Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-17
The Real Shelley.
AN UNPLEASANT VERSION OF THE POETS LOW
FOR MARY GOODWIN.

AN UNPLEASANT VERSION OF THE POETS LOVE
FOR MARY GOODWIN.
New York Correspondence Philadelphia Press.
Mr.. John Cordy Jeaffreson is young English
man, who seems to think that he was born to set
the world Alright in the matterof its particular
pet poets. Some time ago, you may remember,
he published volume called ",The Real Lord
Byron in which he showed us that much-ad-
mired poet, and greatly gossiped about man in
complete undress, and the world had hardly
got used to the spectacle before he set to work
to upset the picturesque portrait we had painted
of Shelley by giving us one that is more realis-
tic than a novel by Emile lola. "The Real
Shelley" (Scribner Welford,) is not written in
the spirit of "The Real Byron" With the author
of 'Don Juan" Mr.. Jeaffreson had more sympa-
thy and for him greater admiration. For Shell
ley he seems to have a thorough dislike, and, as
far as can fathom his antipathy, it is founded
on moral reasons.
Mr. Jeaffreson begins by denying an aristo-
cratic lineage to the poet, and says that his
great-grandtather, though born in England, was
were not descended from the first Shelley baro-
not created in 1911. The story of Shelley and
Mary Goodwin, Mr.. Jeaffreson tells in way to
make the poets admirers vince.
''The poet had a familiar friend from whom
he had received much kindness, for whom he
professed cordial veneration and with whom
he lived in close intimacy. This friend had an
only daughter, a bright, lively, romantic, lovely
girl, still only sixteen years old. Reared within
the lines Oh religious OTi0OuOAy, tnlS young girl
had been educated to think of marriage lust as
other young English girls are usually taught to
think of it. Though III former time he had been
an advocate OF the free contract, her father had
changed his views about marriage before her
birth, and had abandoned his free contract
views when she was still a nursing. Soon after
making this young girls acquaintance, Shelley
passed into discord with his wife; he fixed his
affections on his friends daughter. Without
speaking to his friend on the subject or giving
him occasion to suspect what he was about,
Shelley paid his addresses to this child and had
won her heart ere ever it occurred to her father
that they might be living too intimately and
afiectionatey with one another.
II was with great difficulty that Shelley over
came the childs notions of right in which she
had been educated, but eventually he accom-
plished his purpose. few days later, leaving
his own wife and child in England, Shelley
stole this young girl from her home, and, carry
ing her Off to the continent, lived with her as
though she were his wife. He did this though
she was his most intimate friends only daugh-
ter, though she was only sixteen years old and
though he had no prospect of ever being able to
marry her. ''Mr Froude is OF opinion" adds
Mr.. Jeaffreson, with scOrn, 'that in this matter
Shelley was guilty Of nothing worse than the
sin of acting on emotional theories of liberty
and should be judged tenderiy because he was
young and enthusiastic! Differing from Mr.
Froude, l venture to say that, in acting thus M
towards the girl, Shelley was guilty of very
hateful treason towards his friend"