Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

LETTERS WRITTEN BEFORE THE

FINAL DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND.

[ocr errors]

[The following letters are given either for their interest in connexion with Shelley's literary career, or as having some strong independent interest. Some are gathered from outlying publications which have but little of Shelley's ipsissima verba in them; and others are published from the original manuscripts. The first in the series, from an autograph letter in the possession of Mr. Frederick Locker, is chiefly valuable on account of its evidence of Shelley's early engagement in literary projects. When Mr. Garnett discovered the letters in Stockdale's Budget, he pointed out (Macmillan's Magazine, June, 1860, article, “Shelley in Pall Mall") that the one about the Victor and Cazire Poems, dated the 6th of September, 1810, was the earliest extant except "the childish note printed by Medwin." The letter to Messrs. Longman and Co., now placed first in the series, is dated sixteen months earlier than the first to Stockdale, and must take its place as the opening of Shelley's literary correspondence, until superseded by further discovery. Mr. Garnett explained to his readers that Stockdale's Budget was a periodical issued in 1827; a sort of appendix to the more celebrated 'Memoirs of Harriet Wilson; "" and such an explanation is still more or less necessary; for though Shelley's letters to Stockdale have been more than once reprinted, Stockdale's memoirs of his connexion with the youthful author have never been republished in extenso. Indeed, though they might form a proper appendix to an exhaustive biography, they have no literary value whatever, and only a mediocre biographic value. All the letters given in the Budget Series are here reprinted. Their genuineness is beyond question; and of one of them I have seen the original in Shelley's writing. The letter to Sir James Lawrence has been unduly left out of sight, because the obscurity of the book in which it first appeared seems to have emboldened the forger of the spurious letters of 1852 to copy it out in a quasi-Shelleyan hand and sell it as an original; but there is no possibility of doubt that the composition is Shelley's. The same may be said of all the twenty-one given in this group.-H. B. F.]

LETTERS WRITTEN BEFORE THE FINAL

DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND.

LETTER I.

To MESSRS. LONGMAN & Co.

Eton College, May 7th, 1809.

GENTLEMEN,

It is my intention to complete and publish a Romance' of which I have already written a large portion, before the end of July.—My object in writing it was not pecuniary, as I am independent, being the heir of a gentleman of large fortune in the county of Sussex, and prosecuting my studies as an Oppidan at Eton; from the many leisure hours I have, I have taken an opportunity of indulging my favourite propensity in writing. Should it produce any pecuniary advantages, so much the better for me, I do not expect it. If you would be so kind as to answer this, direct it to me at the Rev. George Bethell's.

1 We need not doubt that the reference is to Zastrozzi. Messrs. Longman & Co's memorandum on the letter is "We shall be happy

to see the MS. when finished." If they ever saw it, it would seem it did not suit them, as it was published elsewhere.

Might I likewise request the favour of secresy until the Romance is published.

I am,

Your very humble servant,

PERCY SHELLEY.

Be so good as to tell me, whether I shall send you the original manuscript when I have completed it or one corrected, &c.

LETTER II.

To MR. J. J. STOCKDALE.

Field Place, September 6th, 1810.

SIR,

I have to return you my thankful acknowledgment for the receipt of the books, which arrived as soon as I had any reason to expect,' the superfluity shall be balanced

1 Mr. Garnett gives in Macmillan's Magazine the following account of Shelley's first acquaintance with Stockdale,- -an account derived from that in Stockdale's Budget:-"Shelley's first introduction to Stockdale was verbal, and occurred under singularly characteristic circumstances. In the autumn of 1810 he presented himself at the publisher's place of business, and requested his aid in extricating him from a dilemma in which he had involved himself by commissioning a printer at Horsham to strike off fourteen hundred and eighty copies of a volume of poems, without having the wherewithal to discharge his account. He could hardly have expected Stockdale to do it for him, and the latter's silence is conclusive testi

mony that he contributed no pecuniary assistance, liberal as he doubtless was with good advice. By some means, however, the mute inglorious Aldus of Horsham was appeased, and the copies of the work transferred to Stockdale, who proceeded to advertise them, and take the other usual steps to promote their sale. An advertisement of 'Original Poetry, by Victor and Cazire,' will be found in the Morning Chronicle of September 18, 1810, and the assumed duality of authorship was not, like the particular names employed, fictitious.

The poems were principally— Shelley thought entirely-the production of himself and a friend, and it becomes a matter of no small interest to ascertain who this friend was. It was not Mr.

as soon as I pay for some books which I shall trouble you to bind for me.

I inclose you the title-page of the Poems which as you will see, you have mistaken on account of the illegibility of my hand-writing. I have had the last proof impression from my printer this morning, and I suppose the execution of the work will not be long delayed. As soon as it possibly can, it shall reach you, and believe me, Sir, grateful for the interest you take in it.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient, humble servant,

PERCY B. SHELLEY.

Hogg, whose acquaintance Shelley had not yet made, nor Captain Medwin, or the circumstance would have been long since made public.

"A more likely coadjutor would be Harriet Grove, Shelley's cousin, and the object of his first attachment, who is said to have aided him in the composition of his first romance, 'Zastrozzi.' Indeed, 'Cazire' seems to be intended for a female name; perhaps it was adopted from some novel. However this may be, the little book had evidently been ushered into the world under an unlucky star; few and evil were its days. It had hardly been published a week when Stockdale, inspecting it with more attention than he had previously had leisure to bestow, recognised one of the pieces as an old acquaintance in the pages of

M. G. Lewis, author of "The Monk." It was but too clear that Shelley's colleague, doubtless under the compulsion of the poet's impetuous solicitations for more verses, had appropriated whatever came first to hand, with slight respect for pedantic considerations of meum and tuum. Stockdale lost no time in communicating his discovery to his employer, whose mortification may be imagined, and his directions for the instant suppression of the edition anticipated. By this time, however, nearly a hundred copies had been put into circulation, so that we will not altogether resign the hope of yet recovering this interesting volume, hitherto totally unknown to, or at least unnoticed by all Shelley's biographers. Only one of the letters relating to it remains."

« AnteriorContinuar »