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The volume gathers a selection of Byron’s later poetic fragments, epistles, and occasional verses, all drawn from his correspondence and unpublished manuscripts between 1814 and 1817. It opens with a furious missive to Thomas Moore, in which Byron denounces the unauthorized publication of a condolatory address to Lady Jersey and complains of the “impudence” of the Champion and Perry. From there the book moves through a series of satirical and polemical pieces, ranging from a mock‑heroic “Song for the Luddites” to a scathing letter to his publisher John Murray, each marked by the same restless energy and personal grievances that colour his private letters. The texts are interspersed with footnotes that identify the original publications and historical references, giving the reader a sense of the chaotic, almost diary‑like quality of Byron’s late creative output.
The voice is unmistakably Byron’s: a blend of sharp wit, bitter sarcasm, and occasional lyrical flourish, all rendered in the vigorous, irregular meter of early‑19th‑century Romantic poetry. The style oscillates between formal epistolary diction and colloquial invective, reflecting the poet’s habit of turning personal frustration into verse. Readers who enjoy the more candid, unvarnished side of Byron, those interested in his political opinions, his literary feuds, and the raw immediacy of his private writings, will find this collection rewarding. It appeals especially to scholars of Romantic literature and to admirers of Byron’s flamboyant personality who appreciate the occasional burst of poetic brilliance amid his relentless self‑examination.
The opening · free to read
To Thomas Moore. Written the Evening before his Visit to Mr. Leigh 16 Hunt in Horsemonger Lane Gaol, May 19, 1813. First published, Letters and Journals, 1830, i. 401.
On Lord Thurlow's Poems. First published, Letters and Journals, 17 1830, i. 396.
To Lord Thurlow. First published, Letters and Journals, 1830, i. 19 397.
The Devil's Drive. First published (stanzas 1-5, 8, 10-12, 17, 18), 21 Letters and Journals, 1830, i. 471-474; and (stanzas 6, 7, 9, 13-16, 19-27) from a MS. in the possession of the Earl of Ilchester.
Windsor Poetics. First published, Poetical Works, Paris, 1819, 35 vi. 125.
[Another Version.] On a Royal Visit to the Vaults. From an 36 autograph MS. in the possession of the Hon. Mrs. Norbury, now for the first time printed.
Ich Dien. From an autograph MS. in the possession of Mr. A.H. 36 Hallam Murray, now for the first time printed.
Condolatory Address, To Sarah Countess of Jersey. First published, 37 The Champion, July 31, 1814.
Fragment of an Epistle to Thomas Moore. First published, Letters 39 and Journals, 1830, i. 561, 562 (note).
Answer to----'s Professions of Affection. MS. 40
On Napoleon's Escape from Elba. First published, Letters and 41 Journals, 1830, i. 611.
Endorsement to the Deed of Separation, in the April of 1816. First 41 published, Poetical Works, 1831, vi. 454.
[To George Anson Byron (?).] First published, Nicnac, March 25, 41 1823.
Song for the Luddites. First published, Letters and Journals, 42 1830, ii. 58.
To Thomas Moore ("What are you doing now?"). First published, 23 Letters and Journals, 1830, ii. 58, 59.
To Mr. Murray ("To hook the Reader," etc.). First published, 44 Letters and Journals, 1830, ii. 91.
Versicles. First published, Letters and Journals, 1830, ii. 87. 45
Quem Deus vult perdere prius dementat. First published, Letters, 1900, iv. 45
To Thomas Moore ("My boat is on the shore"). First published, 46 Waltz, London, 1821, p. 29.
Epistle from Mr. Murray to Dr. Polidori. First published, Letters 47 and Journals, 1830, ii. 139-141.
Epistle to Mr. Murray. First published (stanzas 1, 2, 4, 7-9), 51 Letters and Journals, 1830, ii. 156, 157; and (stanzas 3, 5, 6, 10, 11) Letters, 1900, iv. 191-193.
On the Birth of John William Rizzo Hoppner. First published, 54 Letters and Journals, 1830, ii. 134.
[E Nihilo Nihil; or, An Epigram Bewitched.] MS.M. 55
To Mr. Murray. First published, Letters and Journals, 1830, ii. 56 171.
Ballad. To the Tune of "Sally in our Alley." MS.M. 58
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