Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-03
THE GAZETTE.
SATURDAY MORNING, APRIL ?. 1855
GLIMPSE OF SHELLEY.

GLlM PSE OE SuEELkl.
MR.. TRELAwNYS "REC0LLECrI0Ns OF SHELLEY
AND BYRON"
1t was at the Palazzi, on the Lung Arno,
at Pisa, that Mr.. Trelawny first saw Shelley.
On first visiting the dwelling Of the poet,
Mr.. Trelawny was received by Mrs. Will
liams, the wife Of The gentleman who was
drowned with Shelley. 1t was dusk, and
looking through the open door OF the room,
the visitor saw pair of g|it;ering eyes stead
lily fixed on his ON. Going to the door Mrs.
Williams said, laushingly, Come in Shelley,
it is only our friend Ire. Just arrived" H.
stantly afterwards the poet glided in, blush
ing like girl" ard holding out both his
hands. He had the appearance of tall,
thin stripping. aud was habited like boy
in black jacket and trousers, which he
seemed to have outgrown." He had book
with him, and Mrs. Williams asked what 1t
was. He answered quickly, and with q
Frightening face, "Calderon's Nagico Prod,-
9ioso | am translatpg some passages In 1t"
Being asked to read few of them, he, IN
stead of doing 30, made an extempore render
ing of various parts, turning the one ian-
guage into the other with marvellous ease
and rapdity, auslyzirg the genius OF the
author with subtle power, and interpreting
those portions of the story which he did not
read. Abruptly ceasiug he suddenly van
ished; for Mr. Trelawny, looking up from the
rapt abstraction into which he had been
thrown, found that the enchanter was no
longer in his presence. "H here is he?', be
asked. Mrs. Williams rejoined, "Who? Shell.
levi" Oh, he comes and goes like spirit, no
one knows when or where" Presently, he
returned with his wife. who asked eagerly
for the last fashionable news from London
and Paris. Mrs. Shelley, indeed, though
woman of faculty, and of sensitive nature,
loved society as much as her husband aOhOr-
red it; and this diversity of taste was some
times embarrassing to both. Shelley as Mr..
Trelawny relates, said one day, with rueiul
expression of face, "Mary" his wite) has
threatened me-" He was asked, in some
surprise, with wba,?" "Mary says she
will have party" he replied. ooh, the
horror! 1t will kill me" Mr.. Williams un-
dertook to obtain, if possible, a reversal OF
this sentences but he could only procure
computation. The party was simply to IN
clude old friends, instead OF strangers, as trss
of all proposed One morning, Mr.. Trelawny
discovered the poet in dreamy trance be-
side o dark pool of water in the heart OF q
black pine forest. lie was tod that his wife
had been looking about for him dlsconsoate-
", unable to bear her solitude any longer
On this, he hastily spatched M his books and
papers and departed, exclaimins with sigh
s'Poor Mary. hers is sad fate. She can't
bear solitude, nor | society--the quick
coupled with the dead"' They soon met
with the lady, her clear grey eyes and
thoughtful brow expressing the love she could
not speak. To stop Shelley seli-reproaohes
or to hide her own emotions, she began, IN a
bantering tone, Gliding and coaxing him.
For some few months Mr.. Trelawny was
in constant intercourse with Shelley, and he
has given delightful picture OF the poets
character and babits-his sweet, seli-sacrh
cling disposition, his purity, bis tendency t,
believe 10 whatever is exalted aud ennobling
his devotion to study, his wild out6ursts o.
spirits, alternating with deep dependency
bis sbyness with strangers, bis childlike con
tentment with simple pleasures; his light
serapbic movements aud inspired face; anc
bis passionate love of the water, and TIM
trees, and the flowers and the mountains ant
the glorious shows and changes OF the ele
ments in the bright country OF his ADOPTION
The building of the boat Don Juan ('that ia
tai and perfdious bark" in which like anoth
or Lycidas, he persisted was source o
keen delight to him: but unfortunately, tht
vessel was constructed on a mCdel which Mr.
Williams had taken fancy to, but of which
better judges did not think so highly, Some
English sailors who went oct In her tor
trial reported "that she was ticklish toa
to manage" perhaps. had she been less SO
Shelley might still have been alive.