Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-10-06
MISMATED.
Unhappy Marriage the Lot Of Many
Famous Men.


'No sun warmed my rooftree;
the marriage was blunder; she
was nine years my senior" Seldom
did the last of the great Victorian
novelists, George Meredith, refer to
his first marriage, in 1S49, with
Mary Ellen Nichols, widow of Lieu
tenant Nichols and daughter OF
Thomas Love Peacock, writes an
English paper. But on one occa-
sion he broke the silence concern
ing that unhappy episode in his
life with the foregoing pathetic
words. 1t is some satisfaction to
know that when the first Mrs. Mere
18th died, in 1860, this great writer
enjoyed some twenty years Of much
happier domestic life with Miss
vulliany, lady of French descent,
whom he married in 1864 and who
died in 1885.
Several other men Of genius con-
temporary with George Meredith
had reason to regret the matrimo-
NAL yoke. John Ruskin, for in
stance, after falling in love as boy
with a beautiful French girl whom
he wooed with poems, romances,
dramas and mute worship, receiving
nothing in reply but chilly indif-
ference and lively ridicule, married
at the age of twenty-nine lady OF
great beauty, Euphemia c. Gray, OF
family long intimate with the
Ruskins. The marriage, we are told,
was arranged by the parents of the
couple, was somewhat hurried act
and brought no happiness to either.
Ruskin was immersed in his studies
and projects, while his wife was de-
voted to society, and six years after
the marriage she left him, obtained
a notification under Scotch law and
ultimately became the wife of John
Everett Millais.
Then there was George Frederick
Watts, the famous Royal academi-
clan, who, when he was forty years
of age, married Miss Ellen Terry,
who was not then out of her teens.
As might have been anticipated, the
union of two such artists, only one
of whom was permitted to pursue
his art, was tempting disaster, and
after short time the marriage
was dissolved. Subsequently Watts
married a Scotch lady, with whom
he lived for years in great happi.
ness.
Tragic in the extreme was the
marriage of Carlyle to Jane Welsh,
whose heart had been given to Ed
ward Irving, but the gifted orator
was engaged to Miss Martin and
was held to his vow. The absence
of love coupled with the bad tenn
per and irritability of the famous
historian led to much unhappiness
both for himself and his wife, who
confessed that the years were to
her the Bitterness of DEATH"
Most of US have read of the I'M
fortunate union Of Lord Byron to
Miss Milbanke, the only daughter
and heiresss of Sir Ralph Milbanke,
wealthy baronct, and how after
| the birth of a child Lady Byron
went to her father and refused to
return to her husband. Subsequent
ly formal deed of separation was
signed. Then there was Shelley,
who married the sister of school
fellow without being really in love.
He separated from his wife and ul-
timately married a second time aft
er his first wife had committed sui
eide by drowning herself in the
Serpentine in Hyde park.
In the annals of literature, how
ever, it would be difficult to find
even in fiction a more amazing ex-
ample of enmity between husband
and wife than that which existed
between Lord Lytton and Rosina
Wheeler, beautiful Irish girl,
whom he married in 1927 despite
the protests of his mother. 1t was
a most unhappy marriage. and even
after the separation. in 1886, they
referred to one another in the most
imbittered tones.-New York Mail.