Introduction

Lord Byron was a regular visitor to Coppet, which was a well-known magnet for writers and intellectuals: Madame de Stael's circle there included A. W. Schlegel, Benjamin Constant, Bonstetten, Simonde de Sismondi and Chateaubriand. The progress of Byron's reaction to Stael shows a shift from irritation at what he saw as her overwhelming and oppressive volubility in the London seasons of 1813-1814, to an appreciation of her tolerance and helpfulness when they met again in Switzerland in 1816. Stael and Byron shared more than an interest in the Italian past and its great men; they were both fascinated by the cultures and the national characteristics of the various countries of Europe. Both Mme de Stael and Lord Byron can therefore be seen as sharing what was for the period an unusual mixture of nationalism and cosmopolitanism. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.