In forwarding them to Murray (September 12, 1821,
_Letters_, 1901, v. 361), to be added to Eve's speech, Byron says,
"There's as pretty a piece of Imprecation for you, when joined to the
lines already sent, as you may wish to meet with in the course of your
business. But don't forget the addition of these three lines, which are
clinchers to Eve's speech."]

[135] [If Byron had read his plays aloud, or been at pains to revise the
proofs, he would hardly have allowed "corse" to remain in such close
proximity to "curse."]

[136] {272}["I have avoided introducing the Deity, as in Scripture
(though Milton does, and not very wisely either); but have adopted his
angel as sent to Cain instead, on purpose to avoid shocking any feelings
on the subject, by falling short of what all uninspired men must fall
short in, viz. giving an adequate notion of the effect of the presence
of Jehovah. The Old Mysteries introduced him liberally enough, and this
is avoided in the New."--Letter to Murray, February 8, 1822, _Letters_,
1901, vi. 13. Byron does not seem to have known that in the older
portions of the Bible "Angel of the Lord" is only a name for the Second
Person of the Trinity.]

[cl] {273} _On thy brow_----.--[MS.]

[137] {274}[The "four rivers" which flowed round Eden, and consequently
the only waters with which Cain was acquainted upon earth.]

HEAVEN AND EARTH;

A MYSTERY.

FOUNDED ON THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE IN GENESIS, CHAP. VI. 1, 2.

"And it came to pass ... that the sons of God saw
the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them
wives of all which they chose."

"And woman wailing for her demon lover."
Coleridge [_Kubla Khan_, line 16]

INTRODUCTION TO _HEAVEN AND EARTH_.

_Heaven and Earth_ was begun at Ravenna October 9, 1821. "It occupied
about fourteen days" (Medwin's _Conversations_, 1824, p. 231), and was
forwarded to Murray, November 9, 1821. "You will find _it_," wrote Byron
(_Letters_, 1901, v. 474), "_pious_ enough, I trust--at least some of
the Chorus might have been written by Sternhold and Hopkins themselves
for that, and perhaps for the melody." It was on "a scriptural
subject"--"less speculative than _Cain_, and very pious" (_Letters_,
1901, v. 475; vi. 31). It was to be published, he insis