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University of Virginia Library

The works of Lord Byron

A new, revised and enlarged edition, with illustrations. Edited by Ernest Hartley Coleridge and R. E. Prothero

Byron, George Gordon Byron (1788-1824)

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I.

Vol. I. HOURS OF IDLENESS AND OTHER EARLY POEMS.

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Fugitive Pieces.

ON LEAVING NEWSTEAD ABBEY.

ON THE DEATH OF A YOUNG LADY, COUSIN TO THE AUTHOR, AND VERY DEAR TO HIM.

FRAGMENTS OF SCHOOL EXERCISES: FROM THE “PROMETHEUS VINCTUS” OF ÆSCHYLUS.

ON A CHANGE OF MASTERS AT A GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOL.

EPITAPH ON A BELOVED FRIEND.

ADRIAN'S ADDRESS TO HIS SOUL WHEN DYING.

ON A DISTANT VIEW OF THE VILLAGE AND SCHOOL OF HARROW ON THE HILL, 1806.

THOUGHTS SUGGESTED BY A COLLEGE EXAMINATION.

ON THE DEATH OF MR. FOX

TO A LADY WHO PRESENTED TO THE AUTHOR A LOCK OF HAIR BRAIDED WITH HIS OWN, AND APPOINTED A NIGHT IN DECEMBER TO MEET HIM IN THE GARDEN.

TO A BEAUTIFUL QUAKER.

AN OCCASIONAL PROLOGUE,

REPLY TO SOME VERSES OF J. M. B. PIGOT, ESQ., ON THE CRUELTY OF HIS MISTRESS.

GRANTA. A MEDLEY.

TO THE SIGHING STREPHON.

LINES ADDRESSED TO A YOUNG LADY.

TRANSLATION FROM CATULLUS.

TRANSLATION OF THE EPITAPH ON VIRGIL AND TIBULLUS, BY DOMITIUS MARSUS.

IMITATION OF TIBULLUS.

TRANSLATION FROM CATULLUS.

IMITATED FROM CATULLUS.

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Poems on Various Occasions.

STANZAS TO A LADY, WITH THE POEMS OF CAMOËNS.

TRANSLATION FROM HORACE.

THE FIRST KISS OF LOVE.

CHILDISH RECOLLECTIONS.

ANSWER TO A BEAUTIFUL POEM, WRITTEN BY MONTGOMERY, AUTHOR OF “THE WANDERER OF SWITZERLAND,” ETC., ENTITLED “THE COMMON LOT.”

LOVE'S LAST ADIEU.

ANSWER TO SOME ELEGANT VERSES SENT BY A FRIEND TO THE AUTHOR, COMPLAINING THAT ONE OF HIS DESCRIPTIONS WAS RATHER TOO WARMLY DRAWN.

ELEGY ON NEWSTEAD ABBEY.

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Hours of Idleness.

TO GEORGE, EARL DELAWARR.

TRANSLATION FROM ANACREON.

THE EPISODE OF NISUS AND EURYALUS.

TRANSLATION FROM THE “MEDEA” OF EURIPIDES [Ll. 627–660].

THE DEATH OF CALMAR AND ORLA.

TO EDWARD NOEL LONG, ESQ.

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Poems Original and Translated.

WHEN I ROVED A YOUNG HIGHLANDER.

TO THE DUKE OF DORSET.

TO THE EARL OF CLARE.

I WOULD I WERE A CARELESS CHILD.

LINES WRITTEN BENEATH AN ELM IN THE CHURCHYARD OF HARROW.

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Early poems from Various Sources.

TO A KNOT OF UNGENEROUS CRITICS.

SOLILOQUY OF A BARD IN THE COUNTRY.

L'AMITIÉ EST L'AMOUR SANS AILES.

THE PRAYER OF NATURE.

TRANSLATION FROM ANACREON.

[OSSIAN'S ADDRESS TO THE SUN IN “CARTHON.”]

[PIGNUS AMORIS.]

[A WOMAN'S HAIR.]

STANZAS TO JESSY.

ON THE EYES OF MISS A--- H---

TO A VAIN LADY.

EGOTISM. A LETTER TO J. T. BECHER.

TO THE AUTHOR OF A SONNET

ON FINDING A FAN.

FAREWELL TO THE MUSE.

TO AN OAK AT NEWSTEAD.

ON REVISITING HARROW.

QUERIES TO CASUISTS.

THERE WAS A TIME, I NEED NOT NAME.

AND WILT THOU WEEP WHEN I AM LOW?

REMIND ME NOT, REMIND ME NOT.

TO A YOUTHFUL FRIEND.

LINES INSCRIBED UPON A CUP FORMED FROM A SKULL.

WELL! THOU ART HAPPY.

INSCRIPTION ON THE MONUMENT OF A NEWFOUNDLAND DOG.

FILL THE GOBLET AGAIN.

STANZAS TO A LADY, ON LEAVING ENGLAND.

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ENGLISH BARDS, AND SCOTCH REVIEWERS; BY LORD BYRON.

HINTS FROM HORACE:

THE CURSE OF MINERVA.

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THE WALTZ: By Horace Hornem, Esq.

To THE PUBLISHER.

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II.

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CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE.

Preface [To the first and second cantos.]

I.

CANTO THE FIRST.

2.

CANTO THE SECOND.

3.

CANTO THE THIRD.

4.

CANTO THE FOURTH.

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III.

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POEMS 1809–1813.

THE GIRL OF CADIZ.

LINES WRITTEN IN AN ALBUM, AT MALTA.

STANZAS COMPOSED DURING A THUNDERSTORM.

STANZAS WRITTEN IN PASSING THE AMBRACIAN GULF.

THE SPELL IS BROKE, THE CHARM IS FLOWN!

WRITTEN AFTER SWIMMING FROM SESTOS TO ABYDOS.

LINES IN THE TRAVELLERS' BOOK AT ORCHOMENUS.

MAID OF ATHENS, ERE WE PART.

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FRAGMENT FROM THE “MONK OF ATHOS.”

1.

2.

3.

LINES WRITTEN BENEATH A PICTURE.

TRANSLATION OF THE FAMOUS GREEK WAR SONG, “Δευτε παιδες των Ελληνων.”

TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAIC SONG, “Μπενω μεσ' το περιβολι, Ωραιοτατη Χαηδη,” κ.τ.λ.

FAREWELL TO MALTA.

NEWSTEAD ABBEY.

EPISTLE TO A FRIEND,

AWAY, AWAY, YE NOTES OF WOE!

ONE STRUGGLE MORE, AND I AM FREE.

AND THOU ART DEAD, AS YOUNG AND FAIR.

LINES TO A LADY WEEPING.

IF SOMETIMES IN THE HAUNTS OF MEN.

ON A CORNELIAN HEART WHICH WAS BROKEN.

THE CHAIN I GAVE.

LINES WRITTEN ON A BLANK LEAF OF THE PLEASURES OF MEMORY.

ADDRESS, SPOKEN AT THE OPENING OF DRURY-LANE THEATRE, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1812.

PARENTHETICAL ADDRESS.

VERSES FOUND IN A SUMMER-HOUSE AT HALES-OWEN.

REMEMBER THEE! REMEMBER THEE!

TRANSLATION OF A ROMAIC LOVE SONG.

THOU ART NOT FALSE, BUT THOU ART FICKLE.

ON BEING ASKED WHAT WAS THE “ORIGIN OF LOVE.”

ON THE QUOTATION, “And my true faith can alter never, Though thou art gone perhaps for ever.”

REMEMBER HIM, WHOM PASSION'S POWER.

IMPROMPTU, IN REPLY TO A FRIEND.

FROM THE PORTUGUESE.

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THE BRIDE OF ABYDOS.

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1.

CANTO THE FIRST.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

2.

CANTO THE SECOND.

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1.

CANTO THE FIRST.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

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2.

CANTO THE SECOND.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

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3.

CANTO THE THIRD.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

ODE TO NAPOLEON BUONAPARTE.

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1.

CANTO THE FIRST.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

XXV.

XXVI.

XXVII.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

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2.

CANTO THE SECOND.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

XXV.

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HEBREW MELODIES.

SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY.

THE HARP THE MONARCH MINSTREL SWEPT.

IF THAT HIGH WORLD.

THE WILD GAZELLE.

OH! WEEP FOR THOSE.

ON JORDAN'S BANKS.

JEPHTHA'S DAUGHTER.

OH! SNATCHED AWAY IN BEAUTY'S BLOOM.

MY SOUL IS DARK.

I SAW THEE WEEP.

THY DAYS ARE DONE.

SONG OF SAUL BEFORE HIS LAST BATTLE.

“ALL IS VANITY, SAITH THE PREACHER.”

WHEN COLDNESS WRAPS THIS SUFFERING CLAY.

VISION OF BELSHAZZAR.

SUN OF THE SLEEPLESS!

WERE MY BOSOM AS FALSE AS THOU DEEM'ST IT TO BE.

HEROD'S LAMENT FOR MARIAMNE.

ON THE DAY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM BY TITUS.

BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON WE SAT DOWN AND WEPT.

“BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON.”

THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB.

A SPIRIT PASSED BEFORE ME.

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POEMS 1814–1816.

FAREWELL! IF EVER FONDEST PRAYER.

WHEN WE TWO PARTED.

[LOVE AND GOLD.]

STANZAS FOR MUSIC.

ADDRESS INTENDED TO BE RECITED AT THE CALEDONIAN MEETING.

ELEGIAC STANZAS ON THE DEATH OF SIR PETER PARKER, BART.

JULIAN [A FRAGMENT].

STANZAS FOR MUSIC.

ON THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF DORSET.

STANZAS FOR MUSIC.

NAPOLEON'S FAREWELL.

FROM THE FRENCH.

ODE FROM THE FRENCH.

STANZAS FOR MUSIC.

ON THE STAR OF “THE LEGION OF HONOUR.”

STANZAS FOR MUSIC.

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THE SIEGE OF CORINTH.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

XXV.

XXVI.

XXVII.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXX.

XXXI.

XXXII.

XXXIII.

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I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

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POEMS OF THE SEPARATION.

FARE THEE WELL.

STANZAS TO AUGUSTA.

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IV.

THE PRISONER OF CHILLON.

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POEMS OF JULY—SEPTEMBER, 1816.

CHURCHILL'S GRAVE,

SONNET TO LAKE LEMAN.

STANZAS TO AUGUSTA.

EPISTLE TO AUGUSTA.

LINES ON HEARING THAT LADY BYRON WAS ILL.

MONODY ON THE DEATH OF THE RIGHT HON. R. B. SHERIDAN,

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I.

I.

II.

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II.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

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III.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

THE LAMENT OF TASSO.

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I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

THE PROPHECY OF DANTE.

THE MORGANTE MAGGIORE

FRANCESCA OF RIMINI.

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MARINO FALIERO,

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

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I.

I.

II.

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II.

I.

II.

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III.

I.

II.

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IV.

I.

II.

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V.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

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THE VISION OF JUDGMENT.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

XXV.

XXVI.

XXVII.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXX.

XXXI.

XXXII.

XXXIII.

XXXIV.

XXXV.

XXXVI.

XXXVII.

XXXVIII.

XXXIX.

XL.

XLI.

XLII.

XLIII.

XLIV.

XLV.

XLVI.

XLVII.

XLVIII.

XLIX.

L.

LI.

LII.

LIII.

LIV.

LV.

LVI.

LVII.

LVIII.

LIX.

LX.

LXI.

LXII.

LXIII.

LXIV.

LXV.

LXVI.

LXVII.

LXVIII.

LXIX.

LXX.

LXXI.

LXXII.

LXXIII.

LXXIV.

LXXV.

LXXVI.

LXXVII.

LXXVIII.

LXXIX.

LXXX.

LXXXI.

LXXXII.

LXXXIII.

LXXXIV.

LXXXV.

LXXXVI.

LXXXVII.

LXXXVIII.

LXXXIX.

XC.

XCI.

XCII.

XCIII.

XCIV.

XCV.

XCVI.

XCVII.

XCVIII.

XCIX.

C.

CI.

CII.

CIII.

CIV.

CV.

CVI.

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POEMS 1816–1823.

A VERY MOURNFUL BALLAD ON THE SIEGE AND CONQUEST OF ALHAMA.

TRANSLATION FROM VITTORELLI.

ON THE BUST OF HELEN BY CANOVA.

VENICE. A FRAGMENT.

SO WE'LL GO NO MORE A-ROVING.

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[LORD BYRON'S VERSES ON SAM ROGERS.]

STANZAS TO THE PO.

SONNET ON THE NUPTIALS OF THE MARQUIS ANTONIO CAVALLI WITH THE COUNTESS CLELIA RASPONI OF RAVENNA.

SONNET TO THE PRINCE REGENT.

ODE TO A LADY WHOSE LOVER WAS KILLED BY A BALL, WHICH AT THE SAME TIME SHIVERED A PORTRAIT NEXT HIS HEART.

THE IRISH AVATAR.

STANZAS WRITTEN ON THE ROAD BETWEEN FLORENCE AND PISA.

STANZAS TO A HINDOO AIR.

TO THE COUNTESS OF BLESSINGTON.

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1.

ECLOGUE THE FIRST.

2.

ECLOGUE THE SECOND.

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V.

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DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

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I.

I.

II.

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II.

I.

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III.

I.

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IV.

I.

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V.

I.

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THE TWO FOSCARI:

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

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I.

I.

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II.

I.

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III.

I.

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IV.

I.

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V.

I.

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DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

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I.

I.

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II.

I.

II.

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III.

I.

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HEAVEN AND EARTH;

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

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I.

I.

II.

III.

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DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

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I.

I.

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II.

I.

II.

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III.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

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IV.

I.

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V.

I.

II.

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I.

I.

II.

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THE DEFORMED TRANSFORMED:

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I.

I.

II.

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II.

I.

II.

III.

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III.

I.

III.

FRAGMENT OF THE THIRD PART OF THE DEFORMED TRANSFORMED.

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THE AGE OF BRONZE;

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

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1.

CANTO THE FIRST.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

2.

CANTO THE SECOND.

3.

CANTO THE THIRD.

4.

CANTO THE FOURTH.

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7.

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JEUX D'ESPRIT AND MINOR POEMS, 1798–1824.

EPIGRAM ON AN OLD LADY WHO HAD SOME CURIOUS NOTIONS RESPECTING THE SOUL.

EPITAPH ON JOHN ADAMS, OF SOUTHWELL,

A VERSION OF OSSIAN'S ADDRESS TO THE SUN.

LINES TO MR. HODGSON.

[TO DIVES. A FRAGMENT.]

FAREWELL PETITION TO J. C. H., ESQRE.

TRANSLATION OF THE NURSE'S DOLE IN THE MEDEA OF EURIPIDES.

SUBSTITUTE FOR AN EPITAPH.

EPITAPH FOR JOSEPH BLACKET, LATE POET AND SHOEMAKER.

ON MOORE'S LAST OPERATIC FARCE, OR FARCICAL OPERA.

[R. C. DALLAS.]

AN ODE TO THE FRAMERS OF THE FRAME BILL.

TO THE HONBLE. MRS. GEORGE LAMB.

TO THOMAS MOORE.

ON LORD THURLOW'S POEMS.

TO LORD THURLOW.

THE DEVIL'S DRIVE.

WINDSOR POETICS.

[Another Version.] ON A ROYAL VISIT TO THE VAULTS.

CONDOLATORY ADDRESS

FRAGMENT OF AN EPISTLE TO THOMAS MOORE.

ANSWER TO ---'S PROFESSIONS OF AFFECTION.

ON NAPOLEON'S ESCAPE FROM ELBA.

ENDORSEMENT TO THE DEED OF SEPARATION, IN THE APRIL OF 1816.

[TO GEORGE ANSON BYRON (?)]

SONG FOR THE LUDDITES.

TO THOMAS MOORE.

QUEM DEUS VULT PERDERE PRIUS DEMENTAT.

TO THOMAS MOORE.

EPISTLE FROM MR. MURRAY TO DR. POLIDORI.

EPISTLE TO MR. MURRAY.

ON THE BIRTH OF JOHN WILLIAM RIZZO HOPPNER.

[E NIHILO NIHIL;

BALLAD. TO THE TUNE OF “SALLEY IN OUR ALLEY.”

ANOTHER SIMPLE BALLAT.

EPIGRAM. FROM THE FRENCH OF RULHIERES.

ON MY WEDDING-DAY.

EPITAPH FOR WILLIAM PITT.

MY BOY HOBBIE O.

LINES ADDRESSED BY LORD BYRON TO MR. HOBHOUSE ON HIS ELECTION FOR WESTMINSTER.

A VOLUME OF NONSENSE.

THE CHARITY BALL.

EPIGRAM ON THE BRAZIERS' ADDRESS TO BE PRESENTED IN ARMOUR BY THE COMPANY TO QUEEN CAROLINE.

ON MY THIRTY-THIRD BIRTHDAY.

MARTIAL, Lib. I. Epig. I.

BOWLES AND CAMPBELL.

FROM THE FRENCH.

[NAPOLEON'S SNUFF-BOX.]

THE NEW VICAR OF BRAY.

LUCIETTA. A FRAGMENT.

JOURNAL IN CEPHALONIA.

SONG TO THE SULIOTES.

[LOVE AND DEATH.]

LAST WORDS ON GREECE.

ON THIS DAY I COMPLETE MY THIRTY-SIXTH YEAR.

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TRANSLATION FROM THE “MEDEA” OF EURIPIDES [Ll. 627–660].

Ερωτες υπερ μεν αγαν, κ.τ.λ.

1

When fierce conflicting passions urge
The breast, where love is wont to glow,
What mind can stem the stormy surge
Which rolls the tide of human woe?

169

The hope of praise, the dread of shame,
Can rouse the tortur'd breast no more;
The wild desire, the guilty flame,
Absorbs each wish it felt before.

2

But if affection gently thrills
The soul, by purer dreams possest,
The pleasing balm of mortal ills
In love can soothe the aching breast:
If thus thou comest in disguise,
Fair Venus! from thy native heaven,
What heart, unfeeling, would despise
The sweetest boon the Gods have given?

3

But, never from thy golden bow,
May I beneath the shaft expire!
Whose creeping venom, sure and slow,
Awakes an all-consuming fire:
Ye racking doubts! ye jealous fears!
With others wage internal war;
Repentance! source of future tears,
From me be ever distant far!

4

May no distracting thoughts destroy
The holy calm of sacred love!

170

May all the hours be winged with joy,
Which hover faithful hearts above!
Fair Venus! on thy myrtle shrine
May I with some fond lover sigh!
Whose heart may mingle pure with mine,
With me to live, with me to die!

5

My native soil! belov'd before,
Now dearer, as my peaceful home,
Ne'er may I quit thy rocky shore,
A hapless banish'd wretch to roam!
This very day, this very hour,
May I resign this fleeting breath!
Nor quit my silent humble bower;
A doom, to me, far worse than death.

6

Have I not heard the exile's sigh,
And seen the exile's silent tear,
Through distant climes condemn'd to fly,
A pensive, weary wanderer here?
Ah! hapless dame! no sire bewails,
No friend thy wretched fate deplores,
No kindred voice with rapture hails
Thy steps within a stranger's doors.

171

7

Perish the fiend! whose iron heart
To fair affection's truth unknown,
Bids her he fondly lov'd depart,
Unpitied, helpless, and alone;
Who ne'er unlocks with silver key,
The milder treasures of his soul;
May such a friend be far from me,
And Ocean's storms between us roll!

Medea, who accompanied Jason to Corinth, was deserted by him for the daughter of Creon, king of that city. The chorus, from which this is taken, here addresses Medea; Though a considerable liberty is taken with the original, by expanding the idea, as also in some other parts of the translation.

The original is καθαραν ανοιξαντα κληδα φρενων, literally “disclosing the bright key of the mind.”