For the first time all Byron's miscellaneous prose writings are collected together, including his speeches in the House of Lords, short stories, reviews, critical articles, and Armenian translations, as well as such shorter pieces as memoranda, notes, reminiscences, and marginalia. Although some of this material has been published before - most notably in the appendices to Prothero's edition of the Letters and Journals (1898-1901) - a considerable proportion is
here published for the first time. For the first time too, the prose works are presented with full scholarly apparatus. The texts are reproduced from their original manuscripts wherever these
are still extant; and the notes provide an introduction to each item, detailing the circumstances of its composition, its publication history, and its historical and literary background, as well as providing comprehensive annotation of individual points of obscurity, allusions, and other matters of content.
Industry Reviews
`This book should be compulsory reading for all members of Examination Boards prescribing `A' level set texts. It would be nice to think school libraries still offered the facilities if not to foster the creative genius of Byron, at least to stimulate something of this encylopaedic curiosity.'
David Nokes, The Spectator
`Here is a new Byronic treasure house, brilliantly illuminated. ... All the necessary qualities are brought to the task ... first-class scholarship, knowledge of the period, above all a love of Byron, and all or almost all his works.'
Michael Foot, Guardian
'The editorial apparatus is of the very highest quality ... the mere endorsement of a letter from Suleyman Aga (1811) is brilliantly brought alive by the superlative detective work which extends a mere note into an historical and biographical essay which is both elegant and lucid ... meticulous, patient, and tactful scholarship succeeds in spelling out exactly the conditions of industry in Nottingham and the context in which Byron has to work in the House
of Lords ... superb edition.'
Malcolm Kelsall, University of Wales, Cardiff, BARS Bulletin & Review, Issue No.2 February 1992
'The editorial apparatus is of the very highest quality, and is, paradoxically, at times far better than the original prose ... superb edition ... The selection and deployment of the scholarly material is itself the product of critical intuition of the highest order.'
Malcolm Kelsall, University of Wales, Cardiff, BARS Bulletin & Review, Issue No. 2, February 1992
'This is a book long awaited and well worth the waiting. The annotation in the volume, which sets Byron's prose off, cannot be too highly praised. This is a labour of love and wonderful erudition by a scholar who knows Byron intimately. All those who love literature, Byron, and scholarship are in Andrew Nicholson's debt.'
Bernard Beatty, The Byron Journal 1992
'Andrew Nicholson brings to a close his long labour on the final instalment of the works of Byron. He and the Clarendon Press can be thanked for their work.'
Francis Berry, Notes and Queries, March 1993
'Byron's Complete Miscellaneous Prose might be thought a pedant's delight'
Keith Walker, University College, London, MLR, 88.4, 1993
'the quality of editing is very high, ... this volume completes the standard, scholarly edition of all Byron's work. It is a fitting, wel executed capstone. It is wonderful to have a modern, fully annotated text of Byron's reviews and public letters. Oxford has produced the book handsomely.'
James Engell. Cambridge, Massechusetts. Archiv
'This attractive and well-arranged volume, ... rounds off the modern and authoritative presentation of Byron's entire oeuvre ... The volume has an importance and interest.'
Alan G. Hill. Royal Holloway, University of London. Review of English Studies Vol. 45 No 179 Aug '94
