Notes on Captain Medwin's Conversations of Lord Byron.
Place and Imprint: [London: Privately printed by John Murray, 1824.],
Edition: First edition.
Bibliographical References: NCBEL III, 297; Chew, Byron in England, page 211.
Condition: Fine copy.
Book ID: 27985
Physical Description
8vo, modern red morocco, gilt lettering.Comments
A rare privately printed pamphlet by Byron's publisher John Murray, compiled and written in response to Thomas Medwin's Journal of the Conversations of Lord Byron at Pisa (1824), which was notorious for its inaccuracies. Chew describes Medwin's work as a "trumpery affair, giving a fairly amiable impression of Byron, but full of errors and frivolities . . . the whole testimony of Medwin, unless corroborated by reliable persons elsewhere, is worthless." Among those Medwin succeeded in offending was John Murray, who responded by quoting directly from Byron's letters in his possession in the "deadly parallel" format, and in the process revealed interesting publication details about Byron's books and life. The self-wrappers title-page, which did not bear an imprint, lacks the upper and lower blank margins, which have been skillfully replaced. From the library of Byron collector and bibliographer Francis Lewis Randolph (1951-1974), with his bookplate on the front paste-down and his Ablè Library note in pencil on the rear pastedown.Price: $1,500.00
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