# The Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley (ed. Hutchinson, 1914)/Julian and Maddalo

JULIAN AND MADDALO
A CONVERSATION
[Composed at Este after Shelley's first visit to Venice, 1818 (Autumn); first published in the Posthumous Poems, London, 1824 (ed. Mrs. Shelley). Shelley's original intention had been to print the poem in Leigh Hunt's Examiner; but he changed his mind and, on August 15, 1819, sent the MS. to Hunt to be published anonymously by Ollier. This MS., found by Mr. Townshend Mayer, and by him placed in the hands of Mr. H. Buxton Forman, C.B., is described at length in Mr. Forman's Library Edition of the poems (vol. iii, p. 107). The date, 'May, 1819,' affixed to Julian and Maddalo in the P. P., 1824, indicates the time when the text was finally revised by Shelley. Sources of the text are (1) P. P., 1824; (2) the Hunt MS.; (3) a fair draft of the poem amongst the Boscombe MSS.; (4) Poetical Works, 1839, 1st and 2nd edd. (Mrs. Shelley). Our text is that of the Hunt MS., as printed in Forman's Library Edition of the Poems, 1876, vol. iii, pp. 103-30; variants of 1824 are indicated in the footnotes; questions of punctuation are dealt with in the notes at end of the volume.]
PREFACE
Count Maddalo is a Venetian nobleman of ancient family and of great fortune, who, without mixing much in the society of his countrymen, resides chiefly at his magnificent palace in that city. He is a person of the most consummate genius, and capable, if he would direct his energies to such an end, of becoming the redeemer of his degraded country. But it is his weakness to be proud: he derives, from a comparison of his own extraordinary mind with the dwarfish intellects that surround him, an intense apprehension of the nothingness of human life. His passions and his powers are incomparably greater than those of other men; and, instead of the latter having been employed in curbing the former, they have mutually lent each other strength. His ambition preys upon itself, for want of objects which it can consider worthy of exertion. I say that Maddalo is proud, because I can find no other word to express the concentered and impatient feelings which consume him; but it is on his own hopes and affections only that he seems to trample, for in social life no human being can be more gentle, patient, and unassuming than Maddalo. He is cheerful, frank, and witty. His more serious conversation is a sort of intoxication; men are held by it as by a spell. He has travelled much; and there is an inexpressible charm in his relation of his adventures in different countries.
Julian is an Englishman of good family, passionately attached ​to those philosophical notions which assert the power of man over his own mind, and the immense improvements of which, by the extinction of certain moral superstitions, human society may be yet susceptible. Without concealing the evil in the world, he is for ever speculating how good may be made superior. He is a complete infidel, and a scoffer at all things reputed holy; and Maddalo takes a wicked pleasure in drawing out his taunts against religion. What Maddalo thinks on these matters is not exactly known. Julian, in spite of his heterodox opinions, is conjectured by his friends to possess some good qualities. How far this is possible the pious reader will determine. Julian is rather serious.
Of the Maniac I can give no information. He seems, by his own account, to have been disappointed in love. He was evidently a very cultivated and amiable person when in his right senses. His story, told at length, might be like many other stories of the same kind: the unconnected exclamations of his agony will perhaps be found a sufficient comment for the text of every heart.
* ↑ 45 may Hunt MS.; can 1824.
* ↑ 99 a one Hunt MS.; an one 1824.
* ↑ 105 sunk Hunt MS.; sank 1824.
* ↑ 108 ever Hunt MS.; even 1824.
* ↑ 119 in Hunt MS.; from 1824.
* ↑ 124 a Hunt MS.; an 1824.
* ↑ 140 lodging 1824; lodgings Hunt MS.
* ↑ 171 That Hunt MS.; Which 1824.
* ↑ 175 mind Hunt MS.; minds 1824.
* ↑ 179 know 1824; see Hunt MS.
* ↑ 188 those Hunt MS.; the 1824.
* ↑ 191 their Hunt MS.; this 1824.
* ↑ 218 Moans, &c., Hunt MS. The line is wanting in edd. 1824 and 1839.
* ↑ 237 far Hunt MS.; but 1824.
* ↑ 270 nor Hunt MS.; and 1824.
* ↑ 292 cold Hunt MS.; and 1824.
* ↑ 318 least Hunt MS.; last 1824.
* ↑ 323 sweet Hunt MS.; fresh 1824.
* ↑ 356 have Hunt MS.; hath 1824.
* ↑ 361 in this keen Hunt MS.; under this 1824.
* ↑ 362 cry Hunt MS.; eye 1824.
* ↑ 372 on Hunt MS.; in 1824.
* ↑ 388 greet Hunt MS.; meet 1824.
* ↑ 390 your Hunt MS.; thy 1824.
* ↑ 417 his Hunt MS.; its 1824.
* ↑ 446 glance Hunt MS. glass 1824.
* ↑ 447 with Hunt MS. ; near 1824.
* ↑ 467 lip Hunt MS.; life 1824
* ↑ 483 this Hunt MS.; that 1824.
* ↑ 493 I would Hunt MS.; I'd 1824.
* ↑ 510 despair Hunt MS., 1824; my care 1839.
* ↑ 511 leant] See Editor's Note.
* ↑ 518 were Hunt MS., 1824; was 1839.
* ↑ 525 his Hunt MS.; it 1824.
* ↑ 530 on Hunt MS.; in 1824.
* ↑ 537 were now Hunt MS.; now were 1824.
* ↑ 558 regrets Hunt MS.; regret 1824.
* ↑ 569 but Hunt MS.; wanting in edd. 1824 and 1839.
* ↑ 574 his 1824; this [?] Hunt MS.