The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-03-03
Loves OF Notable Men.
A Chapter of Gossip.
lFrom the Troy Times.1

inRton and many other men Of note. 1t Is
Interesting to observe how poets generally pre-
sent their love matters to the public. The per-
sonal experience Of such men will crop ont
Scott, for instance, fell deeply in love in early
life with girl of aristocratic family, and as he
was then merely poor barrster thers was no
prospect of saccess. His father knowing this,
and being desrous to bring the matter toa
close, suggested to the parents the propriety of
terminating the acquaintance, and thie was
done in the least painful manner. The lady
was the only daughter of Sir John Stewart, Of
Forfarshire, and she afterward married Sn
William Forbes the noted Edinburgh banker.
As Scott was q well educated young man, of
fine personal appearance and agreeable man
ners, there could be but little reason for giving
the banker preference except his wealth and
social rank. Scott felt this keenly through
life; in Rokeby he revives the episode
at some length. Matilda, the heroine of the
poem, represents the object of his early love,
who there rejects poet in favor of one of high
er rank and this scene becomes doubly inter-
esting as picture of Scott's early experience.
In 1911 Lady Forbes died, but she had lived
long enough to see the once penniless barriste.
the first poet in Scotland. Her death was
felt deeply by Scott, for although he
had been married for II years the old flame
was not extingnished. Rokeby appeared next
year, and Lockhart says "that there is
nothing wrought ont in all Scott's poemslmofs
exquisite than the contrast between the
rivals for the hand of the heroine. Six years
afterward Scott wrote thus to Miss Edgeworth:
Matilda was attempted for the person of q
lady who is now no more, 80 that L am flastered
with your distinguishing it" As this took
place nearly 20 years after the disappointment,
1t illustrates the tenacity with which the author
held to his first love. When Lady Forbes died,
Scott was SO affected that he called on her
mother, and both fell to weeping over the sad
affair. Ii is curious incident in domestic his
tory to see man carrying his first love so ten
derly through life, while married to another
woman to whom he always showed great at
tachment. Scott evidently made Matilda the
ideal or dream wife who accompanied him till
the last. Having recovered from the worst
effects of his disappointment, he met French
girl whose father had saved both life and for
tune bysfeeing from the dangers of the kevolu-
tion. At the time referred to Miss Charpentisr
(or Carpenter) was an orphan, and to her Scott
i
possible. He appeared, as has been said, much
attached to his wife through life, and sincerely
mourned her death. She was. however, INTEL
lectualy and physically Inferior 20 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 Declaration, was
also subject to early disappointment. His first
love was Virginia maiden Of reputable family
named Rebecca Burwell. The latter, however.
preferred young man named Robinson, and
Jefferson, like most sensitive youths, keenly
felt the loss of one whom he tenderly loved.
He afterward married Martha Skelton, an at
tractive widow Of %, and the union proved one
of rare happiness 1t lasted, however, only 10
years. at the end Of which Jefferson was left
widower with two daughters-four others hav-
ing died in early childhood OF these daugh-
ters Maria married John W. Epps, while
Martha became the wife Of Thomas Randolph,
The latter thus describes the care which her
| father bestowed on bis dying wife: 'For four
| months, during which she fingered, he was
| never out Of call. A moment before the clos
| ing scene he was led from the room in faint
| ing condition by his sister, and was so overcome
| that it was feared he would not recover He
kept his bed three weeks after the funerai, and
| required my constant attention" Jefferson
was evidently aman of deep tenderness, and
after his death there was found In his drawer o
lock Of hai, from each OF his dead children.
Trough only 50 when he lost his wi!a, ~ ass5s.
married again, and remained for "A years
| widower. Washington and Franklin both
married widows. The former fell in love with
Martha Custis at first sight, and, having been
disappointed in his expectation Of the hand of
| Mary Morris, he urged his suit until he was
II frl AAA sd y
| and his married life was one of un broken har.
| mony. Frapklin's case was rather peculiar
During his early life in Philadelphia he paid
attention to Miss Read, but soon afterward
| went TO London, where he remained several
| years. Daring the separation he neglected
| Miss Read in a manner which he himself after
l ward condemned. On his return he found that
| she had married, but her husband, woo had
| supposed to be dead. Franklin's early love re-
| turned, and being reinforced by ympsthy, he
| asked her forgiveness, and q renewal of her
affections, which was readily granted. Jeffer-
son was married at the age of 20. Washing
ton was n, while Franklin was only "a. The
latter says of his wife: "We prospered to-
| gether, and 1t was our mutual study TO render
| each other happy. Thus corrected, as well
as could, the error of my youth" This union
| continued for uearly 40 years, and, though
l Franklin was the survivor, he remained Wild
over. They are bnried side by side in the old
| Philadelphia cemetery, and huge slab which
covers both graves bears the simplest inscrip-
| sion that Fraoklin could devise. While speak
| ing of this subject it may be added that Amsri-
| can statesmen have generally been married
l men, and the presidential chair has never but
/ once been occupied by bachelor. 1t Is said
i! that Buchanan, like Irving, was disappointed
10 his early love, and if so, IL affords pardon
able reason for his celibacy. Another bachelor
politician OF some note was the late Preston
King, formerly United States Senator, and
also collector of our port. To these instances liz
L tn ha add dad fhato of II
Shakespeare at Is married (no doubt through
| compulsory woman eight years his senior.
Before he reached manhood he was the father
| Of three children, but he then deserted his FAM
l lily and sought a new abode in London. Il Is
evident that this ill-adiudged marriage led him
to the opinion that the advantage of years
| should be on the husbands side an idea which
s neatly expressed in Twelfth Night where the
| duke says to Viola:-
"-Let still the woman take
An elder than herself; SO wears she TO him:
So sways she level in her husbands heart"
l There are, however, some very striking In
| stances of reversal Of this order working har-
| snoniously. DR.. johnson married q woman
| 20 years his senior. He loved her sincerely and
never ceased to mourn her death. When this
occurred he was 43, and yet he rem mained q
| widower, dying at the age Of 76. John Howard
| when very young man, married widow 20
years his senior. This was an expression of
bis gratitude for her kindness and attention
during severe illness. They lived together in
great harmony until her death, which occurred
q few years afterward. A second union was
also snndered by death, and then Howard en-
tered on that career of philanthropy which has
| rendered his name immortal It may be added
that John Wilkes, the noted political leader
in London century ago, married q woman 10
years his senior. Mshomet's first and fsvorite
wife, Cadijah, was 15 years older than her hus-
baud. 10 this might he added that the late
Prince Albert was SIX mouths younger than his
royal bride, and q happier union has never been
known 10 all The history of Windsor castle
The brilliant young BeDjsmin Dsraeli mar.
| ried the widow of his friend aud patron, Wynd-
ham Lewis, 20 years his elder snd has re-
msined since her death faithful to her memo-
| ry.
Among those horrible perversions of matri-
mony which occasionally deform social HISTORY
may be mentioned the instancs of Dean s Ssift
and Stella. The mystery of Swift's conduct has
never been explained, but some have extenua-
ted its worst features by the plea of llfs-long
| insanity. Stella miss Johnson) was Induced
| to leave England and take up her residence
near his own lin Dubln) in hopes of a speedy
marriage After II years of painful delay she
| was allowed to become his wife with the stipu-