144
NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 S.V.JUNE, 1919.
Lordship, supposed to have been entirely destroyed
by Thos. Moore, [motto] To which is added Leon
to Annabella ; An Epistle from Lord Byron to
Lady Byron. London : Printed for the book-
sellers, MDCCCLXVI." A copy of this little book
is in the possession of Miss E. C. Mayne ; another
in the English Seminar at Erlangen ; a third
(which I have seen) in Mr- Morgan's library. It
seems not to be in the British Museum. See
' N. & Q.,' Third Series, xi. 477, for an inquiry as
to its authorship at the time that it was announced
for publication ; ibid., xii. 137, for statement that,
" owing to some interference, the poem of ' Don
Leon ' has been burked." Miss Mayne does
not seem to know that this 1866 edition is a
reprint (see her ' Byron,' ii. 319). It is said that
John Camden Hotten was the publisher and that
it was he who had practically the entiro edition
destroyed. No detailed description of this piece
is possible ; in dealing with such offscourings of
literature the warning of Virgil to Dante is
applicable :
Saper d'alcuno e buono : Degli altri fia laudabile tacerci. Those who remember the circumstances of thi a warning may get therefrom a hint as to the subject-matter of ' Don Leon.'
- 23. ' Lord Byron to his Lady.' Begins :
" How strangely." In Galignani 1826 and 1828 ; not in 1831 or 1835. Where was this first pub- lished ?
24. ' Lines found in the Traveller's Book at Chamouni.' The theme is the contrast in character, talents, race, and motives of the visitors to this place. What passion moves the author of these lines ? Who loves him ? What friend is faithful to him ? At least he has sxifficient wisdom to conceal his name. This piece is in Galignani 1826, 1828, 1831, and even 1835.
25. " All hail, Mont Blanc ! Mont-au-Vert hail ! "This is apparently sometimes called ' Lines found in the Album of the Hotel .... at Chamouni ' ; but it is not to be confused with 24 above. The first appearance of it that I have noted is in ' Life, Writings,' &c., ii. 384. Of the Galignani editions it occurs only in 1826. The theme is : In solitude the poet communes with Divinity, far from the pride and scorn of men ; but there is no rest for him until he passes from time to eternity. Yet he has joys unknown to the common herd, and will face his destiny till he dies and is forgotten.
26. ' Stanzas to her who can best understand them.' In Galignani 1831 and 1835 ; also in the one-volume edition of the Works published at Hartford by Andrus in 1847 and in the reprint thereof in 1851. The piece is in 18 stanzas, of which the last will give an indication of the style:
But 'tis useless to upbraid thee With thy past or present state ; What thou wast, n<y fancy made thee, What thou art, I know too late. 2, 7. 'To Lady Caroline Lamb.' Begins : " And sayst thou that I have not felt." Not to be con- fused with the genuine " Remember thee." The spurious piece is not satiric, but loving. Their love is a crime ; he must try to break the chain ; she must aid him by dismissing him by her disdain ; she nrnst fiee from the shame that would otherwise be her portion ; such thoughts as theirs are criminal ; and such a crime leads to death.
It is in six stanzas of eight lines each. It is found
in Galignani 1826 and 1828 Andrus 1847 and
1851.
- 28. ' To my dear Mary Anne.' This piece is
called spurious in Coleridge's index (' Poetry,* vii. 440), where reference is made tp ibid. iii. 20 r where, however, no mention is made of this piece. It is said to be in Galignani 1831 and 1835. Is there a spurious ' To Miss Chaworth ' besides the genuine "Remind me not"? [See Coleridge'a index (' Poetry,' vii. 439).
- 29. ' Faith, Ix>ve, Wisdom, Power.' Said to
be in Galignani 1831.
30. ' The Triumph of the Whale.' In Galignanr 1826, 1828, 1831, and (under the title 'To the Prince of Whales ') 1835. This satire is by- Charles Lamb.
31. ' The Four Barbers of Bagdat [sic]. An Oriental Allegory.' This prose satire on the Congress of Vienna is quoted as by Byron in 'Life, Waitings,' &c., ii. 161 f. It 'is a* sort of parallel to Moore's ' Fables for the Holy Alliance/ Each of four barbers shaved his customers in a particular fashion, so that each class of client jeered at the other three classes. Quarrels ensued, and each class claimed for their mode divine origin. One roan kept aside from the dispute,, bantered them all, and was deemed an idiot. At last there was so much bloodshed that all con- sented to abide by the fool's decision. This was r Let each person follow his own taste and compel the barbers to perform their functions for the public good. This was done, and peace and prosperity followed.
- 32. " Aroaldo ; Gaddo ; and other unacknow-
ledged poems by Byron and some of his con- temporaries, collected by O. Volpi, &c." Two- parts. Dublin : 1836. This volume, no copy of which I have discovered in America, is in the British Museum.
33. Most of the foregoing pieces have at least the externals of Byronism that enabled them to- pass current among his minor pieces in piratical editions of his works. More curious, and in fact quite inexplicable, is a series of utterly un- Byronic poems in the volume ' Lord Byron's- Tnlos,' &c., Halifax : William Milner, 1845. (For full title see Coleridge's bibliography, ' Poetry,* vii. 156.) This volume was reissued in enlarged form in 1864 under the title ' The Choice "Works of Lord Byron ' (not mentioned by Coleridge) with the imprint of Milner & Sowerby. According to Coleridge, the 1845 edition contains twelve- spurious pieces. This volume I have not s'-en. The 1864 edition contains ten ; as follows :
(i.) 'The Illuminated City.' Three eight-line stanzas contrasting the brilliance of a city with the gloom of a battle-field.
(ii.) ' The Wreath.' Two twelve-line stanzas, each ending :
I'll twine for thee a wreath of flowers, And thou shalt be my love.
(iii.) No title ; four four-line stanzas, beginning " And shall we bend and bear forever," against tyranny.
(iv.) ' A Child at Prayer.' Forty lines, of which the first two are :
Kneel, my child, for Gc A i here ! Bend in love, and not m lear.
(v.) " Too late I stayed." Three four-line stanzas about a lover who lingered over time.
