Leigh Hunt's Relations with Byron, Shelley and Keats Part 19

[262] Jeaffreson a.s.signs the cause of Hunt's neglect to his ignorance of the fact that he could suck money out of Sh.e.l.ley. _The Real Sh.e.l.ley_, II, p. 352.

[263] Mac-Carthay in _Literary Anecdotes of the Nineteenth Century_, p.

302.

[264] Sh.e.l.ley was deeply wounded by the attack. He wrote Hunt: "As to what relates to yourself and me, it makes me melancholy to consider the dreadful wickedness of the heart which would have prompted such expressions as those with which the anonymous writer gloats over my domestic calamities and the perversion of understanding with which he paints your character." (Nicoll and Wise, _Literary Anecdotes_, p. 340; December 22, 1818.)

[265] Sh.e.l.ley at first attributed the article in the _Quarterly_ to Southey on the grounds of his enmity to _The Examiner_ which, Sh.e.l.ley declared, had been the "crown of thorns worn by this unredeemed Redeemer for many years." Southey denied the authorship. (Nicoll and Wise, _Literary Anecdotes_, p. 341; December 22, 1818.)

[266] _The Examiner_, September 26, October 3 and 10, 1819. See also _Correspondence_, I, pp. 125-126.

[267] _Correspondence_, I, p. 169.

[268] _Ibid._, I, p. 166.

[269] See Hunt, _Correspondence_, I, p. 130.

[270] For Sh.e.l.ley's desire for Hunt's good opinion, see _Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, VIII, p. 167. Hunt's collection of poems, published during 1818, under the t.i.tle of _Foliage_ was dedicated to Sh.e.l.ley: "Had I known a person more highly endowed than yourself with all the qualities that it becomes a man to possess, I had selected for this work the ornament of his name. One more gentle, honorable, innocent and brave; one of more exalted toleration of all who do and think evil; one who knows better how to receive, and how to confer a benefit though he must ever confer far more than he can receive; one of simpler, and in the highest sense of the word, of purer life and manners I never knew: and I had already been fortunate in friendships when your name was added to the list."

[271] _Correspondence_, I, p. 153.

[272] _Ibid._, I, p. 154.

[273] _Ibid._, I, p. 179; March 26, 1822.

[274] In an article on the _Suburbs of Genoa and the Country about London_, pp. 118-119.

[275] Dated August 4, 1823.

[276] The second part of the sketch was in answer to the _Quarterly Review's_ attack on the _Posthumous Poems_, which Mrs. Sh.e.l.ley, aided by Hunt, had published in 1824. This account was reworked in 1850 for the _Autobiography_ and was taken in part for the preface to an edition of Sh.e.l.ley's works in 1871. Hunt wrote another biographical sketch of Sh.e.l.ley for S. C. Hall's _Book of Gems_ (p. 40). He gave a fine description of his physical appearance not often quoted.

[277] It was considered by the _Athaneum_ to be the best part of the book, and to be the "powerful portrait of a benevolent man." (VI, p. 70.)

[278] Letter to Ollier, February, 1858.

[279] _Atlantic Monthly_, February, 1863.

[280] Forman, _Sh.e.l.ley Library_, p. 113, says that the motto from _Laon and Cythna_ was added by Hunt.

[281] Pt. 2, p. 37.

[282] P. 217.

[283] _A Shelf of Old Books_, p. 291.

[284] Hunt's _Book of the Sonnet_, which appeared posthumously, contained a criticism of Sh.e.l.ley's sonnet on _Ozymandyas_ (I, p. 87).

[285] August 13 and 20, 1859.

[286] _The Examiner_, December 28, 1817.

[287] _Ibid._, July 15, 1821.

[288] _Literary Pocket Book_, London, 1819. Sh.e.l.ley's signature was [Greek: D] and [Greek: S]. See Hunt, _Correspondence_, I, 125.

[289] _Literary Pocket Book_, 1821. (_Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, III, p. 150.)

[290] _Literary Pocket Book_, 1821. (_Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, III, p. 380.)

[291] _Literary Pocket Book_, 1822. (_Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, IV, p. 32.)

[292] _Ibid._, 1822. (_Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, IV, p. 49.)

[293] _Ibid._, 1823. (_Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, IV, p. 63.)

[294] _Ibid._, 1823. (_Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, IV, p. 41.)

[295] _Ibid._, 1823. Mr. Forman thinks that the poem refers to Harriet Sh.e.l.ley's death and that the date is a disguise. (_Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, III, p. 146.)

[296] _The Indicator_, December 22, 1819.

[297] Chapter IV.

[298] _Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, VIII, p. 291; November 3, 1819.

[299] _Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, IV, p. 359.

[300] Six months later, December 6, 1812, Hunt addressed a letter to Lord Ellenborough on the same subject in regard to his own sentence.

[301] June 11, 18, 25, July 2, 9, August 27, September 3, 10, October 1, 8, 15, 22, December 3, 10, 17; in 1821, February 4, August 12, 19, and September 9. The last three articles were written after the Queen's death.

[302] Keats's _The Cap and Bells_ deals with the same.

[303] Sh.e.l.ley gave directions that the poem should be printed like Hunt's _Hero and Leander_. _Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, III, p. 101.

[304] _Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, VIII, p. 116; August 15, 1819. The letter instructs Hunt to throw the poem into the fire or not as he sees fit and requests him, in preference to Peac.o.c.k, to correct the proofs. "Can you take it as a compliment that I prefer to trouble you?"

[305] Forman wrongly attributes the review of Reynolds' _Peter Bell_ in _The Examiner_ of April 25, 1819, to Hunt and says that this "flippant notice" by Hunt inspired Sh.e.l.ley's poem. _Ibid._, II, p. 288. Reynolds asked Keats to request Hunt to review his poem. Keats did it himself.

(Keats, _Works_, III, pp. 246-249.)

[306] _Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, III, p. 235.

[307] Hunt, _Correspondence_, I, p. 116, 141; April 24, 1818, and September 6, 1819. Cf. with _Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, VIII, p. 121; September 3, 1819. (Editor says dated wrongly.)

[308] _Works of Sh.e.l.ley_, VIII, p. 127; September 27, 1819.

[309] _Correspondence_, I, p. 123; August 4, 1818.

[310]