New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-28

would too have put another link IN the chain
whereby the personality of Byron Is bound TO
the personality Of his hero. and while the iden-
ti6cation is plain enough in more than one part
of the poem it is well to avoid laying too great
stress upon it. The poet himself seems to nave
been divided between resentment and acqui-
escenG0 when people saw the pageant of his
bleeding heart" in "Childe Harold" The
pageant was there. but there was so much else!
Turning to the variants Of single lipes in the
poem. find numerous interesting points
Sweet vas the scene. yet soon he thought to
fee
More restless than the swallow in the skies.
In the manuscript the second of these lines
first took this form:
More restless than the falcon he flies.
Paphian girls. in the seventh stanza Of the
First Canto. were first fades" and then
''nymphs'' before they took the designation that
stands in the final edition. In more than one
place we find the poet. for all his of
conventionaity. giving a phrase greater refine
ment in the moral sense. choosing the word
least brutally frank. He is careful. too, over
matters of fact. What private feuds the trou
bled village STAIN" he sings when in Spain. and
in his manuscript places this note: THE Span
iards are as revengeful as ever. At Santa Otea
I heard young peasant threaten to stab
woman ian old one. to be sure. which mitigates
the offence) and was told. on expressing some
small surprise. that this ethic was by means
uncommon When Dallas criticised the allu
sion made in this line and traverse Paynm
shores. and pass Earths central line the poet
quickly showed him how we'll aware he was
Of what he was doing. Your objection to the
expression central line 1 only meet" he
at hef
left England it was his full intention to traverse
Persia. and return by India. which he could
not have done without passing the equinoctial."
In case Mr.. Coeridge himself surprises his
poet in a blunder. "Frolics ever new. Tread on
each others kbes" says Byron vaguely re-
memberng Hamlet's sentence, THE age is
grown so picked that the toe of the peasant
comes so near the heel of the courtier he gals
his kibe': but our editor points out that a kibe
Is not a heel or part OF a heel the use
OF the word in "Chde Harold" would suggest
but chilblain We cite this correction with
respect for Mr.. Coeridge's erudtion but must
confess that we cam OF take it very seriously.
There is another rather droll episode to be
noted among the foot1otes. though not in this
case to be credited to Mr.. Coeridge. He is
only quoting NJ. Darmesteter who quotes
Theophe Gauters tribute to "Byrons mar
veous Characterization of the physiognomy of
Cadiz in single touch" The single touch is
this one: Fair Cadiz, rising DER the dark blue
sea- Gautiers equivalent "Brillame Cadix. qui
tGleyes vers lie cel du mieu du bleu fonce de
la mer.' is doubt as excellent as could be
expected in French but the contrast Is so great
as to be amusing
numerous other occasions for comment arise
out we must content ourselves with a brief ref
erence to the broad scope of the annexation
provided by Mr.. Coleridge. and to the admira BILE
manner In which he has enhanced the pleasure
of a perusal of the work We know how ferceIv
Byron commented on the matter of the Elgin
marbles but 1t is interesting TO have even more
OF his invective. as in the stanzas which Mr.
Coieridge restores. especially the one beginning:
Come then. ye classic Thieves OF each degree.
Dark hamilton, and Sullen Aberdeen
and it is fascinating to trace the movement Of
the poets mind. well as OF his passion in
the substitution of one word or line for an
other in scores Of places. The arrangement of
aii the datd bearing upon such topics is in the
main satisfactory. There seems TO be in every
volume of this edition an indisposition on the
part Of publishers and editors to always indicate
In wholly convenient way the absolutely new
matter. but save for this they are doing every
thing to make the volumes perfect TIE nrcss
Work is beyond praise. and the illustrations arc
generally interesting. The pictures OF The
horses of st. Mark and The Dying Gaul" in
the Museum of the Capitol. in this volume
might be spared. but We are glad to have the
portraits OF Ianthe G-ady Charlotte Harley, n
whom "Childe Harold" was dedicated. tho
Duchess of Richmond, and Byron himself tn,
last Of these we reproduce
WHEN DOES IT BEGTy,