The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-15


to be read. The youthful lover OF
verse, opening at the beginning of a
volume Of Tennyson's poems for his
perusal of that great master of song.
finds a lot of pretty. trfiing verses
about Lillian. Claribei and other
young ladies--mere Juvenilia, which
would hardly have lived in the worlds
memory for a decade of time, had
nothing better followed. The youth,
II rather earnest and impatiently in
considerate, might well. after reading
a few hundred lines, ming aside the
volume without ever knowing the JOY
or the glory of the "Lotos Eaters,
| Ulysses" "Locksley Hail." or the
| wonderful shsaf OF lyrics scattered
through the Princess. to say moth
/ ing of I'm Memoriam" or the '1dylls
| Of the King" Now, IL 1t be deemed
| needful that the poetic errors or
| weaknesses of immature genius should
be pillorisd in immortal print. would
| it not, then, be the saner and hu-
maner course to initiate the excellent
| editors, Buxton Forman and Thomas
| Henderson, who relegate Queen
Nab" to the obscurity OF a place
| among the ''Juvenilia" In an appendix
to the "Poems"f
| As 1t 10, this poem. written in
Sheliey's youth. never published by
him, and tehemently repudiated and
denounced by the author, when, many
years later, a piraticai bookseller gave
It tn the worid,-th.s luckless and hys-
tericai poem appears, In ordinary edi-
| tons of the poet. at the very be-
ginning. an eyesore and a noffense,
especially, when accompanied by the
notes-more extravagant than the
poem--which the headstrong youth
appended to 1t when he printed a
limited number of copies for private
circulation. There have been many
readers of Queen Mab"-which the
regretful poet. in his later correspon-
dence. characterized as "villanous
| trash; as perfectly worthless. In
point Of literary composition; and
as crude and immature" Very few
of these readers, whether shocked or
pleased can have perused Shelley's
long, though unfinished, Essay on
Christia nifty" found among his papers
Latter bis death. Tbs essay, written
with grave and sustained eloquence, is
a loving and reverent tribute to the
Founder of Christianity, his charac-
ter and his teachings. and has very
little to offend even those who could
NOT accept its practically Unitarian
positions.
1t NAV surprise some readers that
should speak OF Shelley fwho re-
jected, even In the milder and caimer
years, toward the close of his brief
life, the system Of doctrine, calling it.
self Christianity as teacher of
Christian forgiveness. But that sys-
tenn. though historically evolved from
the teachings of the Master, mainly
by st, Paul and a host of theologians,
his disciples and exaggerators. was a
; very different thing Gas the church
and the world are coming more and
more to recognize) from the good
news of divine love, the simple Cos
pei of the fatherhood OF God and the
brotherhood o fman, which Jesus him
self proclaimed. He did not make
II his business to promulgate a set
of theological propositions ttrue or
| otherwisr); but he did. with peculiar
intensity and with unfiinching and IN
exorabIe demand insist on the duty
and the necessity of forgiveness--not
that miserably inadequate and grudg-
ing half-forgiveness which processes
to be willing to extend pardon when
pardon Is asked. but that divinely
, overlooking forgiveness which loves
. the enemy while he hates and blesses
him while he curses.
The writings of Shelley abound in
expressions, sincere and often impas-
, stoned, OF his devotion to the princi-
pie and practice of forgiveness. Sew
8 eral Of these are found in the Essay
on Christianity" so that Shelley not
only shares the essential spirit of the
r Master in this matter but directly con-
meets his advocacy with the teaching
8 and example of Christ. Inveighing
against the impossible doctrine OF
endless torture, Shelley declares. The
{ absurd and execrable doctrine of ven
Geance, in all Its shapes. seems 10
have been contemplated by this great
4 moralist with the profoundest disap-
probation: nor would he permit the
r most venerable OF names TO be per-
verified into sanction for the mean
est and most contemplate propensi-
, ties incident TO the nature of man
Love your enemies, bless those who
curse you, that ye may be the sons OF
n your Heavenly Father. who makes
the sun to shine on the good an6
h on the evil. and the rain to fall or
the just and unjust How mon.
strous caluinny have not impostors
| dared to advance against the mild ant
gentle author of this just sentiment
:. and against the whole tenor of his
y doctrines and his life. overlooking with
benevolence and forbearance and com.
passion"
In a like spirit Shelley, in one of his
j. letters, condemning the poet Ariosto
:. says. He constantly vindicates and
~ emhellishes revenge In its crosses
form.the most deadly superstition
that ever infested the world"
= Turning from Shelley's prose to hi.
IS poetry, one finds what might almos
be termed propaganda-varied II
form and brought forward in mos
diverse connections--of the doct me o.
forgiveness.
- Nearly all the poetry on which tn,
n fame OF Shelley securely rests wa
the product of that Italian residence
q little over four years in duration
which was terminated by his death
Before this period. however. ne hat
II produced one OF his greater poems
The Revolt of Islam" This long ant
diffuse poem. with its delightfully."- ro'
II mantle story. is a most remarkable
unconscious prophecy in its genera
II theme.
II Ths revolutionary hero OF the poem
II exhorting his followers to pardon III.
H tyrant's mercenaries. appeals to theil
II pity, in the words:
II "Oh wherefore should III ever nov
II from Ill.
II And pain still keener pain forever