Records of Shelley, Byron, and the Author

In1822,afterhavingbeendischargedfromtheBritishnavy,desertedbyhiswife,andasgoodasdisownedbyhisfather,thethirty-twoyearoldEdwardJohnTrelawnysetoffforItalytomaketheacquaintanceofhishero,LordByron."IhavemettodaythepersonificationofmyCorsair,"Byronwroteinaletter."Hesleepswiththepoemunderhispillow,andallhispastadventuresandpresentmannersaimatthispersonification."ButthoughByronenjoyedthecompanyofhisadmirer,andwaseventuallytoembarkwithhimonhisill-fatedfinalexpeditiontoaidintheWarofGreekIndependence,hehadgrownguardedandironicalwithage,andtheperfectmeetingofmindsthatTrelawnyhadenvisionedwasnottobe.Shelley,however,enchantedhim.Inthemonthsbeforehisdeathatsea,heandTrelawnywerefrequentcompanions,andtheyoungpoetemergesfromthesepagesinallhissplendidcarelessnessandotherworldlyconcentration.