odelling the Turkish army on a quasi-European system, was promulgated
by Selim III in 1808.

A "mufti" is an expounder, a "molla" or "mollah" a superior judge, of
the sacred Moslem law. The "tefterdars" or "defterdars" were provincial
registrars and treasurers under the supreme defterdar, or Chancellor of
the Exchequer.]

* * * * *

CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE.

CANTO THE THIRD.

"Afin que cette application vous forcat a penser a autre chose.
Il n'y a en verite de remede que celui-la et le temps."--_Lettres
du Roi de Prusse et de M. D'Alembert_.[275] [_Lettre_ cxlvi.
Sept. 7, 1776.]

* * * * *

INTRODUCTION TO THE THIRD CANTO.

The Third Canto of _Childe Harold_ was begun early in May, and finished
at Ouchy, near Lausanne, on the 27th of June, 1816. Byron made a fair
copy of the first draft of his poem, which had been scrawled on loose
sheets, and engaged the services of "Claire" (Jane Clairmont) to make a
second transcription. Her task was completed on the 4th of July. The
fair copy and Claire's transcription remained in Byron's keeping until
the end of August or the beginning of September, when he consigned the
transcription to "his friend Mr. Shelley," and the fair copy to Scrope
Davies, with instructions to deliver them to Murray (see Letters to
Murray, October 5, 9, 15, 1816). Shelley landed at Portsmouth, September
8, and on the 11th of September he discharged his commission.

"I was thrilled with delight yesterday," writes Murray (September 12),
"by the announcement of Mr. Shelley with the MS. of _Childe Harold_. I
had no sooner got the quiet possession of it than, trembling with
auspicious hope, ... I carried it ... to Mr. Gifford.... He says that
what you have heretofore published is nothing to this effort.... Never,
since my intimacy with Mr. Gifford, did I see him so heartily pleased,
or give one fiftieth part of the praise, with one thousandth part of the
warmth."

The correction of the press was undertaken by Gifford, not without some
remonstrance on the part of Shelley, who maintained that "the revision
of the proofs, and the retention or alteration of certain particular
passages had been entrusted to his discretion" (Letter to Murray,
October 30, 1816).

When, if ever, Mr. Davies, of "inaccurate memory" (Letter to Murray,
Decem