New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-19


.or Dovden has added great mAnv particulars W
hot xas previously known Of Sheleys afa'rs' anu
thev make eth more melancholy narrative "n,'n
was already sufficiently sad. Aitnone" o"o"oy
came INTO The possession of q moderate bxed in-
come in the course of time, he was always
wanderer and always poor HIS poet'ca' genus
was of slow de, elopment, retarded no ao"'' "
bis vagaries of political reform; ana VIC c"n"VV
read wi Aout impatience of the enthusiasm winch
b.. ,ros,.d nnon visionary theories of governments,
declarations of right. schemes for the reno'a ''on
~ societv specu atious about the reputation oi
| the national debt and tho reckoning winch cno
| ,sonls would exact with the privileged classes ho
| went to Ireland to help the popular cause po'-
| nose which he accomplished by stting b. n' WI"
| dow and tossing copies of pamphlet ne nao wiz
| ten TO those passers-by who looked ike sui'a''o
objects of such an attention. From ms iodslnUs d.
I.vnmouth he launched upon the Bristol Channel
| incendiary documents which ne durst NOT u"'' W
the pos, office He enclosed them in bottles OF
| A. ,ratartight boxes fitted with small masts and
| sails; and he hoped that they might be waited 10
| the Irish sbore or be drawn board some passing
vessel to keep alive the love of freedom In coast
| ing-traders or perhaps start flame In the Ming
| navy Sometimes he sent mp his load OF patrio'-
ism and virtue in a balloon.
| In that season of political Torment (1S12). 1t was
| inevitabI. that the sympathes of an ardent soul
like Sheley's should be deeply stirred. ana IL MS
| fervors were not ALWAYS wise they were al iea''
always manifested in behalf of liberty ana popular
| rights Later they passed into that elevated love
Of freedom which CLOVIS 40 pure in his poetry. n
massage of Professor Dowdens. penned with par
t,cular reference to Shelley's religious misbeef'
| apples very we'll here:
In Shelley there existed two contending spirits,
| each as vet in adolescence-the poet and the dla'
ectician; the all sensibility, enthusiasm I'M
yotary of reason, and proudly rejecting the evl-
dence of the heart or anayzne each purse Oh lee,
ing until all pusation ceased un9er the PROCESS y,
| ANALYSIS Both the poet and the diaecticlan were
| still In their homage; Sheliey's enthusasns were
| crude and often lndiscsrnlug: his reasonings,
while they endeavored to high, were slenderly
based Much of the history of Shelley's mind lies
10 the gradual submission OF his intellect 10 tne
wisdom which life and experience bring WINE ye,
| il retained in a rare degree its spring ana power
| of recoil against the world; and 10 the eraluai
clarifying Of his zeals and enthuslasms unt a.
their hest thew became. not fire without lght out
? | onre and luminous ardours And the virtue OF
|, Sheileys life lies in this that, through an
decisions and errors. 1t was progress 10 ne emu
no base retreats confused counter-moyement
no terrified react1ou. Seeking for light IN boy
, hood however gropnglv. he advanced toward the
light in his manhooi with tirmer STEP Loving
) well IN boyhood. he learned, though ever laOe 10
error to love wisely before the close Dut never
ceased to love- Through shock and disappoln' ,nens
, he attained not apathy or ennui. but renewed anu
saner hopes It nineteen the termeut and efferves-
cence of intellect and heart might make a
and nisg,vinp Yet IN one tempted by his posi- ion
and the age in which he had lived 10 Sc hsn pleas
and worldly views, 1t Is much 10 mo I'D ealIy
manhood native superiority 10 al! brute PASSIONS
a rare disinterestedness. habit already hxed on
Judging things and persons by unwordly STANDARDS,
a restless desire to ind d follow the truth, gen
8 erous over estlmating of Others compared with
himself. and, save in untOward mood or movement,
A delicate and iaultess courtesy nese we o oeI
taluiy fnd and for Their sake can forgive lmPer-
feet reasonings and the folly of misdirected enthu
siasm
3 The account of Sheley's marriages is given with
t the necessary fuiness and more than the neces
sarv comments. The biographer has not been be-
I traved into the common sentimental CONFUSION
$ between the character of an action and the per-
sonai qualities of the actor He contents himself
3 with showing that the liberty which Shelley ex-
ercised in pract CO he had sincerely defended IN
theory long before there was anv question of ap
5 pyng il to bis WI case 1t is clear that he mar
ried his first wife Harriet Westbrook. from n CHI
various feeling with great willingness ana cer-
tainly without loving her. She had been exposed
to persecution and reproach through her intimacy
with the athelstical poet and IN her distress sh'
, | threw herself upon him. tue maIiiaSo thuc '"-.""
s piciousy begun at first not unhappy. Harrie
. was beautiful aniable and docile creature. who
q tried to enter into her husbands high thoughts
and learned to talk with moro or less propretv OF
bis social and political theories. Shelley gradually
fell in love with her. But it was characteristic oil
him through life to idealize persons. to love MS
ideal until he fonnd out that it was false and then
\ to hate it with a corresponding intensity III
\ loved Harr. ct as long as her mind expanded unde
o his influence; but her intellectual capacity wa
Q small and when its limit reached he ceased t.
care for her. They were estranged and practically
separated before Shelley knew Mary Goodwin
" Some time later Shelley discovered or believed
- that he had discovered. that Harriet had been un
" faithful TO him. She led doubtful life after th
- separation and 1t is alleged that her suicide tw
years later. lot on account OF Shelley as use'
: TO be thought but of another man. These lasts
however do not palliate Shelley's conduct. wbicl
had no relation to any misconduct OF hers On tn
. contrary this chapter in his life is all the backe
" when we know that the moral ruin of the unfortu
nate girl was the fruit of his explicit teachings
The domestic story of the poet is a strange mess
y but the biographer cannot help stirring it. Tw
20 weeks after the eopement. Shelley wrote fror
u France to his deserted wife-his dearest Harriet
= he still called her--entreating her to join the
), pleasant little party Z" write to urge you to com
to Switzerland, where you will at last lind one hri
- and constant friend to whom your Interests wi
!. he always dearly whom Your feelings will neve
=, wilfully he injured" And as topic likely to II
=. forest her, be toa her how Mary bore the journe,
" Harriet did not accept the hatterng invitation
ca But when the fugitvss returned to England penn
= less and without even the means to pay the shl
y captain who brought them over, Shelley apple
" TO Harriet for money, and she gave him. alcn
70 with piece of her mind twenty pounds for III
u expenses of this honeymoon-journcy. The l"vel
40 we're accompanied on this trip by Jane Clair
the daughter of Mrs. Goodwin by her irst marriag
~ Jane was with them on their second visit
" the Continent. She had now become the mistre
>" of Lord Byron, in that capacity she shared IL
~ romantic life of Shelley aud Mary on the Lake
=, Geneva where yron was almost q memhero of II
household and a constant companion OF their excu
>" sions Whether the intrigue was known ut tt
90 time by Shelley and Mary is uncertain; but the
" were not particularly disturbed by the birth of Il
10 child, allegro and indeed there nothing
or THAR nrincinles oppnse to the connection of an