works by popular demand. Polidori's tale was published by Henry Colburn on April 1, 1819, without Polidori's knowledge or permission. Polidori immediately wrote to Colburn stating that ‘the tale of the Vampyre – which is not Lord Byron’s but was written entirely by me at the request of a lady […] saying that she thought it impossible to work up such materials, desired I would write it for her, which I did in two idle mornings by her side.’ The revelation caused a great scandal, and Polidori benefitted very little from it, either financially or personally. Lord Ruthven was the first portrayal of the vampire as a debauched aristocrat. References External links Norton anthology on 'The Giaour About.com article on vampire stories Crede Byron on Byron's association with vampires Library of Congress, Online Catalog 1813 books Poetry by Lord Byron Vampires in written fiction 1813 poems Vampirism