Byronmania - Byron's Early Love Mary Ann Chaworth's Bible, T...

Hammer

£800

Byronmania - Byron's Early Love Mary Ann Chaworth's Bible, The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments; and also the Apocrypha: Translated out of the Original Tongues, with Annotations, Birmingham: Printed and Sold by Knott & Lloyd [...], 1804, printed in parallel columns, some leaves defective, title-page vignette and 30 full-page plates, contemporary calf gilt, marbled endpapers, 4to, [1]

During the summer of 1803, while on holidays from school, the young sixteen year old Lord Byron fell in love with Mary Ann Chaworth. Byron had come into possession of Newstead Abbey on the death of his great-uncle in 1798. Mary Ann, two years his senior, was a distant relative of Byron's and she lived nearby in Annesley. The two properties were adjoining and over the course of the summer months Byron's devotion towards Mary Ann blossomed. As an expression of his affection, he offered her a present of jewellery. He did not succeed in winning her hand, as unfortunately, Chaworth was already engaged to John Musters and she was married two years later. While Chaworth does not seem to have been greatly affected by this incident, for Byron his unrequited love had a lasting effect on his character. This first love continued to influence Byron's whole life and career and he later wrote 'Had I married Miss Chaworth, perhaps the whole tenor of my life would have been different'. She was the subject of his poem 'The Dream' written in 1816.

Provenance: Mary Ann Chaworth (1785-1832), of Annesley Hall, Nottinghamshire, her dated ink MS ownership inscription: Mary Anne Chaworth/Annesley 1808; by descent in the Chaworth-Musters family, their 19th century genealogical notices to verso endpapers; presumably sold by Major and Mrs R P Chaworth-Musters, their sale, Henry Spencer & Sons, on the premises at Annesley Hall, March 20-22, 1973.