Lord Byron was an extremely popular poet during his lifetime, and he has remained an important figure from the Romantic period ever since. He stands as the quintessential Byronic hero, with brooding passions and a controversial lifestyle.
Now, according to a new article from BBC News, “The only known manuscript of a poem by Lord Byron has been found within the archives of University College London.” The poem was apparently discovered in an 1810 edition of “The Pleasures of Memory” by Samuel Rogers.
And, yes, that reminds me of the poems that we studied for my comprehensive exams years ago. We searched for some poems that were difficult to find and out-of-print. It’s that much more a treasure hunt, given that the poem was previously unknown. The discovery also brings up many more questions about the oeuvre we know about, and those lost masterworks we’ve never known.
How will these rediscovered manuscripts change the way we see our greatest literary masters?
