1. Murray's note, simply dated Thursday and apparently written on the morning of 6 Oct., reads as follows:
My Dear Sir
The instant that I received your former note, I sent your MSS to a Gentleman in the highest class of Men of Letters—and, an
accomplished German Scholar— I, now, inclose his opinion of your work, which you may rely upon it, is a just one—and I have
too high an opinion of your good sense to suppose, that you will be offended at my communicating it to your self.
The writer of this MSS requires only a little more tact to write a popular as well as an able work—& then I hope to be allowed
to communicate with you with more gratification to both of us— In the mean time I thank you for your patience and remain
My dear Sir—Your sincere wellwisher / and obliged Servant /John Murray
It has usually been assumed that the reader to whom Murray had sent the MS was John Gibson Lockhart. The reader's opinion,
enclosed in Murray's letter and printed in the appendix of many later editions of Sartor, ran as follows: “The Author of Teufelsdröckh is a person of talent; his work displays here and there some felicity of thought and expression, considerable fancy and knowledge:
but whether or not it would take with the public seems doubtful. For a jeu d'esprit of that kind, it is too long; it would have suited better as an essay or article than as a volume. The Author has no great
tact: his wit is frequently heavy; and reminds one of the German Baron who took to leaping on tables, and answered that he
was learning to be lively. Is the work a translation?”
It seems clear that Carlyle acknowledged Murray's note and the returned MS immediately.
