New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-14
SHELLEYS WIDOW
Her Filtration with the Author of
Home. Sweet Home"

Home. Sweet Home.
Tho bool, about the shelleys by Mr..
Francis Gribblc. announcement OF which
was made some time ago, is soon to
appear. Meanwhile the author gives us
foretasto Of It's quality. contributing to
the current number Of The fortnishtiy
chapter on Mary Shelley's SuitorN'
This contains matter of some interest
On this side Of the water. inasmuch as
it represents the poets widow as casting
sleeps eyes at washington Irving and
rather cold bloodedly flirting with John
Howard Payne. the author OF Home.
Sweet Home" IT has not hitherto been
known that she had any relations what
ever with these noted Americans. The
facts now brought to light have, to be
sure nothing even mildly sensational
about them. but they are sufficiently ar
resting very characteristic Of the
Shellcyan tradition.
Mr. Gribble bases his revelations on
certain letters that passed between Payne
and Mrs. Shelley, and that are now in
the possession Of Mr. William BiXby
They have been privately printed by the
Boston Bibiophlle Society. From them
1t appears that the two met IN Paris in
1928. when Mrs. Shelley was on her way
home from Italy and Payne was occu-
pied In the evasion Of his English cred
itors and writing plays in collaboration
,trit Ir,-in GIprftt- u IforV-grn tho
acquaintance was continued i'm London.
They philandered. Payne had access 10
the theatres and was forever supplying
Mrs. Shelley with complimentary tickets.
From time TO time lie would write 10
her i'm this vein: your yesterdays con-
versations filled my mind so full Of
yourself that my poor pillow had but a
small portion Of its due. a heroine In
love and friendship and duty TO parent
and 10 the two former almost a mar
tyr--is to me a being so beyond all others
that, ever though her qualities are GER
tainly images of what is promised In
heaven above ! can knecl down and
worship them without dreading the Wis
itatIon upon idoatry." But as Mary
Shelley once explained TO Miss Clair
mont, in a letter from which Mr.. Gribble
quotes she received her impressions
through her head rather than through
her heart, and she replied to Payne with
mastery discretion You must not
make me vain" she writes. You are
good and kind, and deserve, therefore.
nothing but kindness. But we must
tread lightly on the mosaic Of circum-
stance, for II we press too hard the
beauty and charm are defaced.' So, like
Charlotte. she went on cutting bread
and butter. and II she looked out Of the
window at all to take notice Of her dis
consulate Werther IT was only TO see II
he was doing his duty ana fetching her
more theatre tickets. Hence, as we have
noted, the failure Of their correspondence
10 supply very romantic or exciting read
ing.
Where It takes on a slightly livelier
interest is in the disclosure that Mrs.
Shelley's fancy had been engaged by
Washington Irving, she employing Payne
as . kind of stalking horse In her ap
proach TO that individual. Naturally,
the lesser man was chagrined but he
seems TO have been good uatured about
it, and in fact. to have talked the matter
over with both his friends. Among the
documents cited by Mr.. Gribble IS this
memorandum of a conversation with
Mrs. Shelley which Payne laid before
Irving:
She attempted fully but delicateiy to ex-
self so placed with the world that she never
could expect its distinctions. and that the
high feeling she entertained for the memory
81 her husband forbade the hope OF any
future connection which should make the
world Indifferent 10 her-or rather the Eng
Iish world. Therefore she was DESTROYS Of
getting 10 Italy, and there passing the rest
turned upon YOU. She said YOU had in
torested her more than any one she had
seen since she left Italy; that YOU We're
gentle and cordial. and that she longed Tor
friendship with you. ] rallied her "A little
upon the declaration and at first she nred
at my mentioning that she talked az II she
were IN love. Upon her reply ] answered:
What, Would YOU make me d playthinS
Of Mr.. II" And then the chat sank into
mere commonplace The scope Of her re-
marks was that, whenever she formed any
alliance. II must ne Win some one NIOHt
high character and mind should De worthy
If him who had drawn her from obscurIty.
and that her selection must not dlshonor
his choice.
Irving. as is We'll known, had only ono
love affair." and when Emily Foster re-
jected him his heart was sealed against
any other woman. He certainly had no
notion of putting it in Mary Shelleys
hands Presently. on Payne's departure
for Paris, where he expects to see Try
ing at his home I'm the Rue Richelieu. he
receives from the sentimental dame the
following letter:
Now. my dear Payne tho ! am a little
fool do not make me appear 80 In tine
Rue Dichclieu by repeating tales out of
| am not afraid: / am sure YOU love me
well enough not 10 be accessory IN making
me appear ridiculous 10 one whom 1 Ike
and esteem, though ! am sure that the
time and space between US VIII never be
shortened. Perhaps IL is that very GER
tainty that makes me, female QuiXotc as
I am pay such homage 10 the unattaiuablC
Dulcinea I'm the Cueva de Montesinos-i e.,
Rue UlcHelicu.
But again. be not telltalc. SO God
less YOU, Give my love, OF course PA
tonic, to I.
IN all this there was no comfort for
Payne. 81 need not tell you" he writes.
how deep is my regret at leaving =
Mace SO much dearer TO me than the