ve read
Thy awful death with more than dread.

"A lion in the conquering hour!
In wild defeat a hare!
Thy mind hath vanished with thy power,
For Danger brought despair.
The dreams of sceptres now depart,
And leave thy desolated heart
The Capitol of care!
Dark Corsican, 'tis strange to trace
Thy long deceit and last disgrace."
_Morning Chronicle_, April 27, 1814.]

LARA:

A TALE.

INTRODUCTION TO _LARA_

The MS. of _Lara_ is dated May 14, 1814. The opening lines, which were
not prefixed to the published poem, and were first printed in _Murray's
Magazine_ (January, 1887), are of the nature of a Dedication. They were
probably written a few days after the well-known song, "I speak not, I
trace not, I breathe not thy name," which was enclosed to Moore in a
letter dated May 4, 1814. There can be little doubt that both song and
dedication were addressed to Lady Frances Wedderburn Webster, and that
_Lara_, like the _Corsair_ and the _Bride of Abydos_, was written _con
amore_, and because the poet was "eating his heart away."

By the 14th of June Byron was able to announce to Moore that "_Lara_ was
finished, and that he had begun copying." It was written, owing to the
length of the London season, "amidst balls and fooleries, and after
coming home from masquerades and routs, in the summer of the sovereigns"
(Letter to Moore, June 8, 1822, _Life_, p. 561).

By way of keeping his engagement--already broken by the publication of
the _Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte_--not to "trespass on public patience,"
Byron began by protesting (June 14) that _Lara_ was not to be published
separately, but "might be included in a third volume now collecting." A
fortnight later (June 27) an interchange of unpublished poems between
himself and Rogers, "two cantos of darkness and dismay" in return for a
privately printed copy of _Jacqueline_, who is "all grace and softness
and poetry" (Letter to Rogers, _Letters_, 1899, iii. 101), suggested
another and happier solution of the difficulty, a coalescing with
Rogers, and, if possible, Moore (_Life_, 1892, p. 257, note 2), "into a
joint invasion of the public" (Letter to Moore, July 8, 1814, _Letters_,
1899, iii. 102). But Rogers hesitated, and Moore refused to embark on so
doubtful a venture, with the result that, as