English poet Lord George Gordon Byron (1788-1824). Byron's personal copies of three of the poet's major works, bound in a single volume in full contemporary calf: The Giaour, a Fragment of a Turkish Tale..., Ninth Edition. London: John Murray, 1814; The Corsair, a Tale..., Ninth Edition. London, John Murray, 1814; The Bride of Abydos. A Turkish Tale..., Eighth Edition. On line 236 of The Giaour, Byron changed his description of hatred from rising "with the reddening flush of transient anger's darkening blush" to "hasty flush." On line 1807 of The Corsair, he has changed "By those, that deepest feel, are ill exprest..." to "By those, who deepest feel, is ill exprest." On line 640, he has made a minor change, altering the word "Almas" to "Almahs." Most significantly, in section XII of The Corsair, he adds these lines: "The first may turn, but not avenge the blow, The Last expires - but leaves no living Foe, Fast to the doomed Offender's form it clings And he must crush, not conquer - still it stings!" This revised copy of these texts was used by Jerome J. McGann to set his final edition of these works by Byron. McGann is a professor of English at the university of Virginia, Charlottesville. Byron's words have also been studied forensically by Gideon Epstein, one of the leading authenticators of documents and handwriting, and this lot is accompanied by a detailed certification by Epstein (credentials upon request). Condition of the volume is very pleasing: the gold-embossed spine is in beautiful shape, with some crazing and flaking on the front and back covers. Offered in a fine cloth slipcase with leather spine and gilt embossed lettering. Contents are in excellent condition. An extremely important artifact from one of the most important and mythologized literary figures of all time.
35,000/40,000
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