Then followed--in 1806--Sydney Owenson's new novel, _The Wild Irish Girl_, and it led to an amusing correspondence with its author on the part of Phillips on the one side, and Johnson, who, it will be remembered, was Cowper's publisher, on the other.

Phillips was indignant that, having first brought Sydney into fame, she should dare to ask more money on that account.

As is the case with every novelist to-day who scores one success, Miss Owenson had formed a good idea of her value, and there is a letter to Johnson in which she admitted that Phillips's offer was a generous one.

Johnson had offered her L300 for the copyright of _The Wild Irish Girl_.

Phillips had offered only L200 down and L50 each for the second and third editions.