LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

I. IANTHE (LADY CHARLOTTE HARLEY), FROM

AN ENGRAVING BY W. FINDEN, AFTER

A DRAWING BY R. WESTALL, R.A.

...

2. THE DUCHESS OF RICHMOND, FROM A MINIATURE BY RICHARD COSWAY, IN

THE POSSESSION OF HIS GRACE THE

Frontispiece

DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON, K.G. To face p. 228

3. PORTRAIT OF LORD BYRON AT VENICE,

FROM A PAINTING IN OILS BY RUCKARD,

IN THE POSSESSION OF HORATIO F.
BROWN, ESQ.

...

4. THE HORSES OF ST. MARK, FROM A

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALINARI

...

326

5. S. PANTALEON, FROM A WOODCUT PUB

LISHED AT CREMONA IN 1493

6. THE DYING GAUL, FROM THE ORIGINAL

IN THE MUSEUM OF THE CAPITOL

432

CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE.

A ROMAUNT.

"L'univers est une espèce de livre, dont on n'a lu que la première page quand on n'a vu que son pays. J'en ai feuilleté un assez grand nombre, que j'ai trouvé également mauvaises. Cet examen ne m'a point été infructueux. Je haïssais ma patrie. Toutes les impertinences des peuples divers, parmi lesquels j'ai vécu, m'ont réconcilié avec elle. Quand je n'aurais tiré d'autre bénéfice de mes voyages que celui-là, je n'en regretterais ni les frais ni les fatigues."-Le Cosmopolite, ou, le Citoyen du Monde, par Fougeret de Monbron. Londres, 1753.

VOL. II.

B

PREFACE.

i.

[TO THE FIRST AND SECOND CANTOS.]

ii.

THE following poem was written, for the most part, amidst the scenes which it attempts to describe. It was begun in Albania; and the parts relative to Spain and Portugal were composed from the author's observations in those countries. Thus much it may be necessary to state for the correctness of the descriptions. The scenes attempted to be sketched are in Spain, Portugal, Epirus, Acarnania and Greece. There, for the present, the poem stops: its reception will determine whether the author may venture to conduct his readers to the capital of the East, through Ionia and Phrygia : these two cantos are merely experimental.

A fictitious character is introduced for the sake of giving some connection to the piece; which, however, makes no pretension to regularity. It has been suggested to me by friends, on whose opinions I set a high value, that in this fictitious character, "Childe Harold," I may incur the suspicion of having intended some real personage: this I beg leave, once for all, to disclaim-Harold is the child of imagination, for the purpose I have stated.

In some very trivial particulars, and those merely local,

i. Advertisement to be prefixed to ye Poem.-[MS. B.M.] ii. Professes to describe.-[MS. B.M.]

iii.

that in the fictitious character of "Childe Harold" 1 may incur the suspicion of having drawn "from myself." This I beg leave once for all to disclaim. I wanted a character to give some connection to the poem, and the one adopted suited my purpose as well as any other.-[MS. B.M.]