the first and second cantos of "Childe Harold." This time Dallas was
better suited, and to corroborate his judgment the matter was submitted
to Murray, the publisher.

Murray thought the matter had more or less merit, and arrangements were at
once made for its publication. And so it came out, hammered into shape
while in the printer's hands.

"Childe Harold" was an instantaneous, brilliant success--a success beyond
the publisher's or author's expectations. The book ran through seven
editions in four weeks, and Lord Byron "became famous in a night."

London society became Byron-mad. The poet was feted, courted, petted.

He indulged in much innocent and costly dissipation, and some not so
innocent.

Finally all this began to pall upon him. When twenty-six we find him
making a bold stand for reform: he would get married and live a staid,
sober, respectable life. His finances were reduced--all the money he had
made out of his books had been given away, prompted by a foolish whim that
no man should take pay for the product of his mind.

Now he would marry and "settle down"; and to marry a woman with an income
would be no special disadvantage. To sell one's thoughts was abhorrent to
the young man, but to marry for money was quite another thing. Morality
depends upon your point of view.

The paradox of things found expression when Byron the impressionable,
Byron the irresistible, sat himself down and after chewing the end of his