I trouble you with a few lines to his Lordship expressive of my thanks for his very handsome and gratifying communication, and I hope he will not consider it as intrusive in a veteran author to pay my debt of gratitude for the high pleasure I have received from the perusal of 'Childe Harold,' which is certainly the most original poem which we have had this many a day....
Your obliged, humble Servant, WALTER SCOTT.
This episode led to the opening of an agreeable correspondence between Scott and Byron, and to a lasting friendship between the two poets.
The fit of inspiration was now on Lord Byron.

In May 1813 appeared "The Giaour," and in the midst of his corrections of successive editions of it, he wrote in four nights his second Turkish story, "Zuleika," afterwards known as "The Bride of Abydos." With respect to the business arrangement as to the two poems, Mr.Murray wrote to Lord Byron as follows: _John Murray to Lord Byron_.
_November_ 18, 1813.
MY DEAR LORD, I am very anxious that our business transactions should occur frequently, and that they should be settled immediately; for short accounts are favourable to long friendships.
I restore "The Giaour" to your Lordship entirely, and for it, the "Bride of Abydos," and the miscellaneous poems intended to fill up the volume of the small edition, I beg leave to offer you the sum of One Thousand Guineas; and I shall be happy if you perceive that my estimation of your talents in my character of a man of business is not much under my admiration of them as a man.
I do most heartily accept the offer of your portrait, as the most noble mark of friendship with which you could in any way honour me.

I do assure you that I am truly proud of being distinguished as your publisher, and that I shall ever continue, Your Lordship's faithful Servant, JOHN MURRAY.
With reference to the foregoing letter we read in Lord Byron's Diary: "Mr.Murray has offered me one thousand guineas for 'The Giaour' and 'The Bride of Abydos.' I won't.

It is too much: though I am strongly tempted, merely for the say of it.

No bad price for a fortnight's (a week each) what ?--the gods know.