Literary Forefathers: Byron’s Marginalia in Isaac D’Israeli’s Literary Character of Men of Genius

Abstract

Byron’s most significant marginalia concerning his Eastern reading and relationship with other authors occurs in Isaac D’Israeli’s The Literary Character of Men of Genius. Originally published as an essay in 1795, D’Israeli’s book was read by Byron more than once. Drawing on recent work on literary celebrity culture, the essay argues that D’Israeli’s Literary Character helped to form Byron’s ideas about literary authorship, fame, and literary authority. Not only did D’Israeli show Byron how to think and act as a professional author, as a translator of Leila and Mejnoun, he also profoundly influenced Byron’s The Bride of Abydos. The exchange between D’Israeli and Byron, mediated by John Murray, shows how D’Israeli served as a kind of literary forefather to Byron.