The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-18
FAMOUS love AFFAIRS
Stories of the Violent Affections of
Various Celebrities.
The tahnPpy Pns-io. Of Dante for
BeRtrice-Thc Homage Paid by the
Poet Moore ia His Wife-Dnni~i
O'ConnrIl's DcvotioU-Wby General
Gordon Never Became n Benedict.

Love affairs may become famous in &'iem-
selves from their intensity. their length
the figure they cut in a Law cogrt, OF from
anything else out of the common connected
with them. Or they are famous because
they are or were the affairs of celebrated
people 1t is in this latter sense that we
use the phrase. II the most commonplace
wooinr OF the most commonplace people
possesses an Irresistible interest, what shall
/ be said when the loves ON which we look
are the loves OF ihe immortals?
No more beautiful love of man for wo-
! man is on record than that Of Dante for
! Beatrice. whom he first in 12Ii- He
only met her once OF twice; nevertheless,
when she married he fell seriously i'll. and
when she died. she did shortly after,
his life was in danger and he became "a
| thing wild and savage to leok upon.
Throughout the cherries ~snderings of a
storm beaten existence Beatrice was the
muse OF his intellect and the angel of his
SOIL.
On April 6. 1897. happened the most fam
GUS event in Petrsrch's history. He sa.
Laura for the first time. Who Laura was
remains uncertain still. We may. hoxeyer.
reject the skeptieal hypothesis that she
was mere Pigment of the poets fancy;
and, If we accept her personal reality. the
poems of her lover demonstrated that she
was a married woman, with whom he en-
joyed respectful and not very Intimate
friendship
The poet and divine John Dome. who
became dean of St Paul in 1921, had mar
ried lady belonging TO a rich family
without the consent of her parents, and.
in consequence. WAS treated with great
asperity: in fact be was told by his
father in-law that he was not to expect
any money from him. The doctor went
hoiIe and penned the pithy note: John
DDnne. Anne Dome undone' which he
sent TO the gentleman in question. and
this had the effect of restoring them tn
favor. The couple were very poor al first
but things soon got brighter, and rhcs
lived most happily together until AIRS.
Dome who had been married when only
sixteen years of age. died sixteen years
afterward at the birth OF her twelfth child.
Another poet and divine who was not
undone by his marriage but greatly help
ed and uomforied. WAS George Herbert
II was an exception To the marrying in
haste and repenting at leisure rule. for be
and his wife married on the third day after
their first interview. and there was never
any opposition betNixt them. unless IT
were a contest which should most incline
to a compliance with the others desires"
Herbert made his wife his almoner. and
paid TO her regularly tenth OF all he re-
ceived as hthes. to be spent OH the poor
Of his parish.
There was no exception. however. 10 the
rule of marrying in haste and rep>Htins
ut leisure In the case Of Walter Savage
Lander and his wife The poet me- his
future wife at a ball, and determined en-
the instant TO marry her. Not long after
he had done SO Mrs. Landor came To think
that Conversation with her husbaii' was
incomplete without quarrel Even in
the honeymoon she wounded the poor
mans vanity. Lander reading seine
Of his own verses TO his bride-ani who
read more exquisitely all at once
the lady. releasing herself from mis- arm
jumped up. saying, oh do stop. Walter.
there's that dear. delightful Punch per
forming in the street: ! must look out Of
the window"
And. oh: il there lie an Elysiuu on earth.
1t is this. it rs this.
Thomas Moore. who wrote these words
did himself TASTE the Elysium OF conjuEal 1
happiness. From 1871. the year of his
marriage. to 1862, that Of his death. his
Bessy received from him the homage Of
lover. Whatever amusement he might find 1
in the grand society In which he mixed. lac |
always returned TO his wife and children
with fresh feeling OF delight.
Many women deserve. but few women re
ceive. such an l. o. L. as that which Hood /
gave his wife. II never was anything /
dearest, till / knew you and haze teen
a better, happier. and more prosperous man
ever since. Lay that truth in lavender /
sweetest. and remind me Of Il when fail -
Notwithstanding this appreciation, ne |
would occasionally play harmless practical !
Jokes upon her. Once. when staring AT |
Brighton. he gave her few hints on buy
ing fish. and concluded by saying. "If the