[432] {537} ["He there (Byron, in his Memoranda) described, and in a manner whose sincerity there was no doubting, the swell of tender recollections, under the influence of which, as he sat one night musing in the study, these stanzas were produced,—the tears, as he said, falling fast over the paper as he wrote them."—Life, p. 302.

It must have been a fair and complete copy that Moore saw (see Life, p. 302, note 3). There are no tear-marks on this (the first draft, sold at Sotheby's, April 11, 1885) draft, which must be the first, for it is incomplete, and every line (almost) tortured with alterations.

"Fare Thee Well!" was printed in Leigh Hunt's Examiner, April 21, 1816, at the end of an article (by L. H.) entitled "Distressing Circumstances in High Life." The text there has two readings different from that of the pamphlet, viz.—

Examiner: "Than the soft one which embraced me."

Pamphlet: "Than the one which once embraced me."

Examiner: "Yet the thoughts we cannot bridle."

Pamphlet: "But," etc.

—MS. Notes taken by the late J. Dykes Campbell at Sotheby's, April 18, 1890, and re-transcribed for Mr. Murray, June 15, 1894.

A final proof, dated April 7, 1816, was endorsed by Murray, "Correct 50 copies as early as you can to-morrow."]

[rh] The motto was prefixed in Poems, 1816.

[ri] {538} Thou my breast laid bare before thee.—[MS. erased.]

[rj] Not a thought is pondering on thee.—[MS, erased.]

[433] [Lines 13-20 do not appear in an early copy dated March 18, 1816. They were added on the margin of a proof dated April 4, 1816.]

[rk] {539} Net result of many alterations.

[rl] And the lasting thought——.—[MS. erased.]

[rm] ——of deadlier sorrow.—[MS. erased.]

[rn] Every future night and morrow.—[MS. erased.]

[ro] Still thy heart——.—[MS. erased.]

[rp] All my follies——.—[MS. erased.]

[rq] ——which not the world could bow.—[MS.]

[rr] Falls at once——.—[MS. erased.]

[rs] {540} Tears and sighs are idler still.—[MS. erased.]

[rt] Fare thee well—thus lone and blighted.—[MS. erased.]

[ru] A Sketch from Life.—[MS. M.]

[434] ["I send you my last night's dream, and request to have 50 copies (for private distribution) struck off. I wish Mr. Gifford to look at them; they are from life."—Letter to Murray, March 30, 1816.

"The original MS. of Lord Byron's Satire, 'A Sketch from Private Life,' written by his Lordship, 30th March, 1816. Given by his Lordship to me on going abroad after his separation from Lady Byron, John Hanson. To be carefully preserved." (This MS. omits lines 19-20, 35-36, 55-56, 65-70, 77-78, 85-92.)

A copy entitled, "A sketch from private Life," dated March 30, 1816, is in Mrs. Leigh's handwriting. The corrections and additions are in Byron's handwriting.

A proof dated April 2, 1816, is endorsed by Murray, "Correct with most particular care and print off 50 copies, and keep standing."]

[rv] Promoted thence to comb——[MS. M. erased.]

[rw] ——early governess.—[MS. M.]

[rx] ——but that pure spirit saved her heart.—[MS. M. erased.]

[ry] Vain was each effort——.—[MS. M.]

[rz]

Much Learning madden—when with scarce a peer

She soared through science with a bright career—

Nor talents swell——.—[MS. M.]

[sa] ——bigotry prevoke.—[MS. M. erased.]

[sb] Serenely purest of the things that live.—[MS. M.]

[sc] {542} The trusty burthen of my honest song.—[MS. M.]

[sd] At times the highest——.—[MS. M.]

[se] ——of her evil will.—[MS. M.]

[sf]

What marvel that this mistress demon works

Eternal evil { wheresoe'er she lurks.—[MS. M.] when she latent works.—[Copy.]

[sg] A gloss of candour of a web of wiles.—[MS. M.]

[sh] {543} Lines 65-68 were added April 2, 1816.

[si] The parenthesis was added April 2, 1816.

[sj] Look on her body——.—[MS. M.]

[435] [See Hamlet, act iii. sc. 2, line 31.]

[sk] Where all that gaze upon her droop or die.—[MS. altered April 2, 1816.]

[436] Lines 85-91 were added April 2, 1816, on a page endorsed, "Quick—quick—quick—quick."

[sl] {544} ——in thy poisoned clay.—[MS. M. erased.]

[437] ["I doubt about 'weltering' but the dictionary should decide—look at it. We say 'weltering in blood'—but do they not also use 'weltering in the wind' 'weltering on a gibbet'?—there is no dictionary, so look or ask. In the meantime, I have put 'festering,' which perhaps in any case is the best word of the two.—P.S. Be quick. Shakespeare has it often and I do not think it too strong for the figure in this thing."—Letter to Murray, April 2.]

[sm] And weltering in the infamy of years.—[MS. M.]

[438] [His sister, the Honourable Mrs. Leigh.—These stanzas—the parting tribute to her whose tenderness had been his sole consolation in the crisis of domestic misery—were, we believe, the last verses written by Lord Byron in England. In a note to Mr. Rogers, dated April 16 [1816], he says, "My sister is now with me, and leaves town to-morrow; we shall not meet again for some time at all events—if ever! and under these circumstances I trust to stand excused to you and Mr. Sheridan, for being unable to wait upon him this evening."—Note to Edition of 1832, x. 193.

A fair copy, broken up into stanzas, is endorsed by Murray, "Given to me (and I believe composed by Ld. B.), Friday, April 12, 1816."]

[sn] ——grew waste and dark.—[MS. M.]

[so] {545} When Friendship shook——.—[MS. M.]

[sp] Thine was the solitary star.—[MS. M.]

[sq] Which rose above me to the last.—[MS. M.]

[sr]

And when the cloud between us came.—[MS. M.]

And when the cloud upon me came.—[Copy C. H.]

[ss] Which would have closed on that last ray.—[MS. M.]

[st] Then stiller stood the gentle Flame.—[MS. M.]

[su] Still may thy Spirit sit on mine.—[MS. M.]

[sv] {546}

And thou wast as a lovely Tree

Whose branch unbroke but gently bent

Still waved with fond Fidelity.—[Copy C. H.]