Byron has written, "If the
last line should appear obscure to those who do not recollect the
historical fact mentioned in the first act of Loredano's inscription in
his book, of 'Doge Foscari, debtor for the deaths of my father and
uncle,' you may add the
following
lines to the conclusion of the last
act:--
_Chief of the Ten_.
Byron
de Venise_, par P.
DARU, 1821, ii. 528, 529.
[Daru quotes Palazzi's _Fasti Ducales_ as his authority for this story.
According to Pietro Giustiniani (_Storia_, lib. viii.), Jacopo Loredano
was at pains to announce the decree of the Ten to the Doge in courteous
and considerate terms, and begged him to pardon him for what it was his
duty to do. Romanin points out that this version of the interview is
inconsistent with the famous "_L'hapagata_."--_Storia, etc._, iv. 290,
note i.]
[84] {196}[Here the original MS. ends. The two lines which follow, were
added by Gifford. In the margin of the MS.
Byron has written, "If the
last line should appear obscure to those who do not recollect the
historical fact mentioned in the first act of Loredano's inscription in
his book, of 'Doge Foscari, debtor for the deaths of my father and
uncle,' you may add the
following
lines to the conclusion of the last
act:--
_Chief of the Ten_.
For what has he repaid thee?
_Lor._ For my father's
And father's brother's death--by his son's and own!
Ask Gifford about this."]
[85] [The _Appendix_ to the First Edition of _The Two Foscari_ consisted
of (i.) an extract from P. Daru's _Histoire de la Republique Francaise_,
1821, ii. 520-537; (ii.) an extract from J. C. L. Simonde de Sismondi's
_Histoire des Republiques Italiennes du Moyen Age_, 1815, x. 36-46; and
(iii.) a note in response to certain charges of plagiarism brought
against the author in the _Literary Gazette_ and elsewhere; and to
Southey's indictment of the "Satanic School," which had recently
appeared in the Preface to the Laureate's _Vision of Judgement_
(_Poetical Works of Robert Southey_, 1838, x. 202-207).