The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-05

things conventional with which his writings
are thickly strewn. Even at Elton he was called
:" the atheist" and he was expelled from OK
ford. rs is we'll known. for publications preach
ing tho most downright inildclity. Tho pages
In which Mr.. Symonds touches on these matters
and portrnys the life Of the young poet ut school
and university have all the charm ~ romance.
Ia an interesting chapter which rccitcs.
among other things. Shelley's clopomcE: with
Harriet Ncstbr3ok ana his subsequent exist
cncc In shabby London lodgings. Mr. Symonds
reminds u that Mt this time, when every guinea
had to bc toilcd for. the poet Indignantly re-
fused his fathers offer to make him u yearly
allowance Of 81 600 provided he would join in
settling" the cntailcd estates. This resi-
dencc I'm London eliminated in the grnvcst
crisis n Shellcys life. concerning which
tho present biographcr speaks with TN"
greatest caution and rircumspcciion. There
seems 60 be no doubt that his homo was cold
and dull and TINT his wife did not love their
child indeed. 10 this want Of sympathy between
The father and mother in the matter of lantho
the beginning Of arrangement il attributed. 1t
IS niso true that n" had now fallen in love. for
the first time seriously. with Mary Godwin.
who Is described rs then sixteen fair. fur
haired. paic indeed aud with piercing look"
With her freedom from prejudice. her tense and
enthusiasm for IDEAS md vivid Imagination.
she was naturally litter COMPANION for Shell
Ley than the good. commonplace Harriet West
brook. however beautiful. This does not altor
the fact that when shelley abandoned his wife
and child they wcrc left with very insufficient
sum Of money at their disposal. About forty
days after leaving Harriet the poet departed
from London with Mary Goodwin who had con-
scented how long before we know not. to share
his fortunes. But 1t is right to bear in mind
that this young woman was tho child of
parents whose writings had for their cap
, ital object TO prove that marriage was ono
among the many institutions which new era
in the history of mankind was about TO sweep
away. Within n year or two the deserted wife
committed suicide by drowning herself in tho
Serpentino; but according to Hogg. who is no
adverse witness in her case. she had always
entertained tho thought Of scli-dcstruction.
Nor should We omit to add that when. in 1915
Shortly after the abandonmeml Shelley received
81 .000 a year from his father. a portion Of his
income was set aside for Harriet
Tho change from England 10 Italy was in all
ways beneficial to Shelley. and the chapters de-
plotting his residence at Pisa and the last days
OF his life are full OF suggestive details. The
biographer finds no evidence for the charge
that at this period the poets affections nguin
veered from their legitimate object. Yet
whatever may have been his wayerings
ana shortcominGs-an we would extcn-
unte no one Of them-it Is certain that
Shelley ia his lifetime bound those who knew
him with chain Of loyal. steadfast affection.
impressing observers 80 essentially different
as HoGg Byron. Peacock. Leigh Hunt. and Ire
lawnr with the conviction that he was the gen
TEST. purest. brayest and most spiritual being
they had ever met. The same conviction. it np-
pears. Is forced upon the present biographer.
The fact il TINT Shelley is too great 20 serve a.
text for any sermon Mr. Symonds well says
that bis life was n tragedy. and like some
protagonist OF Greek drama. he was capable OF
erring and Of suffering greatly lie had
kicked against the altar 81 justice. as estab-
lishcd in the daily sancttics OF life. aud it
was his to bear the penalty. The conventions
which he despised and treated like the dust be-
meath his feet proved in the most cruel crises
OF existence 10 be rocks on viii IA his heart was
broken From this rudc trial of his moral
nature he arose n stronger being and had n
longer life been granted him he died 1T the age
Of 30-he would probably have presented the
ennobline spectacle OF ono lessoned by the bitter
fruits Of his own audacity into frank mplanco
with the immutnble laws Of humanity Indeed.
We canno, hut concur with 1lr. Symonds in the
opinion tina; sheilcy's early death was moro 10
be regretted than that Of either Keats OF Byron
We know not certainly how much might have
been expected from the one; wo know that In all
likelihoodthe otherwould have given US nothing
superorto his previous achievements. Sheley's
faculties were lHr moro complex. md his aims
were more ambitious than theirs. He needed
length of years for their perfect. fecund CO..
ordination, and II a fuller term had been nllot-
ted him we may feel sure that from the discords
Of his youth he would have wrought out clear
and lucid harmony.