FIRST LOVES THAT FAILED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7701, 9 May 1903, Page 3

FIRST LOVES THAT FAILED.

1 (TSt-Bits.)

It is one' of tbe many perverse tricks which Cupid plays on mortals that be rarely allows a man to marry his first love, although he may, and often does, carry the wounds of his "trial dart" to his grave.

What a different story Carlyle's life might have had to tell us if Margaret Gordon, and nofc Jane Welsh, thafc woman of genius "too kin to his own," had become his wife ! It was when he was a youthful schoolmaster afc Kirkcaldy that' Carlyle's none too susceptible heart fell under the spell of Margaret's fascinations; and how lasting was the spell was proved many years later, when he apostrophised ber as "like a star apwmg earthly lights, noblest maiden," and lavished on her such adjectives as "softly elegant, softly grave, witty and courtly."

But " winsome Maggie " was not destined to be the dour man's .bride. Her family intervened, and one day she told him, "in a tremulous yoice, that they were to meet no more." Only once again did he see her, and that was twenty years later, when, as Lady Bannerman, she flashed for a painful moment, on his sight in Hyde Park.

Nor was Thomas Carlyle Jane Welsh's first- love— if, indeed, she ever truly loved him at all ; for her heart had already been given to Edward Irving, .the dark, handsome man who later electrified fashionable London with his pulpit-eloquence and amused them by his oddities. He, however, was already pledged to Miss Isabella Martin ; and thus the little comedy of errors is ever being played to the confusion of many lives. Ruskin, to his dying day, cherished a very tender memory of Charlotte Withers, the " fair, sensitive slip of a girl " who was for a time a guest in his father's hous*. And Avhat delightful times they had together, this " sweet, delicate, intelligent creature," and the grave, clever youth, then burning with great schemes and thoughts! But the drama came to an abrupt termination. Charlotte was summoned home ; and a little later the young dreamer learned that she was engaged to. become the wife of a flourishing tradesman, — not, be it said, of her own will, but under strong parental pressure. Shelley had scarcely laid aside his Eton jacket when he tumbled head over ears, as boys will, in love with his fair cousin, Harriet Grove, while bis parents smiled approval on the lovers. But the young poet proclaimed his atheistical views too loudly, and, in alarm, the girl's father insisted on tbe engagement being cancelled forthwith. A little later, he eloped with another Harriet, who finally sought an escape from an ill-starred union in the cold waters of tbe Serpentine.

Robert Burns had as many loves "as there are days in a month," but none, perhaps, so tender as bis boyish passion for Mary Morrison, the inspiration of so many of his beautiful songs. But poets are fickle wooers, and ifc was not long after Mary Morrison firsfc stole his heart away thafc we find him exchanging Bibles and protestations of undying love with his " Highland Mary," who. was a Campbell. lfc was by the narrowest of margins thafc Nelson failed to make a wife of a certain young lady of Quebec, who had played sad navoc witb the dashing young sailor's peace of mind. On the very morning on which his ship was to leave Quebec' he landed with the full intention of laying his heart at the charmer's feet; but he was intercepted by a friend, who, after pointing oufc the fatal nature of the step he proposed to take, succeeded 'at last in dragging him back on board.

Samuel Lover's heart was broken when his firsfc love refused bim point-blank ; bufc ifc was nofc unsuccessfully patched up again by his two subsequent marriages, which illustrates} the healing resources of Cupid even .when he seems most cruel. Abraham Lincoln's firsfc love disappointment lef b marks which he carried to his grave. He had jusb been made the happiest of men, by winning the heart of Miss Rutledge when an illness seized her and she died, with her band clasping that of the future President. Lincoln was inconsolable; and even at the height of his brilliant career, when he was the ruler of millions, he declared, sadly, "My heart. lies buried in her graveV'

Byron was only a junior boy at Harrow when he conceived a violent passion for Miss Chaworth, and was driven to distraction by her teasing and patronage. She scoffed at the schoolboy's' sighs and laughed merrily afc his protestations, until in despair he recognised the hopelessness of his suit. But many years afterwards he said, "The '• cloud of that early disappointment has darkened mv life."

Barry Cornwall only won a wife after three attempts, of which two came to disaster. Of his first attachment he wrote: "My love bad the fire of passion; but not the clay Which, drags it downwards; it partook of the innocence of my years." General Wolfe's love experiences were all illfated. For some years he paid ineffectual court to a Miss Lawson, a young lady attached to the Court; and although for her sake he rejected an alliance to which a dower of £30,000' was attached,- she refused to 'listen to. his wooing. '

Boswell bad surviyed * round dozen of

love adventures before he, as a kind of forlorn hope, led his cousin, Miss Montgomerie, to the altar; and his lady-loves ranged from a fair gardener's daughter to fche wealthy heiress who preferred to become Lady Gilmour.