238. power grown less and] little power grown 1844 etc.

242. come] twine 1855.

244. touching] soul-rich 1844 etc.

245-58. Byron marks this with a line in the margin, underlines 249-50, and comments' Beautiful'.

For ll. 248-381, 1844 etc. have:

Oh wretched sire! thy snare has yet but half been wrought.

Love by the object lov'd is soon discern'd,
And grateful pity is love half return'd.
Of pity for herself the rest was made,
Of first impressions and belief betray'd;
Of all which the unhappy sire had plann'd
To fix his dove within the falcon's hand.
Bright grew the morn whenever Paulo came;
The only word to write was either's name ;
Soft in each other's presence fell their speech;

Each, though they look'd not, felt they saw but each;
'Twas day, 'twas night, as either came or went,

And bliss was in two hearts, with misery strangely blent.

Oh, now ye gentle hearts, now think awhile [1. 340]
Now while ye still can think and still can smile; [1. 341]
Thou, Paulo, most ;-whom, though the most to blame,
The world will visit with but half the shame.
Bethink thee of the future days of one

Who holds her heart the rightest heart undone.
Thou holdest not thine such. Be kind and wise ;-

Where creeps the once frank wisdom of thine eyes?

To meet e'en thus may cost her many a tear:

'Meet not at all!' cries Fate, to all who love and fear.

A fop there was, rich, noble, well receiv'd,
Who, pleas'd to think the Princess inly griev'd,
Had dar'd to hope, beside the lion's bower,
Presumptuous fool! to play the paramour.

Watching his time one day, when the grim lord
Had left her presence with an angry word,

And giving her a kind, adoring glance,

The coxcomb feign'd to press her hand by chance

The Princess gaz'd a moment with calm eyes,

Then bade him call the page that fann'd away the flies.

For days, for weeks, the daring coward shook

At dreams of daggers in the Prince's look,
Till finding nothing said, the shame and fright
Turn'd his conceited misery to spite.

The lady's silence might itself be fear;

What if there lurk'd some wondrous rival near?

He watch'd. He watch'd all movements, looks, words, sighs,
And soon found cause to bless his shabby eyes.

It chanc'd alas! that for some tax abhorr'd,
A conquer'd district fell from its new lord;
Black as a storm the Prince the frontier cross'd
In fury to regain his province lost,

Leaving his brother, who had been from home
On state affairs, to govern in his room.
Three months had Paulo been from home; nor had

1844 etc.

One least surmise yet made the husband mad. 1844 only.
Right zealous was the brother; nor had aught

Yet giv'n Giovanni one mistrusting thought. 1857, '60.

He deem'd [thought 1844] his consort cold as wintriest night,
Paulo a kind of very fop of right;

For though he cloak'd his own unshapeliness,

And thought to glorify his power, with dress,

He held all virtues, not in his rough ken,

But pickthank pedantries in handsome men.

The Prince had will'd, however, that his wife
Should lead, till his return, a closer life.
She therefore disappear'd; not pleas'd, not proud
To have her judgment still no voice allow'd;
Not without many a gentle hope repress'd,
And tears; yet conscious that retreat was best.
Besides, she lov'd the place to which she went-
A bower, a nest, in which her grief had spent
Its calmest time: and as it was her last
As well as sweetest, and the fate comes fast
That is to fill it with a dreadful cry,
And make its walls ghastly to passers by,
I'll hold the gentle reader for a space
Ling'ring with piteous wonder in the place.
For ll. 253-8.

1844 etc.

And then he would suppose her all his own,
Himself the bridegroom, her his right alone,

And dote on the sweet gaze, till ending with a groan. 1855

257. this world has got] in earthly lot 1855. 272. he... her] wishing could reverse no 1855.

280. If... its] Provided he kept close the 1855.

294. went-a-hawking] train'd her hawk 1832, '55.

295. talking] talk 1832, '55.

309-13. This sounds like a concetto, but yet it is too good to part with. -Byrcn. 315. succeeded] flew on 1832, '55.

317. Thus link'd in white and loving unison 1832, '55.

326-7. Superlative.'-Byron.

340. And] Ah 1832, '55, Oh 1844 etc. 344. still, within] in ye still 1855.

348. contemplation] thought require 1855.

pair] hearts 1844 etc.

345. retrospective] recollected 1855.

349. Fresh mutual comfort, dangerous to desire 1855. 371. being in] yielding to 1855.

378. resolute] final 1832, '55.

383-7. Represented by eleven lines in the MS.:

Part lately added from a neighbouring wood,
Part, next the palace, in trim order laid

With beds of flowers, and shrubs of odorous shade.

The former was a turfy land of trees,

In dell and upland varying by degrees,

With spots of sunny opening, and with nooks

Of amber twilight sloping into brooks, [cf. 419]

Where at her drink you started the slim deer, [420]
Retreating lightly with a lovely fear. [421]

The other ground was flatter, and a scene
Of colour'd brightness just refresh'd with green.

383. round with trees] and tree-girt 1844 etc.

Between Il. 383-4. A small sweet house o'erlook'd it from a nest

For ll. 386-94.

Of pines all wood and garden with the rest, 1844 etc. 384. Indeed . . . leafy] Lawn, and green lane, and covert 1844 etc. With here and there a swan, the creature born To be the only graceful shape of scorn. The flower-beds all were liberal of delight: Roses in heaps were there, both red and white,

Lilies angelical, and gorgeous glooms

Of wall-flowers, and blue hyacinths, and blooms

Hanging thick clusters from light boughs; in short, 1844 etc.

388-93. all good, but "lady lily" is perfection in expression.'—Byron. 396. perfumed] leafier 1844 etc.

397. citron [sweetbrier 1855] honeysuckle, and] red geraniums, and of 1844 etc. 398. With] And 1844 etc. 399. they'd] they Byron, 1832-60.

401. circling] darksome 1844 etc.

For ll. 404-23 the MS. has sixteen lines:

But 'twixt the wood and flowery walks, half way,
And form'd of both, the loveliest portion lay,-
A spot, that struck you like enchanted ground:
On three sides ran a tall and rooty mound

With shelving shrubs, and rising by degrees [cf. 438]

In larch and poplar, mixed with bushier trees, [cf. 439]

In which the happy birds kept leafy house, [cf. 422]

Or glance'd and gambol'd in and out the boughs. [cf. 423]
The fourth side open'd to the wood and had

A little stream to part it, clear and glad,

That rose from out the shade, and on it's way

Seem'd smiling with delight to feel the day.

The ground within was lawn, heap'd here and there [cf. 444-5]
With shrubs and flowers, scenting the tricksome air,

Which gathering now and then upon the calm,

Pass'd by you in a sweepy trail of balm :

For ll. 404-5.

1844 etc.

So now you stood to think what odours best Made the air happy in that lovely nest; And now you went beside the flowers, with eyes Earnest as bees, restless as butterflies; 405. white, azure, golden] purple and gold and 1855. 406. now. . . leafy] then... shadier 1844 etc. 407. lovers'] lover's 1844 etc. 412-13. At last you enter'd shades Broken with glens and pits, 420. started] startled 1844 etc. 432. slender] rugged 1832, 1844 etc. 438-9.

440-I.

408. now] then 1844 etc.
indeed, the wood,

and glades far-view'd 1844 etc.
423. sparkled] darted 1844 etc.

Of sloping orchards,-fig, and almond trees,
Cherry and pine, with some few cypresses 1844 etc.
Down by whose roots, descending darkly still,

(You saw it not, but heard) there gush'd a rill, 1844-60.

444. plots of fruits and 1844 etc.

446. about] with bay 1832, '55.

445. and with] half of 1844 etc.

447. With bay and . . . out] And . . . to the day 1832, '55. 446-7.

And in the middle of those golden trees,

Half seen amidst the globy oranges, 1844 etc.

448. Lurk'd a rare summer-house, a lovely sight,-1844 etc.

49. mellowy] creamy 1844 etc.

451. orange] bay-tree 1844 etc.

458. most] some 1832, 1844 etc.

450. With yellow] Its top with 1844 etc. 455. with] by 1844 etc.

467. reverent 1855, '60, reverend MSS. (two), 1816-44, '57, '60,

470-71. And round about ran, on a line with this,

In like relief, a world of pagan bliss, 1832-60.

474. water sporting] stream at play 1844 etc.

For ll. 475-9. Some pelting the young Fauns with buds of May, 1844 etc. 480. sidelong-eyed] half-asleep 1844 etc.

482-3.

While from their careless urns, lying aside

In the long grass, the straggling waters slide [glide 1844 etc.] 1832-60.

Between Il. 485-6. The furniture within, as you'll have guessed,
Was suitable and made for summer rest;

But not to tire you, this shall be pass'd by.

Here might you sit for hours, with calm vague eye,
And only hear the rustling of the shade,

Or the small dash the distant fountain made,

Or new and then two doves that haunted there,
And sometimes started forth, a milk-white pair,
From out the myrtle clumps, and skimm'd the sunny air.
MS (rough draft).

Ah, happy place! balm of regrets and fears,

E'en when thy very loveliness drew tears!

The time is coming, when to hear thee nam'd

Will be to make Love, Guilt, Revenge's self asham'd. 1844 etc.

486. green garden . . . shade, and] sweet range, wood . . . grassy 1844 etc. 491. with grateful] often with 1844 etc.

For ll. 492-3.

More sorrowful by far, yet sweeter too;

Sometimes with firmer comfort, which she drew
From sense of injury's self, and truth sustain'd:
Sometimes with rarest resignation, gain'd

From meek self-pitying mixtures of extremes

Of hope and soft despair, and child-like dreams, 1844 etc.

493. summer] vernal 1832, '55.

Between II. 503-4. Oh weak old man!
Might all have dwelt

498. gentle] sweet, rich 1844 etc. Love, saintliest life, and she, together, but for thee. 1844-60.

504. a summer afternoon] a gentle [an early 1855] autumn noon 1844–60. 505-6. When the cicale cease to mar the tune

Of birds and brooks, and morning work is [was 1844, has 1855] done 1844-60.

505. Note in 1855. The cicala (cicale in the plural,-the cicada of Virgil and tettix of Anacreon) might be called the tree-cricket, from the noise which it makes, if science warranted the term.

521. Yet how it was she knew not, but that day 1832-60.

531. snatching] turning 1832-60.

fields] trees 1844-60.

535. a bright romance] a high romance MS. (rough draft) alt. a tale of yore 536. Of love and war, lately sprung out of France MS. (rought draft) alt. Which she had enter'd on the day before

young pulses] the spirits 1855.

543. In hopes King Arthur might resent his wrong; 1844 etc.

544. at distance] ere long 1844 etc.

557. pities] pitied 1832-60.

546. far] calm 1844 etc.

564. inmate] pupil 1844 etc.

561. Like stone thereat the mother stood, alas! 1844 etc. 562. that] the 1844 etc.

573-4.

569, 570. And here, such interest in the tale she took,
Francesca's eyes went deeper in the book. 1844-60.
The other on the table, half enwreath'd
In the thick tresses over which she breath'd.
Between ll. 580-1. Twice had he seen her since the Prince was gone,'
On some small matter needing unison;

1844 etc.

Twice linger'd, and convers'd, and grown long friends; But not till now where no one else attends.- 1844 etc. 588. was] were 1832-60.

585. apt] wont 1832-60.

590. this they sat. . . to the] this sat... to read the 1844 etc.

594. Leaned] Came 1844-60.

601-8 on a leaf missing from the MS. Near the top of the facing page Leigh Hunt has written in ink :

Byron replied in pencil (filling up the page): Why not? unless you can make it better, and this will not be done easily. With the whole since my last pencil marks in the first pages, I have no fault to find, but many more beauties than there is time or place to express here.

604. kissed... to mouth] in his arms she wept 1855.
For ll. 605-8.

Oh then she wept,-the poor Francesca wept ;
And pardon oft he pray'd; and then she swept
The tears away, and look'd him in the face,
And, well as words might save the truth disgrace,
She told him all, up to that very hour,
The father's guile, th' undwelt-in bridal bower,-
And wish'd for wings on which they two might soar
Far, far away, as doves to their own shore,

With claim from none.-That day they read no more. 1844 etc.

605-6. Om. in 1855.

607-8. The world . . . the joy] Oh thou unhappy father! Woes in store Await thy craft 1855.

CANTO IV

ARGUMENT.-The lovers are betrayed to the Prince. He slays them, and sends their bodies in one hearse to Ravenna.

1-16. Om. in 1832.

For ll. 1-427 1844 etc. have:

1844 etc.

BUT other thoughts, on other wings than theirs,
Came bringing them, ere long, their own despairs.
The spiteful fop I spoke of, he that set

His eyes at work to pay his anger's debt,—
This idiot, prying from a neighb'ring tower,
Had watch'd the lover to the lady's bower,
And flew to make a madman of her lord,

Just then encamp'd with loss, a shame his soul abhorr’d.

Pale first, then red, his eyes upon the stretch,
Then deadly white, the husband heard the wretch,
Who in soft terms, almost with lurking smile,
Ran on, expressing his 'regret the while.
The husband, prince, cripple, and brother heard;
Then seem'd astonish'd at the man; then stirr'd
His tongue but could not speak; then dash'd aside
His chair as he arose, and loudly cried,

Liar and madman! thou art he was seen
Risking the fangs which thou hast rush'd between.
Regorge the filth in thy detested throat.'

And at the word, with his huge fist he smote

Like iron on the place, then seized him all,

And dash'd in swoon against the bleeding wall.

'Twas dusk -he 'summon'd an old chieftain stern,

Giving him charge of all till his return,

And with one servant got to horse and rode

All night, until he reached a lone abode

Not far from the green bower. Next day at noon,

Through a bye-way, free to himself alone,

Alone he rode, yet ever in disguise,

His hat pull'd over his assassin eyes,

And coming through the wood, there left his horse,
Then down amid the fruit-trees, half by force,
Made way; and by the summer house's door,
Which he found shut, paus'd till a doubt was o'cr.