Nearly 200 years ago, what has been called “the greatest crime in literary history” was committed. One of Britain’s great famed poets, George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, known as Lord Byron, had been dead for less than a month. His memoirs lay in the hands of his publisher John Murray. While it was no secret Byron had led a life filled with scandalous behavior, what was contained in those journals was considered by the few who had read them too damning for the public to know. So on May 17th 1824, a group of his closest friends, including Murray, sat in front of a fireplace tearing apart and burning the manuscript. In that room the truth of his exploits were transformed to smoke and mystery.
While his final tell-all may be lost, his works and reputation live on. In our library is a complete collection of his works, including letters and journals, published by the aforementioned John Murray in 1832. This 1st edition 17 volume set is in stunning condition, a true collectors dream. View this beautiful collection for sale here.