THE REAL SHELLEY. An Unpleasant Version of the Poet's Love for Mary Godwin.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 126, 31 October 1885, Page 6

THE REAL SHELLEY. An Unpleasant Version of the Poet's Love for Mary Godwin.

Mr John Cordy Jeaffreson is a young Englishman who seems to think that he was born to set the world right in the matter of its particular pet poets. Some time ago, you may remember, he published a volume called " The Real Lord Byron," in which he showed us that much-admired poet and greatly gossiped-about man in complete undress, and the world had herdly got used to the spectacle before lie set to work to upset the picturesque portrait we had painted of Shelley by giving us one that is more realistic than a novel by Emile Zola. "The Real Shelley" (Scribner & Welford) is not written in the spirit of "The Real Byron." With the author of " Don Juan " Mr Jeaffreson had more sympathy, and for him a greater admiration. For Shelley he seems to have a thorough dislike, and, as far as I can fathom bis antipathy, it is founded on moral reasons. Mr Jeaffreson begins by denying an aristo cratic lineage to the poet, and says that his great-grandtather, though born in England, was only " a Yankee apothecary/ and that they were not descended from the first Shelley baronet created in 1611. The story of Shelley and Mary Godwin Mr Jeaffreson tells in a way to make the poet's admirers wince. "The poet had a familiar friend from whom he had received much kindness, for whom he professed cordial veneration, and with whom he lived in close intimacy. This friend had an only daughter, a bright, lively, romantic, lovely girl, still only sixteen years old. Reared within the lines of religious orthodoxy, this young girl had been educated to think of marriage just as other young English girls are usu- ' ally taught to think of it. Though !in former times he had been an advocate of the Free Contract, her father had changed his views about marriage before her birth, and had abandoned his Free Contract views when she was still a nurseling. Soon after making this young girl's acquaintance, Shelley passed into discord with his wife, and fixed his affections on his friend's daughter. Without speaking to his friend on the subject, or giving him occasion to suspect what he was about, Shelley paid his addresses to this child, and had won hsr heart ere ever it occurred to her father that they might be living too intimately and affectionately with one another, " It was with great difficulty that Shelley overcame the child's notions of right in which she had been educated, but eventually he accomplished his purpose. A few day* later, leaving his own wife and child in England, Shelley stole this young girl from her home, and, carrying her off to the Continent, lived with her as though she were his wife. He did this, though she was his mo3t intimate friend's only daughter, though she was only sixteen years old, and though he had no prospect of ever being able to marry her." " MrFroude is of opinion," adds Mr Jeaffreson, with scorn, "that in this matter !rhelley was guilty of nothing worse than ( the sin of acting on emotional theor ies of liberty,' and should be judged tenderly because he was young and enthusiastic ! Differing from Mr Froude, I venture to say that, in acting thus ill towards the girl, Shelley was guilty of very hateful trsason towards his friend."