The Works of Lord Byron: Letters and Journals, Volume 2

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THE WORKS

OF

LORD BYRON.

A NEW, REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION,
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.

Letters and Journals.  Vol.  II.

EDITED BY
ROWLAND E. PROTHERO, M.A.,
FORMERLY FELLOW OF ALL SOULS COLLEGE, OXFORD.

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 versâ’, 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