Page:The Works of Lord Byron (ed. Coleridge, Prothero) - Volume 3.djvu/244

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212
THE BRIDE OF ABYDOS.
[CANTO II.

submitted to Lord Byron. In the earliest of these, dated November 13, the thirty-six lines of the Third Fragment have been expanded into forty lines—four lines of the MS. being omitted, and twelve lines, 908-919, "Once free,"—"social home," being inserted. The text passed through five revises and remained unaltered till November 21, when eighteen lines were added to the forty, viz.: (4) "Mark! where his carnage,"—"sabre's length;" (6) "There ev'n thy soul,"—"Zuleika's name;" and (8) "Aye—let the loud winds,"—"bars escape." Of these the two latter additions belong to the Fourth Fragment. The text in this state passed through three more revises, but before the first edition was issued two more lines were added—lines 938, 939,

"The deepest murmur of this lip shall be,
No sigh for safety, but a prayer for thee!"

Even then the six lines, "Blest—as the Muezzin's,"—"endears," are wanting in the text; but the four lines, "Soft—as the melody,"—"endears," are inserted in MS. in the margin. The text as it stands first appears in the Seventh Edition.


[First Draft of 880, sq., of Canto II. Stanza xx, of the Bride of Abydos.]

For thee in those bright isles is built a bower
Aden, in its earliest hour
Blooming as Eden—guarded like a tower
A thousand swords—thy Selim's soul and hand
Wait on thy voice, and bow to thy command
pair
No Danger daunts-the souls that Love hath blest
steps still roving
With feet long wandering—but with hearts at rest.
For thee my blade shall shine—my hand shall toil
With thee all toils were sweet-each clime hath
charms
Earth-sea—alike—one World within our arms
Girt by my hand—Zuleika at my side—
The Spoil of nations shall bedeck my bride
=Lines 934, 935