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- Herausgeber: Booksell-Verlag
- Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
- Sprache: Englisch
The Complete Works of Lord Byron encompasses a vast array of poetry, prose, and dramatic compositions that exemplify the the spirit of the Romantic era. Byron's distinctive literary style combines lyrical beauty with profound emotional depth, often exploring themes of love, loss, heroism, and the nature of existence. This compilation reveals his masterful command of diverse forms, from the narrative verse of 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage' to the satirical wit found in works such as 'Don Juan.' Each piece reflects the tumultuous context of his life, rife with political rebellion and personal turmoil, illustrating the poet's relentless pursuit of both artistic and personal freedom. Lord Byron, a prominent figure in the Romantic movement, led a life marked by controversy and passion. His aristocratic background and tempestuous relationships, alongside his experiences in wars of liberation across Europe, influenced much of his writing. A traveler and social critic, Byron became emblematic of the Byronic hero'—a complex individual torn between societal expectations and personal desires'—which resonates throughout his works, providing insight into his tumultuous psyche and philosophical inquiries. For readers seeking to engage deeply with one of literature's most fascinating figures, The Complete Works of Lord Byron is indispensable. It serves not only as a testament to Byron's unparalleled literary talent but also as a lens through which to explore the emotional and intellectual currents of his time. This collection invites scholars and casual readers alike to discover the enduring relevance of Byron's voice in the tapestry of Western literature. In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience: - A comprehensive Introduction outlines these selected works' unifying features, themes, or stylistic evolutions. - The Author Biography highlights personal milestones and literary influences that shape the entire body of writing. - A Historical Context section situates the works in their broader era—social currents, cultural trends, and key events that underpin their creation. - A concise Synopsis (Selection) offers an accessible overview of the included texts, helping readers navigate plotlines and main ideas without revealing critical twists. - A unified Analysis examines recurring motifs and stylistic hallmarks across the collection, tying the stories together while spotlighting the different work's strengths. - Reflection questions inspire deeper contemplation of the author's overarching message, inviting readers to draw connections among different texts and relate them to modern contexts. - Lastly, our hand‐picked Memorable Quotes distill pivotal lines and turning points, serving as touchstones for the collection's central themes.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
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The Complete Works of Lord Byron
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Complete Works of Lord Byron is a monumental collection that brings together the vast and varied literary output of one of the most celebrated poets of the Romantic era. This compilation seeks to offer a comprehensive view of Byron's artistry, encapsulating the full scope of his contributions to poetry and drama, as well as his reflections on life as revealed through correspondence and journals. It serves both as an essential resource for scholars and as a gateway for general readers to immerse themselves in Byron's genius. This collection assures that every facet of his work is available in a singular, cohesive format.
Within this extensive compilation, readers will discover a rich tapestry of literary forms, including poetry, plays, essays, and personal letters. The collection comprises full volumes of Byron's poems, such as 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage' and 'Don Juan,' while also including his lesser-known but equally engaging fugitive pieces. The inclusion of his correspondence, from letters to journals, provides an intimate glimpse into Byron's mind and experiences, offering a multifaceted understanding of his artistic development and inspirations across genres.
Byron's works are marked by recurrent themes such as love, loss, and individualism, alongside a striking exploration of existential angst and societal critique. These works often reflect his Romantic spirit, characterized by their emotive intensity and vivid imagery. The stylistic hallmarks of Byron, including his command of the English language, use of satire, and innovative narrative structures, resonate throughout his body of work, allowing modern readers to appreciate the timelessness of his insights. It is these qualities that unify his pieces, creating a cohesive literary legacy that endures well beyond his time.
In assembling this Complete Works collection, we aim to honor Byron's revolutionary approach to literature and philosophy while inviting readers to explore the richness of his voice. Each section of the collection provides an opportunity to delve into the myriad expressions of human experience, from poignant love poems to dramatic explorations of moral conflict. Readers are encouraged to engage with the various styles and themes that Byron employs, gaining a deeper appreciation for both his innovative spirit and the tumultuous world from which he drew inspiration.
A critical aspect of Byron's poetry is his ability to evoke powerful emotions through his dynamic use of language. His verses often reflect a deep engagement with the complexities of human emotion, depicting the joys and agony of both love and conflict. The intensity with which he grapples with these themes makes his work relevant to readers across generations. This passion for exploring the human condition has contributed significantly to Byron's lasting impact on literature, establishing him as a key figure in the Romantic movement and continuing to inspire modern writers.
Byron's plays also warrant attention, as they manifest his talent in a different medium. Works such as 'Sardanapalus' and 'Cain' showcase his flair for dramatic storytelling, exploring themes of tyranny, freedom, and the moral dilemmas faced by his characters. These plays invite readers to witness the turbulence of history and the significance of individual agency, drawing parallels to contemporary societal issues. They demonstrate Byron's capabilities beyond poetry, proving that his creative genius extends into complex narratives and character development.
The dialogues within Byron's letters offer an equally compelling narrative, revealing the personal thoughts and intimate feelings that shaped his literary creations. These correspondences allow readers to forge a personal connection with Byron, deepening their understanding of the man behind the myths. His candid reflections on literary criticism, friendships, love affairs, and political engagement provide invaluable context that enriches the reading of his poetry and plays. The letters and journals serve as a critical lens through which one can appreciate the engagement of Byron's life with his creative output.
Byron's exploration of identity is another vital thread woven through his works. The juxtaposition of the individual against societal norms is evident in poems like 'The Giaour' and 'Lara,' where protagonists often face the conflict of personal desires versus societal expectations. This theme resonates with readers who grapple with issues of belonging and self-perception, making Byron remarkably relatable even in contemporary contexts. His ability to articulate the struggles of the self against societal pressures firmly establishes him as a precursor to later existential literature.
The exploration of love—its ecstasies and traumas—prevails as a central theme throughout Byron's poetry. His ability to encapsulate the often paradoxical nature of love, from its exhilarating highs to its debilitating lows, mirrors the multifaceted experience of passionate relationships. Works such as 'Hebrew Melodies' and 'The Bride of Abydos' exemplify the emotional depth Byron conveys, allowing readers to reflect on their own experiences with love and heartache. This exploration of romance and its discontents serves as a timeless reminder of love's capacity to shape the human experience.
Additionally, Byron often engages with historical and mythical themes, transforming legendary narratives into reflections on contemporary society. In poetry such as 'The Vision of Judgment' and 'Marino Faliero,' he reinvents historical figures, positioning them within moral quandaries that comment on the nature of power, justice, and human fallibility. This blending of history with personal and political commentary allows readers to draw significant parallels to modern-day issues, echoing Byron's insight into the cyclical nature of humanity's struggles and triumphs.
The complexity of morality and the questioning of ethical boundaries are persistent themes in Byron’s works. In dramatic pieces like 'Cain: A Mystery', he explores the nature of evil and the struggles inherent in human existence, grappling with profound philosophical questions. His treatment of morality challenges readers to reflect on their convictions, paving the way for thoughtful engagement not only with his texts but with their own lives. Byron's willingness to confront controversial topics positions him as a thinker who transcends his era.
The beauty of Byron’s language is another remarkable attribute that defines his work. His lyrical style and command of poetic form shine through in every line, making his verses not only thematically rich but also sonically appealing. The melodies found in Byron’s poetry resonate with readers, creating an immersive experience that highlights the joys and pains of life. This attention to phonetics and rhythm enhances the emotional potency of his work, inviting readers to savor the music of his words even as they grapple with the weight of his themes.
In a world increasingly marked by fragmentation, Byron's poems often offer a counterpoint through their exploration of unity and coherence in personal and societal narratives. Whether addressing the collective experiences of nations or the individual quests for meaning, his works navigate the complexities of existence with a delicate balance of introspection and outward observation. This duality remains relatable to modern readers, creating a bridge between Byron's era and contemporary society, where similar struggles persist.
Byron's wit and humor, often cloaked within layers of irony, serve as a refreshing counterbalance to the weighty themes explored throughout his body of work. His satirical edge, particularly in 'Don Juan' and 'The Age of Bronze', invites humor without diluting the seriousness of his messages. This clever interplay of levity and gravity invites readers to engage with important subject matter in a manner that is both thought-provoking and enjoyable, enhancing the reading experience.
The breadth of Byron's work also exemplifies his adaptability as a writer. Evolving over two decades, his writing reflects the changing landscape of literary thought and society, from the passionate early works to the more complex, darker themes in later pieces. He remains a dynamic voice that resonates with the evolution of literary movements, and readers will appreciate how they can trace his artistic growth and the influential shifts that marked his career through this comprehensive collection.
By re-examining the complete works of Lord Byron, readers embark on a journey through time that highlights not only the richness of the content but also the significance of Byron as a cultural figure. This collection serves as a reminder of the power of literature to question, reflect, and transform, making it essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the intricate tapestry of human experience. The insights gleaned from Byron’s work have the power to ignite conversations and foster connections among readers, cultivating a deeper appreciation for literary artistry.
We invite you, dear reader, to explore the entirety of 'The Complete Works of Lord Byron' and to engage deeply with each section. The exploration of Byron's poetry, plays, and letters promises not only a rewarding literary experience but also an opportunity for personal reflection and connection with one of history's most enigmatic figures. Each work within this collection is an invitation to discover the human experience in its myriad complexities, and we hope you will find joy in traversing the landscape of Byron’s imagination, intellect, and emotive power.
Author Biography
Introduction
George Gordon Byron (1788–1824), known as Lord Byron, was a leading figure of British Romanticism whose poetry fused high lyricism, satire, and a restless cosmopolitan imagination. He achieved early celebrity with Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and expanded his range through the wildly popular “Eastern tales,” the dramatic poem Manfred, and the audacious, unfinished epic Don Juan. Byron helped shape the archetype of the Byronic hero—proud, brooding, charismatic, and defiant—an enduring cultural template in literature and beyond. Equally notable for his public life, he spoke in the House of Lords, embraced radical causes, and later supported Greek independence, making him emblematic of the Romantic poet as engaged, controversial public figure.
Education and Literary Influences
Byron inherited his title in childhood and was educated at Harrow School before attending Trinity College, Cambridge, in the early 1800s. His schooling honed his classical grounding and rhetorical poise, while Cambridge exposed him to convivial societies, manuscript circulation, and the discipline of regular composition. He began publishing as a young man, testing satire, lyric, and occasional verse. Early criticism of his youthful volume Hours of Idleness prompted a combative turn that would shape his public voice. The combination of elite education, classical training, and a sharpened satirical instinct provided the technical and intellectual foundation for his swift rise.
Byron’s influences combined Augustan precision with Romantic expansiveness. He admired Alexander Pope’s couplets and wit, drawing on that lineage for English Bards and Scotch Reviewers, while engaging classical historians, dramatists, and moralists. Travel deepened his imaginative palette: during his extended journey around the Mediterranean and into the Ottoman world, including Greece and Albania, he absorbed languages, landscapes, and lore that would inform Childe Harold and the “Turkish tales.” Enlightenment skepticism, contemporary political debate, and the example of European poets further shaped his sensibility, encouraging a poetics at once urbane, ironic, and passionately committed to liberty and individual conscience.
Literary Career
Byron’s first collection, Hours of Idleness, appeared in the later 1800s and was briskly dismissed by the Edinburgh Review. He answered with English Bards and Scotch Reviewers, a pungent satire in the Augustan manner that displayed technical polish and polemical verve. This counterattack signaled his arrival as a public literary personality: witty, combative, and quick to defend his artistic standing. The episode also announced a lifelong tendency to treat criticism as creative fuel, channeling affront into form. These early volleys established Byron as both insider and insurgent, an aristocrat with the instincts of a literary street-fighter.
His breakthrough came with the first cantos of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, an autobiographical travel poem that wove personal disillusion with panoramic scenes of Portugal, Spain, and the eastern Mediterranean. When published in the early 1810s, it captivated readers with its melancholy tone, polished Spenserian stanzas, and cosmopolitan vistas. Byron later quipped that he “awoke one morning and found myself famous,” a remark that captures the suddenness of his ascent. Childe Harold made him a household name, and its image of a solitary, reflective wanderer helped crystallize the Byronic hero, a figure that would reverberate across European literature.
Byron consolidated fame with a rapid sequence of narrative poems often grouped as “Eastern” or “Turkish” tales: The Giaour, The Bride of Abydos, The Corsair, and Lara, among others. Their swift plots, exoticized settings, and charismatic, haunted protagonists enthralled a broad audience. These poems showcased his command of narrative momentum, vivid description, and moral ambiguity, while also tapping contemporary fascination with the Ottoman world. Sales were extraordinary, and Byron’s public image intensified—glamorous, dangerous, and modern. Yet beneath the allure, the poems probe questions of honor, transgression, and fate, complicating the surface romance with psychological depth and ethical unease.
After leaving Britain in the mid-1810s, Byron’s cosmopolitan creativity widened. In Switzerland, his encounter with fellow Romantics stimulated The Prisoner of Chillon and the dramatic poem Manfred, a metaphysical exploration of guilt and defiance set in the Alps. Relocating to Italy, he adopted the ottava rima stanza to mischievous, flexible effect in Beppo and then Don Juan, a sprawling, digressive, satiric epic begun in the late 1810s. He also composed a series of verse dramas—Sardanapalus, Cain, Marino Faliero, and The Two Foscari—closet dramas that interrogate power, rebellion, and destiny while testing the boundaries between theatrical rhetoric and philosophical inquiry.
Reception oscillated between adulation and outrage. Don Juan, irreverent and formally audacious, drew censure for perceived immorality even as many recognized its brilliance. The verse dramas, often intended for reading rather than staging, puzzled some critics but influenced later conceptions of poetic drama. Byron’s satires, including The Vision of Judgment, sharpened his reputation as a fearless antagonist of cant and complacency. Across Europe he was swiftly translated and imitated, and his persona—mixing aristocratic polish, anti-conventional daring, and candid self-display—helped recast the poet as celebrity. His technical range and tonal agility kept him central to Romantic debates about art, politics, and sincerity.
Beliefs and Advocacy
Byron’s politics were broadly Whig and libertarian in spirit. In the House of Lords, he spoke for civil and economic rights, notably defending distressed Nottinghamshire framework knitters in the early 1810s. He criticized governmental repression and supported religious toleration. Abroad, he sympathized with constitutional movements and national self-determination, particularly in Italy and, decisively, Greece. His correspondence and public actions reveal hostility to tyranny and enthusiasm for reform tempered by realistic appraisal of faction and human frailty. While aristocratic by birth, he rejected complacent privilege, insisting that rank should answer to principle, and that liberty required both courage and discipline.
These convictions permeate his art. Manfred and Cain dramatize intellectual defiance and moral inquiry, confronting theological orthodoxy and the limits of authority. Don Juan, through comic digression and worldly candor, exposes hypocrisy in politics, war, and courtship, recasting epic as a vehicle for modern skepticism and humane sympathy. Byron’s advocacy was practical as well as poetic: he gave time, money, and personal risk to causes he endorsed, most notably the Greek struggle for independence. In this fusion of life and letters, he helped establish a Romantic ideal of the poet whose imaginative freedom is inseparable from civic responsibility.
Final Years & Legacy
In the early 1820s, Byron settled for a time among expatriate circles in Italy, continued Don Juan, and engaged writers and reformers. In 1823 he sailed to Greece to aid the independence movement, working to finance forces, stabilize administration, and coordinate strategy amid rival factions. He trained a brigade at Missolonghi, intending active operations, but a severe illness—exacerbated by medical treatments of the day—ended his life in 1824. News of his death provoked profound mourning among Greek patriots and struck Britain with a mixture of shock, grief, and controversy, emblematic of a figure who had long inspired divided, ardent responses.
Byron’s legacy has proved expansive and resilient. The Byronic hero influenced nineteenth-century fiction and poetry across Europe and beyond, shaping characters from Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin to the brooding protagonists of Victorian and later novels. Composers and painters drew on his themes and personae, while modern critics have highlighted his formal experimentation, cosmopolitan irony, and political engagement. His daughter, Ada Lovelace, became a seminal figure in the history of computing, extending the family’s cultural resonance into new domains. Today, Byron stands as a central Romantic innovator whose art and life continue to animate debates over freedom, celebrity, and the ethics of imagination.
Historical Context
The historical context of Lord Byron’s work lies in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, an era of social and political transformation. Born in 1788, he came of age amid the ideals and consequences of revolutionary movements in America and France. Although his first collection, Hours of Idleness, follows conventional poetic forms, it hints at a growing emphasis on personal voice and individualism that would define his later work.
Byron emerged at the height of the Romantic movement, which prized emotion over Enlightenment rationalism, celebrated nature, and looked to the past for inspiration. As a leader of this movement, he explored the complexity of human feeling and the solitary hero’s inner conflict. His narrative poem Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage exemplifies the defiant, introspective figure that became synonymous with Romantic sensibility.
Europe’s political turmoil shaped much of his writing. The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) produced a continent rife with shifting alliances and questions of sovereignty. In his Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte, Byron traces a trajectory from revolutionary promise to autocratic rule, positioning himself as a critic of concentrated power and engaging with the era’s broader debates over authority.
A fascination with the East appears throughout his verse tales. Poems such as The Giaour, The Bride of Abydos and Lara are set against Ottoman backdrops and explore passion, betrayal and honor. These works reflect contemporary Orientalist trends, inviting readers to consider cultural encounter, exoticism and the complexities of imperial perspective.
Women in his dramas often face tragic constraints within patriarchal society. In plays like Marino Faliero and The Two Foscari, female characters are drawn with psychological depth but remain subject to social strictures, mirroring attitudes toward gender and status in early 19th-century Europe.
Byron’s tumultuous personal life informed the emotional intensity of many poems. His stormy relationship with Lady Caroline Lamb, his marriage to Annabella Millbanke and other affairs surface in collections such as Hebrew Melodies and Parisina, where themes of desire, loss and despair gain resonance from lived experience.
Although he championed Romantic feeling, Enlightenment ideas of reason and moral inquiry persisted in his work. In Don Juan and the drama Cain he balances satire and philosophical questioning, demonstrating an ongoing engagement with ethical and spiritual concerns.
While Byron maintained an independent literary path, he corresponded with peers such as Percy Bysshe Shelley and encountered the writings of contemporaries across England’s vibrant salons and coffee-house circles. These exchanges reinforced a shared commitment to poetic innovation and emotional candor, even as Byron’s style remained distinctly his own.
The rise of nationalism across Europe also left its mark. In poems like The Siege of Corinth and The Prophecy of Dante he intertwines historical narrative with patriotic fervor, reflecting widespread interest in collective identity and liberation movements.
Questions of faith and skepticism surface in his dramatic works. In Heaven and Earth and Cain: A Mystery he probes moral responsibility, creation and the nature of divine justice, echoing a period marked by challenges to religious orthodoxy and growing secular thought.
Elements of the Gothic novel inform his darker tales. In The Corsair and Francesca of Rimini Byron employs themes of obsession, ruin and the supernatural to explore human psychology under extreme duress, enriching his portrayal of passion’s perils.
A lifelong admirer of classical literature, he wove Greek and Roman allusions into both original poems and his satirical piece The Vision of Judgment. His translations of ancient texts further demonstrate an enduring dialogue between antiquity and modern crisis.
In the 1820s he turned his energies toward social justice, most notably supporting the Greek War of Independence. His work on The Island; or, Christian and his Comrades and his death in Greece in 1824 cemented his evolution from introspective poet to engaged humanitarian.
Mortality and confinement recur as central motifs. In The Prisoner of Chillon and the Lament of Tasso Byron evokes the sublime terror of imprisonment and the poignancy of human suffering, reflecting Romantic fascination with death and endurance under adversity.
Public reaction to his career was polarized. Celebrated for his wit and lyrical power yet condemned for his personal scandals, he remained a figure of fascination in poems such as Don Juan, where his biting satire and complex tone epitomize the contradictions of Romanticism itself.
Finally, the expansion of print culture—through magazines, periodicals and affordable editions—amplified his reach. Serialized poetry and public reviews fostered a new relationship between author and audience, allowing his voice to resonate widely across Europe.
In sum, Byron’s work reflects an age of profound change. His embrace of individual feeling, engagement with political upheaval and exploration of existential questions remain a testament to the era’s enduring preoccupations and to the lasting complexity of his poetic vision.
Synopsis (Selection)
The Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 1
This volume includes early works such as 'Fugitive Pieces' and 'Poems on Various Occasions,' showcasing Byron's burgeoning poetic voice, followed by 'Hours of Idleness,' which captures his youthful reflections and social critique.
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
This epic poem follows the journey of the disenchanted Childe Harold, exploring themes of beauty, loss, and identity across various landscapes, serving as a semi-autobiographical reflection of Byron's own travels and inner turmoil.
The Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 3
This collection features poems from 1809 to 1816, including narrative works like 'The Giaour' and 'The Bride of Abydos,' and influential pieces such as 'Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte,' which confronts political themes and personal ambition.
The Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 4
Centered on intense emotional experiences, this volume contains 'The Prisoner of Chillon,' a meditation on isolation, alongside works of mourning like the 'Monody on the Death of R. B. Sheridan' and transformative tales such as 'Beppo' and 'Francesca of Rimini.'
The Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 5
This volume consists of major dramatic works, including 'Cain,' which philosophically interrogates the nature of humanity, and 'Sardanapalus,' a tragedy exploring themes of love and identity amidst power struggles.
The Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 6
Byron's magnum opus, 'Don Juan,' is a satirical and epic poem that reinterprets the legendary figure, critiquing societal norms and romantic ideals through humor and irony.
The Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 7
This compilation includes a range of minor poems and light-hearted literary pieces from 1798 to 1824, offering insights into Byron's wit and conversational style, complemented by his letters and journals, which reveal his personal thoughts and experiences.
Biographies
Offers insight into Byron's life and legacy through biographical works such as John Nichol's 'Byron' and John Galt's 'The Life of Lord Byron,' providing context to his poetic output.
Letters and Journals of Lord Byron Vol. 1
Documents Byron's thoughts, relationships, and experiences, offering a personal glimpse into his life and creative process during his early and middle years.
Letters and Journals of Lord Byron Vol. 2
Continues to chronicle Byron's life through his correspondence, emphasizing his personal struggles, travels, and evolving perspectives on art and society.
The Complete Works of Lord Byron
The Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 1
Preface
The text of the present issue of Lord Byron's Poetical Works is based on that of The Works of Lord Byron, in six volumes, 12mo, which was published by John Murray in 1831. That edition followed the text of the successive issues of plays and poems which appeared in the author's lifetime, and were subject to his own revision, or that of Gifford and other accredited readers. A more or less thorough collation of the printed volumes with the MSS. which were at Moore's disposal, yielded a number of variorum readings which have appeared in subsequent editions published by John Murray. Fresh collations of the text of individual poems with the original MSS. have been made from time to time, with the result that the text of the latest edition (one-vol. 8vo, 1891) includes some emendations, and has been supplemented by additional variants. Textual errors of more or less importance, which had crept into the numerous editions which succeeded the seventeen-volume edition of 1832, were in some instances corrected, but in others passed over. For the purposes of the present edition the printed text has been collated with all the MSS. which passed through Moore's hands, and, also, for the first time, with MSS. of the following plays and poems, viz. English Bards, and Scotch Reviewers; Childe Harold, Canto IV.; Don Juan, Cantos VI.-XVI.; Werner; The Deformed Transformed; Lara; Parisina; The Prophecy of Dante; The Vision of Judgment; The Age of Bronze; The Island. The only works of any importance which have been printed directly from the text of the first edition, without reference to the MSS., are the following, which appeared in The Liberal (1822-23), viz.: Heaven and Earth, The Blues, and Morgante Maggiore.
A new and, it is believed, an improved punctuation has been adopted. In this respect Byron did not profess to prepare his MSS. for the press, and the punctuation, for which Gifford is mainly responsible, has been reconsidered with reference solely to the meaning and interpretation of the sentences as they occur.
In the Hours of Idleness and Other Early Poems, the typography of the first four editions, as a rule, has been preserved. A uniform typography in accordance with modern use has been adopted for all poems of later date.
Variants
, being the readings of one or more MSS. or of successive editions, are included as alphabetical footnotes to each poem.
Words and lines through which the author has drawn his pen in the MSS. or Revises are marked
MS. erased
.
Poems and plays are given, so far as possible, in chronological order.
Childe Harold
and
Don Juan
, which were written and published in parts, are printed continuously; and minor poems, including the first four satires, have been arranged in groups according to the date of composition.
Epigrams and
jeux d'esprit
have been placed together, in chronological order, towards the end of the sixth volume.
A Bibliography of the poems will immediately precede the Index at the close of the
sixth volume
.
The edition contains at least thirty hitherto unpublished poems, including fifteen stanzas of the unfinished seventeenth canto of Don Juan, and a considerable fragment of the third part of The Deformed Transformed. The eleven unpublished poems from MSS. preserved at Newstead, which appear in the first volume, are of slight if any literary value, but they reflect with singular clearness and sincerity the temper and aspirations of the tumultuous and moody stripling to whom "the numbers came," but who wisely abstained from printing them himself.
Byron's notes, of which many are published for the first time, and editorial notes, are included as numerical footnotes to each poem. The editorial notes are designed solely to supply the reader with references to passages in other works illustrative of the text, or to interpret expressions and allusions which lapse of time may have rendered obscure.
Much of the knowledge requisite for this purpose is to be found in the articles of the Dictionary of National Biography, to which the fullest acknowledgments are due; and much has been arrived at after long research, involving a minute examination of the literature, the magazines, and often the newspapers of the period.
Inasmuch as the poems and plays have been before the public for more than three quarters of a century, it has not been thought necessary to burden the notes with the eulogies and apologies of the great poets and critics who were Byron's contemporaries, and regarded his writings, both for good and evil, for praise and blame, from a different standpoint from ours. Perhaps, even yet, the time has not come for a definite and positive appreciation of his genius. The tide of feeling and opinion must ebb and flow many times before his rank and station among the poets of all time will be finally adjudged. The splendour of his reputation, which dazzled his own countrymen, and, for the first time, attracted the attention of a contemporary European audience to an English writer, has faded, and belongs to history; but the poet's work remains, inviting a more intimate and a more extended scrutiny than it has hitherto received in this country. The reader who cares to make himself acquainted with the method of Byron's workmanship, to unravel his allusions, and to follow the tenour of his verse, will, it is hoped, find some assistance in these volumes.
I beg to record my especial thanks to the Earl of Lovelace for the use of MSS. of his grandfather's poems, including unpublished fragments; for permission to reproduce portraits in his possession; and for valuable information and direction in the construction of some of the notes.
My grateful acknowledgments are due to Dr. Garnett, C.B., Dr. A. H. Murray, Mr. R. E. Graves, and other officials of the British Museum, for invaluable assistance in preparing the notes, and in compiling a bibliography of the poems.
I have also to thank Mr. Leslie Stephen and others for important hints and suggestions with regard to the interpretation of some obscure passages in Hints from Horace.
In correcting the proofs for the press, I have had the advantage of the skill and knowledge of my friend Mr. Frank E. Taylor, of Chertsey, to whom my thanks are due.
On behalf of the Publisher, I beg to acknowledge with gratitude the kindness of the Lady Dorchester, the Earl Stanhope, Lord Glenesk and Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B., for permission to examine MSS. in their possession; and of Mrs. Chaworth Musters, for permission to reproduce her miniature of Miss Chaworth, and for other favours. He desires also to acknowledge the generous assistance of Mr. and Miss Webb, of Newstead Abbey, in permitting the publication of MS. poems, and in making transcripts for the press.
I need hardly add that, throughout the progress of the work, the advice and direct assistance of Mr. John Murray and Mr. R. E. Prothero have been always within my reach. They have my cordial thanks.
Ernest Hartley Coleridge.
Bibliographical Note to 'Hours of Idleness' and Other Early Poems
There were four distinct issues of Byron's Juvenilia. The first collection, entitled Fugitive Pieces, was printed in quarto by S. and J. Ridge of Newark. Two of the poems, The Tear and the Reply to Some Verses of J. M. B. Pigot, Esq., were signed "Byron;" but the volume itself, which is without a title-page, was anonymous. It numbers sixty-six pages, and consists of thirty-eight distinct pieces. The last piece, Imitated from Catullus. To Anna, is dated November 16, 1806. The whole of this issue, with the exception of two or three copies, was destroyed. An imperfect copy, lacking pp. 17-20 and pp. 58-66, is preserved at Newstead. A perfect copy, which had been retained by the Rev. J. T. Becher, at whose instance the issue was suppressed, was preserved by his family (see Life, by Karl Elze, 1872, p. 450), and is now in the possession of Mr. H. Buxton Forman, C.B. A facsimile reprint of this unique volume, limited to one hundred copies, was issued, for private circulation only, from the Chiswick Press in 1886.
Of the thirty-eight Fugitive Pieces, two poems, viz. To Caroline and To Mary, together with the last six stanzas of the lines, To Miss E. P. [To Eliza], have never been republished in any edition of Byron's Poetical Works.
A second edition, small octavo, of Fugitive Pieces, entitled Poems on Various Occasions, was printed by S. and J. Ridge of Newark, and distributed in January, 1807. This volume was issued anonymously. It numbers 144 pages, and consists of a reproduction of thirty-six Fugitive Pieces, and of twelve hitherto unprinted poems--forty-eight in all. For references to the distribution of this issue--limited, says Moore, to one hundred copies--see letters to Mr. Pigot and the Earl of Clare, dated January 16, February 6, 1807, and undated letters of the same period to Mr. William Bankes and Mr. Falkner (Life, pp. 41, 42). The annotated copy of Poems on Various Occasions, referred to in the present edition, is in the British Museum.
Early in the summer (June--July) of 1807, a volume, small octavo, named Hours of Idleness--a title henceforth associated with Byron's early poems--was printed and published by S. and J. Ridge of Newark, and was sold by the following London booksellers: Crosby and Co.; Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme; F. and C. Rivington; and J. Mawman. The full title is, "Hours of Idleness; a Series of Poems Original and Translated. By George Gordon, Lord Byron, a Minor". It numbers 187 pages, and consists of thirty-nine poems. Of these, nineteen belonged to the original Fugitive Pieces, eight had first appeared in Poems on Various Occasions, and twelve were published for the first time. The "Fragment of a Translation from the 9th Book of Virgil's Æneid" (sic), numbering sixteen lines, reappears as The Episode of Nisus and Euryalus, A Paraphrase from the Æneid, Lib. 9, numbering 406 lines.
The final collection, also in small octavo, bearing the title "Poems Original and Translated, by George Gordon, Lord Byron", second edition, was printed and published in 1808 by S. and J. Ridge of Newark, and sold by the same London booksellers as Hours of Idleness. It numbers 174 pages, and consists of seventeen of the original Fugitive Pieces, four of those first published in Poems on Various Occasions, a reprint of the twelve poems first published in Hours of Idleness, and five poems which now appeared for the first time--thirty-eight poems in all. Neither the title nor the contents of this so-called second edition corresponds exactly with the previous issue.
Of the thirty-eight Fugitive Pieces which constitute the suppressed quarto, only seventeen appear in all three subsequent issues. Of the twelve additions to Poems on Various Occasions, four were excluded from Hours of Idleness, and four more from Poems Original and Translated.
The collection of minor poems entitled Hours of Idleness, which has been included in every edition of Byron's Poetical Works issued by John Murray since 1831, consists of seventy pieces, being the aggregate of the poems published in the three issues, Poems on Various Occasions, Hours of Idleness, and Poems Original and Translated, together with five other poems of the same period derived from other sources.
In the present issue a general heading, "Hours of Idleness, and other Early Poems," has been applied to the entire collection of Early Poems, 1802-1809. The quarto has been reprinted (excepting the lines To Mary, which Byron himself deliberately suppressed) in its entirety, and in the original order. The successive additions to the Poems on Various Occasions, Hours of Idleness, and Poems Original and Translated, follow in order of publication. The remainder of the series, viz. poems first published in Moore's Life and Journals of Lord Byron (1830); poems hitherto unpublished; poems first published in the Works of Lord Byron (1832), and poems contributed to J. C. Hobhouse's Imitations and Translations (1809), have been arranged in chronological order. (For an important contribution to the bibliography of the quarto of 1806, and of the other issues of Byron's Juvenilia, see papers by Mr. R. Edgcumbe, Mr. H. Buxton Forman, C.B., and others, in the Athenæum, 1885, vol. ii. pp. 731-733, 769; and 1886, vol. i. p. 101, etc. For a collation of the contents of the four first issues and of certain large-paper copies of Hours of Idleness, etc., see The Bibliography of the Poetical Works of Lord Byron, vol. vi. of the present edition.)
Bibliographical Note to English Bards and Scotch Reviewers
The MS. (MS. M.) of the first draft of Byron's Satire (see Letter to Pigot, October 26, 1807) is now in Mr. Murray's possession. It is written on folio sheets paged 6-25, 28-41, and numbers 360 lines. Mutilations on pages 12, 13, 34, 35 account for the absence of ten additional lines.
After the publication of the January number of The Edinburgh Review for 1808 (containing the critique on Hours of Idleness), which was delayed till the end of February, Byron added a beginning and an ending to the original draft. The MSS. of these additions, which number ninety lines, are written on quarto sheets, and have been bound up with the folios. (Lines 1-16 are missing.) The poem, which with these and other additions had run up to 560 lines, was printed in book form (probably by Ridge of Newark), under the title of British Bards, A Satire.
A date, 1808, is affixed to the last line. Only one copy is extant, that which was purchased, in 1867, from the executors of R.C. Dallas, by the Trustees of the British Museum. Even this copy has been mutilated. Pages 17, 18, which must have contained the first version of the attack on Jeffrey (see English Bards, p. 332, line 439, note 2), have been torn out, and quarto proof-sheets in smaller type of lines 438-527, "Hail to immortal Jeffrey," etc., together with a quarto proof-sheet, in the same type as British Bards, containing lines 540-559, "Illustrious Holland," etc., have been inserted. Hobhouse's lines (first edition, lines 247-262), which are not in the original draft, are included in British Bards. The insertion of the proofs increased the printed matter to 584 lines. After the completion of this revised version of British Bards, additions continued to be made. Marginal corrections and MS. fragments, bound up with British Bards, together with forty-four lines (lines 723-726, 819-858) which do not occur in MS. M., make up with the printed matter the 696 lines which were published in March, 1809, under the title of English Bards, and Scotch Reviewers. The folio and quarto sheets in Mr. Murray's possession (MS. M.) may be regarded as the MS. of British Bards; British Bards (there are a few alterations, e.g. the substitution of lines 319-326, "Moravians, arise," etc., for the eight lines on Pratt, which are to be found in the folio MS., and are printed in British Bards), with its accompanying MS. fragments, as the foundation of the text of the first edition of English Bards, and Scotch Reviewers.
Between the first edition, published in March, and the second edition in October, 1809, the difference is even greater than between the first edition and British Bards. The Preface was enlarged, and a postscript affixed to the text of the poem. Hobhouse's lines (first edition, 247-262) were omitted, and the following additional passages inserted, viz.:
lines 1-96, "Still must I hear," etc.;
lines 129-142, "Thus saith the Preacher," etc.;
lines 363-417, "But if some new-born whim," etc.;
lines 638-706, "Or hail at once," etc.;
lines 765-798, "When some brisk youth," etc.;
lines 859-880, "And here let Shee," etc.;
lines 949-960, "Yet what avails," etc.;
lines 973-980, "There, Clarke," etc.;
lines 1011-1070, "Then hapless Britain," etc.
These additions number 370 lines, and, together with the 680 lines of the first edition (reduced from 696 by the omission of Hobhouse's contribution), make up the 1050 lines of the second and third editions, and the doubtful fourth edition of 1810. Of these additions, Nos. i., ii., iii., iv., vi., viii., ix. exist in MS., and are bound up with the folio MS. now in Mr. Murray's possession.
The third edition, which is, generally, dated 1810, is a replica of the second edition.
The first issue of the fourth edition, which appeared in 1810, is identical with the second and third editions. A second issue of the fourth edition, dated 1811, must have passed under Byron's own supervision. Lines 723, 724 are added, and lines 725, 726 are materially altered. The fourth edition of 1811 numbers 1052 lines.
The suppressed fifth edition, numbering 1070 lines (the copy in the British Museum has the title-page of the fourth edition; a second copy, in Mr. Murray's possession, has no title-page), varies from the fourth edition of 1811 by the addition of lines 97-102 and 528-539, and by some twenty-nine emendations of the text. Eighteen of these emendations were made by Byron in a copy of the fourth edition which belonged to Leigh Hunt. On another copy, in Mr. Murray's possession, Byron made nine emendations, of which six are identical with those in the Hunt copy, and three appear for the first time. It was in the latter volume that he inscribed his after-thoughts, which are dated "B. 1816."
For a complete collation of the five editions of English Bards, and Scotch Reviewers, and textual emendations in the two annotated volumes, and for a note on genuine and spurious copies of the first and other editions, see The Bibliography of the Poetical Works of Lord Byron, vol. vi.
Fugitive Pieces
On Leaving Newstead Abbeya
Why dost thou build the hall, Son of the winged days? Thou lookest from thy tower to-day: yet a few years, and the blast of the desart comes: it howls in thy empty court.-Ossian1.
1 The motto was prefixed in Hours of Idleness.
aOn Leaving N ... ST ... D.--[4to],On Leaving Newstead.--(P. on V. Occasions.)
2 The priory of Newstead, or de Novo Loco, in Sherwood, was founded about the year 1170, by Henry II. On the dissolution of the monasteries it was granted (in 1540) by Henry VIII. to "Sir John Byron the Little, with the great beard." His portrait is still preserved at Newstead.
b Through the cracks in these battlements loud the winds whistle For the hall of my fathers is gone to decay; And in yon once gay garden the hemlock and thistle Have choak'd up the rose, which late bloom'd in the way. [4to]
3 No record of any crusading ancestors in the Byron family can be found. Moore conjectures that the legend was suggested by some groups of heads on the old panel-work at Newstead, which appear to represent Christian soldiers and Saracens, and were, most probably, put up before the Abbey came into the possession of the family.
c Of the barons of old, who once proudly to battle. [4to]
4 Horistan Castle, in Derbyshire, an ancient seat of the B--R--N family [4to]. (Horiston.--4to.)
d For Charles the Martyr their country defending. [4to. P. on V. Occasions.]
5 The battle of Marston Moor, where the adherents of Charles I. were defeated.
eBids ye adieu! [4to]
6 Son of the Elector Palatine, and related to Charles I. He afterwards commanded the Fleet, in the reign of Charles II.
fThough a tear dims. [4to]
7 Sir Nicholas Byron, the great-grandson of Sir John Byron the Little, distinguished himself in the Civil Wars. He is described by Clarendon (Hist, of the Rebellion, 1807, i. 216) as "a person of great affability and dexterity, as well as martial knowledge." He was Governor of Carlisle, and afterwards Governor of Chester. His nephew and heir-at-law, Sir John Byron, of Clayton, K.B. (1599-1652), was raised to the peerage as Baron Byron of Rochdale, after the Battle of Newbury, October 26, 1643. He held successively the posts of Lieutenant of the Tower, Governor of Chester, and, after the expulsion of the Royal Family from England, Governor to the Duke of York. He died childless, and was succeeded by his brother Richard, the second lord, from whom the poet was descended. Five younger brothers, as Richard's monument in the chancel of Hucknall Torkard Church records, "faithfully served King Charles the First in the Civil Wars, suffered much for their loyalty, and lost all their present fortunes." (See Life of Lord Byron, by Karl Elze: Appendix, Note (A), p. 436.)
g 'Tis nature, not fear, which commands his regret. [4to]
h In the grave he alone can his fathers forget. [4to]
i Your fame, and your memory, still will he cherish.[4to]
To E——1
1 E--- was, according to Moore, a boy of Byron's own age, the son of one of the tenants at Newstead.
On the Death of a Young Lady1, Cousin to the Author, and very dear to Him
1 The author claims the indulgence of the reader more for this piece than, perhaps, any other in the collection; but as it was written at an earlier period than the rest (being composed at the age of fourteen), and his first essay, he preferred submitting it to the indulgence of his friends in its present state, to making either addition or alteration.--[4to]
"My first dash into poetry was as early as 1800. It was the ebullition of a passion for--my first cousin, Margaret Parker (daughter and granddaughter of the two Admirals Parker), one of the most beautiful of evanescent beings. I have long forgotten the verse; but it would be difficult for me to forget her--her dark eyes--her long eye-lashes--her completely Greek cast of face and figure! I was then about twelve--she rather older, perhaps a year. She died about a year or two afterwards, in consequence of a fall, which injured her spine, and induced consumption ... I knew nothing of her illness, being at Harrow and in the country till she was gone. Some years after, I made an attempt at an elegy--a very dull one."--Byron Diary, 1821; Life, p. 17.
[Margaret Parker was the sister of Sir Peter Parker, whose death at Baltimore, in 1814, Byron celebrated in the Elegiac Stanzas, which were first published in the poems attached to the seventh edition of Childe Harold.
aSuch sorrow brings me honour, not disgrace. [4to]
To D——1
1 George John, 5th Earl Delawarr (1791-1869). (See note; see also lines To George, Earl Delawarr)
a But envy with malignant grasp, Has torn thee from my breast for ever. [4to]
bBut in my heart. [4to]
To Carolinea
aTo——. [4to]
bthan words could say. [4to]
cThough deep the grief. [4to]
To Caroline1
1 These lines, which appear in the Quarto, were never republished.
To Emma1
1 To Maria [4to]
Fragments of School Exercises: From the Prometheus Vinctus of Æschylus
1 The Greek heading does not appear in the Quarto, nor in the three first Editions.
2 "My first Harrow verses (that is, English, as exercises), a translation of a chorus from the Prometheus of Æschylus, were received by Dr. Drury, my grand patron (our headmaster), but coolly. No one had, at that time, the least notion that I should subside into poetry."
(Life, p. 20.) The lines are not a translation but a loose adaptation or paraphrase of part of a chorus of the Prometheus Vinctus, I, 528, sq.
Lines written in "Letters of an Italian Nun and an English Gentleman, by J.J. Rousseau1: Founded on Facts"
1 A second edition of this work, of which the title is, Letters, etc., translated from the French of Jean Jacques Rousseau, was published in London, in 1784. It is, probably, a literary forgery.
Answer to the Foregoinga, Addressed to Miss——
a Answer to the above. [4to]
b From which you'd. [4to]
c Mere phantoms of your own creation; For he who sees. [4to]
d Once let you at your mirror glance
