Sales catalogue 608: Maggs Bros

Date:: 1935

Reference:: WA/HMM/CM/Sal/13/145

Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 608: Maggs Bros. Source: Wellcome Collection.

20/124 (page 14)

LorRD BYRON ON THE PLANS FOR THE LIBERATION OF GREECE. FROM MISSOLONGHI TWO MONTHS BEFORE HIS DEATH. THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS (ON ONE SHEET) TO MR. BLAQUIERE (SECRETARY TO THE GREEK COMMITTEE IN LONDON) WRITTEN RESPECTIVELY BY THE THREE LEADERS FOR GREEK INDEPENDENCE, VIZ., PRINCE MAVROCORDATO, THE GREEK LEADER, LORD BYRON AND COLONEL STANHOPE, THE TWO ENGLISH LEADERS. JANUARY, 1824. TOGETHER WITH PRINCE MAVROCORDATO’S PLANS FOR THE ATTACK ON LEPANTO, WHICH WAS FOUND IN BYRON’S POUCHDAR DEROHIS (DEATH. £156 We can hardly imagine a more sentimental record of Byron’s attach- ment to the cause of Greek Independence—an attachment which caused his early death—than these documents penned a few months before his fatal illness. The first letter occupies 3 pages, 4to, and is from the Greek Leader, Prince Mavrocordato, written in French, dated from Misso- longhi 4% January, 1824, in which he deals with the question of obtaining funds and makes interesting reference to Lord Byron. ** Les. Connaissances, le zéle, les moyens de My Lord Byron, ceux que Le Comité vient de mettre 4 notre disposition, tout enfin sera mis en oeuvre pour obtenir quelque avantage avant le retour de la belle saison.”’ Mr. Blaquiere had invited Mavrocordato to London to plead his cause in person for Greek Independence, and he refers to this invitation :— ‘Quant 4 votre désir de me voir chez vous tout flatté que je dois étre de ce sentiment. Je me puis pas cependant me persuader qu’il me serait pardonnable de quitter ma patrie dans les momens actuels, du reste nos députés sont déja parmi vous, et j’espére que vous serez aussi indulgent envers eux que vous l’auriez été envers moi.’’ Lord Byron has himself made a marginal comment concerning Blaquiére’s invitation, writing :— ‘*Certainly not unless P. Mavrocordato wishes to risk his influence—and the hopes of Greece for the present.”’ (2) Lord Byron then writes a short letter in English at the foot of the third ge:— ‘“F(eb) 1, 1824, Dear Sir, I have hardly a moment to write as the boat is going. Things look well, d—n the Chevaliers d’Industrie at Malte. Keep up your spirits and we will see what is to be done—Yrs ever N.B.’’ (3) Colonel Stanhope follows with his letter on the fourth page: — _ “*“My dear B—Parry has arrived in Greece and the articles have all been disembarked—I.d Byron has been officially nominated to the com4d of the Troops (3,000) destined to attack Lepanto. Should the measure succeed & I think it will, it will strengthen the cause prodigiously—I am Yrs. L.S.’’ As mentioned by Colonel Stanhope, Lord Byron was appointed to command the troops in the attack on Lepanto. Prince Mavrocordato for this purpose had carefully prepared a scheme of attack, and this very important document (which we include in this item) was found in Lord Byron’s pouch, after his death, by his half-sister Augusta Leigh. It is entitled :— t. (4) “ Exposé de mon opinion sur |’attaque de Lepanto, et plusieurs obser- vations.