New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-21
PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY.

MRS. j. KENNEDY SMYIH'S SECOND MORNING Lee
TURE AT ASSOCIATION HALL.
Mrs. J. Kennedy Smyth gave the second Of
her Thursday afternoon rea nss and comments on the
British Poets Yesterday in the leeturerOOm OF ASsocs
ton Hall. The subject was Percy Bysshe Shelley. As
al the first reading the lecture-room was nearly filed
with ladies; hut several gentlemen were also present.
Mrs Smyth sat by the side OF a small table and Illus
trated her theme by selections from the poets most
famous or characteristic poems Where the form OF the
poem invited. Mrs Smyth gave tho lines graceful and
striking dramatic interpretation, by gesture, change OF
voice and facial expression.
The striking qualities of Shelley poet, the lee
tnrer said were Imagination and sensibhy. His pecu-
liar temperament and strange bodily conditions gave
strange cast to both his writings and his life, and his
skcpca tendencies disturbed the perfect equilibrium
OF his mind. He born IN Sussex, England III 1892,
and had some blood of world in his veins his
grandfather having settled In NcwJcrscY. where his
father sir Timothy Shelley, was born His four sisters
were very beautiful At ten he sent to school, being
sent three years aferward 10 Eton where lie busted
hIs thoughts with the sO-caled occult sciences and
chemistry and natural philosophy. Magic and witch
craft were less part OF his study than the wonders
Of electricity and galvanism. Sometimes he would
watch all night for ghosts. and consulted books az to
Eton WIS spent in the neIghborinc churchyard in an
unsatished desire 10 meet goblin Probably at 10
period OF ms life he wholly free from visions. lie
as noted then for hs love o. Plato and for boating
be former eXCruDg an influence on his entire ne, ara
the Otaer leading 10 US uhtlbeiy uealh young as he
was, he already in love with has cOulp, Harriet
Grove, with whom he wrote The romance IasfoZZ.'
When he went 10 oxford III 1910, he was described
having very small features and tins was true OF his he ID
and face. HIS hair long and bushy His voice was
shrIl and dscOrdan and on some ears had an e1"ru
ciatIng effect His in the dOrmltOiy was Uttered
with books, papers chemical and electrical appai~
atus A razor served the purpose OF aJdch-khie HIS
favOIlto amusement 10 sail paper Ooals folded out
Of ay scrap paper he happened 10 have IN pocket
MANY stones are told Ionduess for bread, which
be would eat when porting over a book or walking III
The street He very fond OF children nS preference
for the PlatOc philosophy intensying this fpndness
Once he astOnished mother bearing an infant by ask
about prcGxsteuCe ~ " lie cannot talk al hll" she
rpDled. Worse and worse" added the poet, " but
surely the baby talk OF II II he WILL for he only aiew
days ola" Then turning 10 his friend he said, " How
provOkiugly close these newborn babcs' He WAS
expelled from oxford for writing pamphlet called
" The Necessity of Atheism" Ine way TINS perform
aucc ana himself were treated led young and Uqurng
mind 10 consider Christianity form OI tyranny WBlle
different course the part Of the college authorities
might have ROu him over 10 sound evangelical ruin
He took lodgings III London, ana Ills sisters sent MN
money by their classmae, Harriet WcstDrOOk beaut
fu girl OF sixteen. whO after Shelley had seen her half
a dozen times elOped with him. After the marriage
ceremony had been twice performed they wont 10 Edn
burg and afterWard 10 Dublin and Wales. Three years
after the marriage they parted II is tald by mutual
consent. In 1914 he went 10 switzerland wlth Mary
WOllstOuecTaU Goodwin, whom ne maIiied, When Ia
1916 his fist wife committed suicide. IN SNuLcflBnd
and Italy he made the acquaintance or LORD Byron and
Leigh Hunt. While living at Pisa ne had sall boat
The Bay O Spczia with bis friend Williams July 3, ls22
the boat cApszed and both drowned. Byron. Hunt
and relawney buried Ills body when recovered, OH the
sands the seashOre. Shelley looked upon tile world
with tine eyes of visionary. In sustained mIetuosy
OF expression be surpasscs all others Mrs Smyth read
The skyIark," Lines 10 an Indian Air." and two
he poet Keats win DC the subject OF next Thursday's
lecture.