If I had any influence with Colburn, it could not be better employed than on this occasion. I have never had any communication with him, but once, which was many years ago, when he wrote to request that I would lend him a portrait of myself to be engraved for his magazine, & also communicate to him some particulars of my life.

It happened that a most methodistical mis-likeness of me had been exhibited some little time before in the European Magazine,

– & as I was willing enough to supersede it by something better, I told Colburn where he might borrow a bust,

which was the only satisfactory resemblance that existed: at the same time I stated in as few words as possible the time & place of my birth, & the course of my education saying that this would suffice for his purpose, & that the public had no business to expect any thing more in the way of memoirs while the subject in question was alive. M^r Colburn however was not satisfied with this. He borrowed the bust, & got someone to attempt the impossible task of making a portrait from it, which he engraved as an original picture: – a miserable looking wretch it is, – something in physiognomy between assassin & hangman. And he produced a long memoir of my private life, evidently written by some person who must once have been my guest, – or he could not have known so much, – & yet could had been in no degree intimately acquainted with me, – or he could not have made so many grossly erroneous statements. Of course I thought myself ill used, but this sort of usage is too common to excite either surprize or anger.

This has been my whole intercourse with M^r Colburn. – Campbell

is the person who is most likely to have influence with him. But surely you can stand in need of no such interference. There has been but one opinion of all the books which you have published <your writings>, & they are of a character always to excite as much interest as when they were first published.

As to the form of publication, booksellers ought to be the best advisors. To me the common octavo is the least agreable form in which a book can appear, as being too large to be held conveniently in the hand, & yet not large enough to require a table. The crown octavo is a much pleasanter size; but I believe the other is the more economical way of printing. In either shape two duodecimos volumes may very well be comprised in one volume. – When the Works are published

it may be in my power to render them some little service, & that opportunity I will gladly take, – glad indeed of any occasion to show with what sincere respect I regard M^rs Grant & her writings.