Byron: A Self-Portrait. Letters And Diaries 1798-1824 With Hitherto unpublished Letters

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1950 Book. Fine. Hardcover. 1st US Edition. Bryon's life as displayed in 'Letters and Diaries with [56] hitherto unpublished letters in two volumes edited by Peter Quennell ' "Literary legend has it that Byron left behind the beginnings of an autobiography, but that his publisher, John Murray, destroyed it after his death because he found it too shocking. With this fascinating selection of correspondence written by one of England's greatest letter writers, Peter Quennell comes as close as anyone can to salvaging what was lost by the alleged actions of one overcautious publisher. Drawing on letters from Byron's pre-Harrow days to those written in the weeks before his death, Quennell has pieced together the extraordinary story of Byron's life as told by himself. As Byron records his thoughts as a schoolboy, man-of-the-world, rake and womanizer, literary sensation, and poet-in-exile, he reveals the rebellious, warm-hearted, disorderly, fun-loving, and neurotic sides to his private character. ...His writing, veering from racy vulgarity to polished eloquence, vividly evokes the worlds in which he lived--London and Venetian high society, the Swiss and Italian countryside, and the Greek war tents at Missolonghi.".Volume I: Frontispiece, Pages 1-358 / Volume II: Frontispiece, Pages 360-803. index. Still in original, but somewhat battered box sleeve that has preserved the set in crisp, unmarked near fine condition except for slight fading of spine.ne fading. NOTE: Heavy set [1.5 kg].