Chapter I: Preface

The second volume of Mr. Murray's edition of Byron's 'Letters and Journals' carries the autobiographical record of the poet's life from August, 1811, to April, 1814. Between these dates were published 'Childe Harold' (Cantos I., II.), 'The Waltz', 'The Giaour', 'The Bride of Abydos', the 'Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte'. At the beginning of this period Byron had suddenly become the idol of society; towards its close his personal popularity almost as rapidly declined before a storm of political vituperation.

Three great collections of Byron's letters, as was noted in the Preface [1] to the previous volume, are in existence. The first is contained in Moore's 'Life' (1830); the second was published in America, in FitzGreene Halleck's edition of Byron's 'Works' (1847); of the third, edited by Mr. W.E. Henley, only the first volume has yet appeared. A comparison between the letters contained in these three collections and in that of Mr. Murray, down to December, 1813, shows the following results: Moore prints 152 letters; Halleck, 192; Mr. Henley, 231. Mr. Murray's edition adds 236 letters to Moore, 196 to Halleck, and to Mr. Henley 157. It should also be noticed that the material added to Moore's 'Life' in the second and third collections consists almost entirely of letters which were already in print, and had been, for the most part, seen and rejected by the biographer. The material added in Mr. Murray's edition, on the contrary, consists mainly of letters which have never before been published, and were inaccessible to Moore when he wrote his 'Life' of Byron.

These necessary comparisons suggest some further remarks. It would have been easy, not only to indicate what letters or portions of letters are new, but also to state the sources whence they are derived. But, in the circumstances, such a course, at all events for the present, is so impolitic as to be impossible. On the other hand, anxiety has been expressed as to the authority for the text which is adopted in these volumes. To satisfy this anxiety, so far as circumstances allow, the following details are given.

The material contained in these two volumes consists partly of letters now for the first time printed; partly of letters already published by Moore, Dallas, and Leigh Hunt, or in such books as Galt's 'Life of Lord Byron', and the 'Memoirs of Francis Hodgson'. Speaking generally, it may be said that the text of the new matter, with the few exceptions noted below, has been prepared from the original letters, and that it has proved impossible to authenticate the text of most of the old material by any such process.

The point may be treated in greater detail. Out of the 388 letters contained in these two volumes, 220 have been printed from the original letters. In these 220 are included practically the whole of the new material. Among the letters thus collated with the originals are those to Mrs. Byron (with four exceptions), all those to the Hon. Augusta Byron, to the Hanson family, to James Wedderburn Webster, and to John Murray, twelve of those to Francis Hodgson, those to the younger Rushton, William Gifford, John Cam Hobhouse, Lady Caroline Lamb, Mrs. Parker, Bernard Barton, and others. The two letters to Charles Gordon (30, 33), the three to Captain Leacroft (62, 63, 64), and the one to Ensign Long (vol. ii. p. 19, 'note'), are printed from copies only.

The old material stands in a different position. Efforts have been made to discover the original letters, and sometimes with success. But it still remains true that, speaking generally, the printed text of the letters published by Moore, Dallas, Leigh Hunt, and others, has not been collated with the originals. The fact is important. Moore, who, it is believed, destroyed not only his own letters from Byron, but also many of those entrusted to him for the preparation of the 'Life', allowed himself unusual liberties as an editor. The examples of this licence given in Mr. Clayden's 'Rogers and his Contemporaries' throw suspicion on his text, even where no apparent motive exists for his suppressions. But, as Byron's letters became more bitter in tone, and his criticisms of his contemporaries more outspoken, Moore felt himself more justified in omitting passages which referred to persons who were still living in 1830. From 1816 onwards, it will be found that he has transferred passages from one letter to another, or printed two letters as one, and 'vice versa', or made such large omissions as to shorten letters, in some instances, by a third or even a half. No collation with the originals has ever been attempted, and the garbled text which Moore printed is the only text at present available for an edition of the most important of Byron's letters. But the originals of the majority of the letters published in the 'Life', from 1816 to 1824, are in the possession or control of Mr. Murray, and in his edition they will be for the first time printed as they were written. If any passages are omitted, the omissions will be indicated.

Besides the new letters contained in this volume, passages have been restored from Byron's manuscript notes ('Detached Thoughts', 1821). To these have been added Sir Walter Scott's comments, collated with the originals, and, in several instances, now for the first time published.

Appendix VII. contains a collection of the attacks made upon him in the Tory press for February and March, 1814, which led him, for the moment, to resolve on abandoning his literary work.

In conclusion, I wish to repeat my acknowledgment of the invaluable aid of the 'National Dictionary of Biography', both in the facts which it supplies and the sources of information which it suggests.

R.E. PROTHERO.

September, 1898.

[Footnote 1: Also available from Project Gutenberg in text and html form.]

* * * * *

LIST OF LETTERS.

1811.

169. Aug. 23. To John Murray 170. Aug. 24. To James Wedderburn Webster 171. Aug. 25. To R.C. Dallas 172. Aug. 27. " " 173. Aug. 30. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh 174. Aug. 30. " " " 175. Aug. 31. To James Wedderburn Webster 176. Sept. 2. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh 177. Sept. 3. To Francis Hodgson 178. Sept. 4. To R.C. Dallas 179. Sept. 5. To John Murray 180. Sept. 7. To R.C. Dallas 181. Sept. 9. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh 182. Sept. 9. To Francis Hodgson 183. Sept. 10. To R.C. Dallas 184. Sept. 13. To Francis Hodgson 185. Sept. 14. To John Murray 186. Sept. 15. To R.C. Dallas 187. Sept. 16. To John Murray 188. Sept. 16. To R.C. Dallas 189. Sept. 17. " " 190. Sept. 17. " " 191. Sept. 21. " " 192. Sept. 23. " " 193. Sept. 25. To Francis Hodgson 194. Sept. 26. To R.C. Dallas 195. Oct. 10. To James Wedderburn Webster 196. Oct. 10. To R.C. Dallas 197. Oct. 11. " " 198. Oct. 13. To Francis Hodgson 199. Oct. 14. To R.C. Dallas 200. Oct. 16. " " 201. Oct. 25. " " 202. Oct. 27. To Thomas Moore 203. Oct. 29. To R.C. Dallas 204. Oct. 29. To Thomas Moore 205. Oct. 30. " " 206. Oct. 31. To R.C. Dallas 207. Nov. 1. To Thomas Moore 208. Nov. 17. To Francis Hodgson 209. Dec. 4. " " 210. Dec. 6. To William Harness 211. Dec. 7. To James Wedderburn Webster 212. Dec. 8. To William Harness 213. Dec. 8. To Francis Hodgson 214. Dec. 11. To Thomas Moore 215. Dec. 12. To Francis Hodgson 216. Undated. R.C. Dallas 217. Dec. 15. To William Harness

1812.

218. Jan. 21. To Robert Rushton 219. Jan. 25. " " 220. Jan. 29. To Thomas Moore 221. Feb. 1. To Francis Hodgson 222. Feb. 4. To Samuel Rogers 223. Feb. 12. To Master John Cowell 224. Feb. 16. To Francis Hodgson 225. Feb. 21. " " 226. Feb. 25. To Lord Holland 227. March 5. To Francis Hodgson 228. March 5. To Lord Holland 229. Undated. To Thomas Moore 230. Undated. To William Bankes 231. March 25. To Thomas Moore 232. Undated. To Lady Caroline Lamb 233. April 20. To William Bankes 234. Undated. To Thomas Moore 235. May 1. To Lady Caroline Lamb 236. May 8. To Thomas Moore 237. May 20. " " 238. June 1. To Bernard Barton 239. June 25. To Lord Holland 240. June 26. To Professor Clarke 241. July 6. To Walter Scott 242. Undated. To Lady Caroline Lamb 243. Sept. 5. To John Murray 244. Sept. 10. To Lord Holland 245. Sept. 14. To John Murray 246. Sept. 22. To Lord Holland 247. Sept. 23. " " 248. Sept. 24. " " 249. Sept. 25. " " 250. Sept. 26. " " 251. Sept. 27. " " 252. Sept. 27. " " 253. Sept. 27. To John Murray 254. Sept. 28. To Lord Holland 255. Sept. 28. " " 256. Sept. 28. To William Bankes 257. Sept. 29. To Lord Holland 258. Sept. 30. " " 259. Sept. 30. " " 260. Oct. 2. " " 261. Oct. 12. To John Murray 262. Oct. 14. To Lord Holland 263. Oct. 18. To John Hanson 264. Oct. 18. To John Murray 265. Oct. 18. To Robert Rushton 266. Oct. 19. To John Murray 267. Oct. 22. To John Hanson 268. Oct. 23. To John Murray 269. Oct. 31. To John Hanson 270. Nov. 8. " " 271. Nov. 16. " " 272. Nov. 22. To John Murray 273. Dec. 26. To William Bankes

1813.

274. Jan. 8. To John Murray 275. Feb. 3. To Francis Hodgson 276. Feb. 3. To John Hanson 277. Feb. 20. To John Murray 278. Feb. 24. To Robert Rushton 279. Feb. 27. To John Hanson 280. March 1. " " 281. March 5. To ____ Corbet 282. March 6. To John Hanson 283. March 24. To Charles Hanson 284. March 25. To Samuel Rogers 285. March 26. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh 286. March 29. To John Murray 287. April 15. To John Hanson 288. April 17. " " 289. April 21. To John Murray 290. May 13. " " 291. May 19. To Thomas Moore 292. May 22. To John Murray 293. May 23. " " 294. June 2. " " 295. Undated. To Thomas Moore 296. June 3. To John Hanson 297. June 6. To Francis Hodgson 298. June 8. " " 299. June 9. To John Murray 300. June 12. " " 301. June 13. " " 302. June 18. " " 303. June 18. To W. Gifford 304. June 22. To John Murray 305. June 22. To Thomas Moore 306. June 26. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh 307. Undated. " " " 308. June 27. " " " 309. July 1. To John Murray 310. July 8. To Thomas Moore 311. July 13. " " 312. July 18. To John Hanson 313. July 22. To John Murray 314. July 25. To Thomas Moore 315. July 27. " " 316. July 28. " " 317. July 31 To John Murray 318. Aug. 2. To John Wilson Croker 319. Undated. To John Murray 320. Aug. 10. " " 321. Aug. 12. To James Wedderburn Webster 322. Aug. 22. To Thomas Moore 323. Aug. 26. To John Murray 324. Aug. 28. To Thomas Moore 325. Sept. 1. " " 326. Sept. 2. To James Wedderburn Webster 327. Sept. 5. To Thomas Moore 328. Sept. 8. " " 329. Sept. 9. " " 330. Sept. 15. To James Wedderburn Webster 331. Sept. 15. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh 332. Sept. 15. To John Murray 333. Sept. 25. To James Wedderburn Webster 334. Sept. 27. To Sir James Mackintosh 335. Sept. 27. To Thomas Moore 336. Sept. 29. To John Murray 337. Sept. 30. To James Wedderburn Webster 338. Oct. 1. To Francis Hodgson 339. Oct. 2. To Thomas Moore 340. Oct. 3. To John Murray 341. Oct. 10. To John Hanson 342. Oct. 10. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh 343. Oct. 12. To John Murray 344. Nov. 8. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh 345. Nov. 12. To John Murray 346. Nov. 12. To William Gifford 347. Nov. 12. To John Murray 348. Nov. 13. " " 349. Undated. " " 350. Nov. 13. " " 351. Nov. 14. " " 352. Nov. 15. " " 353. Nov. 17. " " 354. Nov. 20. " " 355. Nov. 22. " " 356. Nov. 23. " " 357. Nov. 24. " " 358. Nov. 27. " " 359. Nov. 28. " " 360. Nov. 29. To John Murray 361. Nov. 29. " " 362. Nov. 29 " " 363. Nov. 30. " " 364. Dec. 1. To Thomas Moore 365. Dec. 1. To Francis Hodgson 366. Dec. 2. To John Murray 367. Dec. 2. To Leigh Hunt 368. Dec. 3. To John Murray 369. Dec. 3. " " 370. Undated. " " 371. Dec. 4. " " 372. Dec. 6. " " 373. Dec. 8. To Thomas Moore 374. Dec. 11. To John Galt 375. Dec. 14. To John Murray 376. Dec. 14. To Thomas Ashe 377. Dec. 15. To Professor Clarke 378. Dec. 22. To Leigh Hunt 379. Dec. 27. To John Murray

* * * * *

CONTENTS

V. CHILDE HAROLD, CANTOS I., II.

VI. THE IDOL OF SOCIETY--THE DRURY LANE ADDRESS--SECOND SPEECH IN
PARLIAMENT

VII. THE 'GIAOUR' AND 'BRIDE OF ABYDOS'

VIII. JOURNAL: NOVEMBER, 14, 1813--APRIL 19, 1814

APPENDIX I. ARTICLES FROM 'THE MONTHLY REVIEW'

" II. PARLIAMENTARY SPEECHES

" III. LADY CAROLINE LAMB AND BYRON

" IV. LETTERS OF BERNARD BARTON

" V. CORRESPONDENCE WITH WALTER SCOTT

" VI. "THE GIANT AND THE DWARF"

" VII. ATTACKS UPON BYRON IN THE NEWSPAPERS FOR FEBRUARY AND
MARCH, 1814

* * * * *