The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-05-21
Shelley and his Wife.

Shelley and his Wife.
We crossed Mount Gems, and in dra
course arrived at Genoa. After long .top
nj that city Of painted palaces, anxious TO
see the puet dove 10 Pisa alone. sr-
rived late, anl after putting mp my horse at
the inn and dining, FASTENED to the Ire Pm
lazz, on the Lung Arno, where the Shell.
lcvs and Williams lived on different fiat.
under the same roof as is the custom on
the Continent. The Williams received me
in their earnest cordial manner; We had .
great deal to communicate to each other
and We're in loud and animated conversation.
when | was rather put out by observing in
the passage near the open door, opposite to
where sat, pair Of glittering eyes stead
lily fixed cn mine; it WAS too dark TO make
out whom they belonged to. With the
arnteness Of a woman, Mrs. Williams ewes
followed The direction Of mine, and, going
to til" doorway, she l"ughingly said "Come,
in. Shelley ;i,'s cnly our friend Ire Just ar
rived" Swiftly gliding in, bIustirg. ,likes
girl. a tail thin stripling held out both bis
hands; and, although could hardly believe
as looked at his flushed, feminine and
artless face, that it could be the poet re-
N''"S'' ~ III PSSSuIS. n Iu0 Of0I~
nary greetings and courtesies he sat down
and listened. l was silent from astol.ish-
ment. Was it possible this mild LOOKING.
heartiess boy, could he The veritable mon
ster at war with all the world ?-excomrnu-
nicated by the fathers Of the church, de.
prived Of his civil rights by the fiat of a
grim Lord Chancellor, discarded by every
member Of his family, and denounced by
the rival sages Of our literature as the found-
er Of Satanic schoola Icould no, believe
it; it must be hoax. 1Ie was habited
like hoy, in black jarkct and trousers.
which he seem to have ou'grown, or bis
tailor, as is the custom, had most shame
fnly s,inted him in his sizings." Mrs. Will
Iian,s saw my embarrassment, and, to re-
lieve me, asked Shelley what book he had
in his handa His face frightened, and hs
answered briskly, "Caderon's Magico Pro-
digoso: am transating some passages ip
it," ooh. read it 10 us!"
Showed off from the shore Of commonplace
incidents that could not interest him, and
fairly launched on theme that did, he in
>antly became ohlrions of everything bne
the hook in his hand. Tile mastery man.
ner in which he anaIyzed the genius Of tho
author, his lucid Interpretation of the story.
and The ease with which lie translated into
our language the most subtle and .imapins.
tive passages Of the Spanish poet, wers
marvellous, AS was lis command Of the two
languages. After this toncl, Of his quality.
u" longer doubled his identity; . dead
silence ensurd; Looking up, asked, "Where
is hes" Mrs. Williams said," Who3
Sheilrys Oh, he comes and goes like a
spirit, no one knows when or @hers."-.
Presently he re-apptared with Mrs. Shei.
ley. She brought us back from tho IDEAL
world Shelley had left us in to the real one.
welcomed me to Italy, and asked me the
news of London and Paris. the new books,
operas. ani b"nnete. marriages, murdep,
and other mnrvel-. The poet vanished, and
tea appeared. Mary Woolstoncrah, (the
aull'oress,) the wife Of William Goodwin.
died in 1907, in giving birth to their oniy
child, Mary, married to tire poet Sfsller:
SO that. at the time am speaking, Of.
Mr.. Shelley WAS twenty seven. Such a ,ssrc
pedigree ofgenus was enough to 'interese
me in her, irrespective of her own merits a.
authoress. The most striking feature in,hsr
face was her calm, gray eyes; she wss
rather under the E,gIsi, standard Of wo.
mans height. very fair and light haired,
witty social, and animated, inthe society
Of friends, though mournfu in solitude:
Ike Shelley. though in minor degree, sls
had the power "ofcxpressing her fbouahts
in varied AMI appropriate words, dsfivsa
from familiarity with tho works of, our.vf.
ge,ons old writer's. Neither Of tLem ussd
Obsolete or Soreign words. This commsSd
Of our language .strurk me the moro -
contrasted with ihe scaoty vocabulary ysassa.
sby ladies in society. inNwhish Il ssessof
paor ;haekpeysd phrases, ssffics,to sxpssss
all ,l'atsissfelt OF es,psidersa proper fo,Ss.
veal.A 1yeld 81 Pecoll leefions;( (SdSisSsB
bY TieEf6T dHtis FfeLd q ,IRosto oai ;