He wants to have it in quarto, which is a cursed unsaleable size; but it is pestilent long, and one must obey one's publisher." The whole of the sheets were printed off in the following month of January; and the work was published on March 1, 1812.

Of the first edition only 500 copies, demy quarto, were printed.
It is unnecessary to say with what applause the book was received.

The impression it produced was as instantaneous as it proved to be lasting.
Byron himself briefly described the result of the publication in his memoranda: "I awoke one morning and found myself famous." The publisher had already taken pains to spread abroad the merits of the poem.

Many of his friends had re-echoed its praises.

The attention of the public was fixed upon the work; and in three days after its appearance the whole edition was disposed of.