter to the proposed editor of the new review praising Murray. Poet Southey*, who refused to contribute to the "Edinburgh Review", promised his support.

In February, 1809, the first issue of the "Quarterly Review", came out. It was not an immediate success, but it caught on, and eventually achieved a huge readership. By 1811, Southey was a regular contributor.

Also in 1811, Murray met poet Byron*. Byron had written the first two cantos of "Childe Harold" and after some hesitation Murray agreed to publish. Murray persuaded Byron to put his name to the work and not publish it anonymously. In March, 1812, the poem was a colossal success. The first edition of 500 copies sold out in three days.

In 1812, at 34, Murray bought a bigger house in the fashionable and expensive West End of London. It became the meeting place for celebrated men of literature, art, and science. Visitors to Murray's house included the politican Canning, Southey, Sir Walter Scott, the writer de Stael*, and Byron.

In 1814, one of Murray's deals went sour.. Coleridge*, perhaps at the suggestion of Southey (Coleridge's brother-in-law) suggested Murray publish a translation by Coleridge of Goethe’s* "Faust." Although Murray praised Goethe's "extraordinary drama", he offered Coleridge a measly sum. Coleridge produced not a single line of translation.

In 1815, Murray published Austen*'s "Emma". She sent him the book

after her novels "Sense and Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice" had been published anonymously. She felt she was gaining a readership and now wanted her name on the cover. Murray accepted the book and persuaded Scott to write an article on it to help publicize it.

Murray published many travel books, reasoning that peace in Europe meant the well-off would travel there. In 1820, he published Mrs. Mariana Starke's "Guide for Travellers on the Continent." This was the start of a series of world-famous handbooks for travellers, containing practical information as well as a guide to the principal sights.

In 1824, Byron died and Murray became the sole owner of his "Memoirs", which Byron had wanted published after his death. The manuscript, however, proved so shocking that Murray suggested it be destroyed, and it was burned in the drawing room of Murray's West End house.

At the end of 1824, the editorship of the "Quarterly Review" became vacant and John Gibson Lockhart, Walter Scott's son-in-law, became new editor. Murray had come across Lockhart before.

Disraeli*, not yet in Parliament, planned to establish a newspaper, "The Representative", and wanted Lockhart as editor. Though now a sophisticated businessman, Murray was persuaded by Disraeli to back the questionable project. The paper did miserably, lasted only six months, and cost Murray a great deal of money. The episode inspired Disraeli's later novel, "Vivian Grey".

Murray published some of the most important books of his time, including "Geology" by Lyell*, and the Duke of Wellington*'s "Dispatches". His dream was to publish for general readership articles on a variety of subjects (history, science, natural history, literature) and to get the best known authors of the day such as Southey and Scott to write them.

In 1838, politician Gladstone* wrote to Murray that he had been unable to read the proofs of his book on the relationship of church and state because he had been seasick on his journey to Holland. Murray published the work anyway, and it sold well. Murray died in 1843.

ASSESSMENT: The leading publisher of his time, Murray combined a traditional love of classical learning with the desire to democratize publishing.

EXTRA CONNECTIONS: Godwin* wrote for “Quarterly Review”.

Met Washington Irving*.

Published Somerville* and Kelvin*

He befriended and helped the exiled Italian writer Ugo Foscolo*

ONELINER: John Murray, publisher of major English writers

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Smiles, Samuel, A Publisher and His Friends, John Murray, London, 1911 Dictionary of National Biography