New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-04-16
LOVES OF POETS AND POLITE
CLANS. rs

not strictly true, may be applied to
Scott, Byron, George Washington and
many other men of note. It isinter-
esting to observe how poets generally
present their love matters to the pub
lie. The personal experience Of such
men will crop out. Scott, for instance,
fell deeply in love in early life with .
girl Of aristocratic family. and as he
was then merely poor barrister there
was no prospect OF success. His
father, knowing this and being desir-
Gus to bring the matter to close, sug-
gested to the parents the propriety Of
terminating the acquaintance, and this
was done in the least painful manner.
The lady was the only daughter of Sir
John Stewart, of Forfarshire, and she
afterward married Sir William
Forbes, the noted Edinburgh banker.
As Scott was q well-educated young
man, of fine personal appearance and
agreeable manners, there could be but
little reason for giving the banker
preference except his wealth and So
cial rank. Scott felt this keenly
through life, and in Rokeby'' he re-
wives the episode at some length.
Matilda, the heroine of the poem, rep
resents the object of his early love,
who there rejects poet in favor of
one of higher rank, and this scene be-
comes doubly interesting as q picture
OF SCOTS early experience. In 1911
Lady Forbes died, but she had lived
long enough to see the once penniless
barrister the first poet in Scotland.
Her death was deeply felt by Scott,
for, although he had been married for
twelve years, the old flame was not ex-
tinguished. "Rokeby' appeared the
next year. and Lockhart says "that
there is nothing wrought out in all
SCOTS prose more exquisite than the
contrast between the rivals for the
hand of the heroine" Six years after
ward Scott wrote thus to Miss EDGE
worth: "Matilda was attempted for
the person of lady who is now no
more, so that am. fattered with your
distinguishing it, AS this took place
nearly twenty years after the disap-
pointment, it illustrates the tenacity
with which the author held TO his first
love. When Lady Forbes died Scott
was 50 affected that he called on her
mother, and both fell to weeping over
the sad affair. 1t is curious incident
in domestic history to see man carry
ing his first love so tenderly through
life, while married to another woman
to whom he always showed great at
tachment. Scott evidently made Ma
tilda the ideal or dream wife who
accompanied him till the last. Having
recovered from the worst effects of the
disappointment, he met a French girl
whose father had saved both life and
fortune by fleeing from the dangers of
the revolution. At the time referred
to Miss Charpentier (or Carpenter) was
an orphan, and to her Scott transfer
red his affections, as far as this was
possible. He appeared, as has been
said, much attached to his wife through
life, and sincerely mourned her death.
She was, however, intellectually and
physically inferior to the Scottish ladies
of that day, and the rapid degeneracy
OF the family may in some degree be
ascribed to SO unfavorable union.
Jefferson, the author of the Declare
ton, was also subject to an early dis
appointment. His first love was a
Virginia maiden of reputed family.
named Rebecca Burwell. The latter.
however,preferred a young man named
Robinson, and Jefferson, like most
sensitive youths, keenly felt the loss of
one whom he tenderly loved. He after
ward married Martha Shelton, an attrac-
tive widow of twenty-five, and the union
proved one of rare happiness. 1t lasted,
however, only ten years, at the end of
which Jefferson was left 8 widower
with two daughters-four others hav-
ing died in early childhood. OF these
daughters Maria married John w.
Epps, while Martha became the wife
OF Thomas Randolph. The latter thus
describes the care which her father
bestowed on his dying wife: "For four
months, during which she fingered, he
was never out of call. A moment be-
fore the closing scene he was led from
the room in fainting condition by his
sister, and was so overcome that it was
feared that he would not recover. He
kept his bed three weeks after the
funeral, and required my constant at
tention." Jefferson was evidently
man of deep tenderness, and after his
death there was found in his drawer o
lock of hair from each of his dead
children, which he kept as sacred me-
MORALS. Though only thirty.nine
when he lost his wife, .he never married
again, and remained for forty-four
years a widower.
Washington and Franklin both mar
r1ed widows. The former fell in love
with Martha Gusts at first sight, and
having been disappointed in his ex-
pectation of the hand of Mary Morris,
he urged his suit until it was successful.
He adopted his wife's children, and his
married life was one of unbrOken har-
mony.
Franklin's case was rather peculiar.
During his early life in Philadelphia he
paid attentions to Miss Read, but soon
afterward went to London, where he
remained several years. During this
separation he neglected Miss Read in a
manner which he himself afterward
condemned. On his return he found
that she had married, but her husband,
who had proven worthless, was gone
on voyage and supposed to be dead.
Franklin's early love returned, and,
being reinforced by sympathy, he
asked her forgiveness and renewal
OF her affections. which was readily
granted.
jefferson was married at the age Of
twenty-nine. Washington was twenty
seven, while Franklin was only twenty
four. The latter says Of his wife:
We prospered together, and it was
our mutual study to render each other
happy. Thus 1 corrected, as well as
l could, the great error of my youth"
This union continued for nearly forty
years, and, though Franklin was the
survivor, he remained widower.
They are buried side by side in the old
Philadelphia Cemetery, and q huge
slab which covers both graves bears
the simplest inscription that Franklin
could device.
While speaking Of this subject it may
be added that American statesmen
have generally been married men, and
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