26 FEBRUARY 1916, Page 15

BYRON'S LETTER TO " GALIGNAICL"

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE SrEcTATOR.'9

Sin,—Lord Byron's letter to Galignani's Messenger, quoted by Mr. Cyril Mayhew, has been published, and will be found, with an exhaustive note, on p. 286, Vol. IV., of Mr. Prothero's edition of Byron's letters. A curious history attaches to this letter. An exceedingly good engraved facsimile of it was published in Galignanfe edition of Byron's Life. So good is it that very many copies detached from the volumes to which they belonged have been sold, and are cherished by the owners as genuine Byron autographs. Not less than twenty or thirty impressions of this plate have been brought to me at different times by the owners, who wished to know the value of the MS. or asked me to buy it, and I have often been, much disconcerted by the disappointment caused when I have proved that they were not original MSS. In some cases the plate mark round the edge. in all the marks of the graving tool in the flourish of the signature, are plainly visible.—I am, Sir, &c., Joule MURRAY. 50 Albemarle Street,