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weakly； stumblingly； but still strugglingtowards higher things。
His Pantheism is an indication of it。 Pantheism is a half…way
house； and marks ascent or descent according to the direction from
which it is approached。 Now Shelley came to it from absolute
Atheism； therefore in his case it meant rise。 Again； his poetry
alone would lead us to the same conclusion； for we do not believe
that a truly corrupted spirit can write consistently ethereal
poetry。 We should believe in nothing； if we believed that； for it
would be the consecration of a lie。 Poetry is a thermometer： by
taking its average height you can estimate the normal temperature of
its writer's mind。 The devil can do many things。 But the devil
cannot write poetry。 He may mar a poet； but he cannot make a poet。
Among all the temptations wherewith he tempted St。 Anthony； though
we have often seen it stated that he howled； we have never seen it
stated that he sang。
Shelley's anarchic principles were as a rule held by him with some
misdirected view to truth。 He disbelieved in kings。 And is it not
a mere factregret it if you willthat in all European countries；
except two； monarchs are a mere survival； the obsolete buttons on
the coat…tails of rule； which serve no purpose but to be continually
coming off？ It is a miserable thing to note how every little Balkan
State； having obtained liberty （save the mark！） by Act of Congress；
straightway proceeds to secure the service of a professional king。
These gentlemen are plentiful in Europe。 They are the 〃noble
Chairmen〃 who lend their names for a consideration to any
enterprising company which may be speculating in Liberty。 When we
see these things； we revert to the old lines in which Persius tells
how you cannot turn Dama into a freeman by twirling him round your
finger and calling him Marcus Dama。
Again； Shelley desired a religion of humanity； and that meant； to
him； a religion for humanity； a religion which； unlike the spectral
Christianity about him； should permeate and regulate the whole
organisation of men。 And the feeling is one with which a Catholic
must sympathise； in an age whenif we may say so without
irreverencethe Almighty has been made a constitutional Deity； with
certain state…grants of worship； but no influence over political
affairs。 In these matters his aims were generous； if his methods
were perniciously mistaken。 In his theory of Free Love alone；
borrowed like the rest from the Revolution； his aim was as
mischievous as his method。 At the same time he was at least
logical。 His theory was repulsive； but comprehensible。 Whereas
from our present via mediafacilitation of divorcecan only result
the era when the young lady in reduced circumstances will no longer
turn governess but will be open to engagement as wife at a
reasonable stipend。
We spoke of the purity of Shelley's poetry。 We know of but three
passages to which exception can be taken。 One is happily hidden
under a heap of Shelleian rubbish。 Another is offensive； because it
presents his theory of Free Love in its most odious form。 The third
is very much a matter； we think； for the individual conscience。
Compare with this the genuinely corrupt Byron； through the cracks
and fissures of whose heaving versification steam up perpetually the
sulphurous vapours from his central iniquity。 We cannot credit that
any Christian ever had his faith shaken through reading Shelley；
unless his faith were shaken before he read Shelley。 Is any safely
havened bark likely to slip its cable； and make for a flag planted
on the very reef where the planter himself was wrecked？
Why indeed （one is tempted to ask in concluding） should it be that
the poets who have written for us the poetry richest in skiey grain；
most free from admixture with the duller things of earththe
Shelleys； the Coleridges； the Keatsare the very poets whose lives
are among the saddest records in literature？ Is it that （by some
subtile mystery of analogy） sorrow； passion； and fantasy are
indissolubly connected； like water； fire； and cloud； that as from
sun and dew are born the vapours； so from fire and tears ascend the
〃visions of aerial joy〃； that the harvest waves richest over the
battlefields of the soul； that the heart； like the earth； smells
sweetest after rain； that the spell on which depend such necromantic
castles is some spirit of pain charm…poisoned at their base？ ｛10｝
Such a poet； it may be； mists with sighs the window of his life
until the tears run down it； then some air of searching poetry； like
an air of searching frost； turns it to a crystal wonder。 The god of
golden song is the god； too； of the golden sun； so peradventure
song…light is like sunlight； and darkens the countenance of the
soul。 Perhaps the rays are to the stars what thorns are to the
flowers； and so the poet； after wandering over heaven； returns with
bleeding feet。 Less tragic in its merely temporal aspect than the
life of Keats or Coleridge； the life of Shelley in its moral aspect
is； perhaps； more tragical than that of either； his dying seems a
myth； a figure of his living； the material shipwreck a figure of the
immaterial。
Enchanted child； born into a world unchildlike； spoiled darling of
Nature； playmate of her elemental daughters； 〃pard…like spirit；
beautiful and swift；〃 laired amidst the burning fastnesses of his
own fervid mind； bold foot along the verges of precipitous dream；
light leaper from crag to crag of inaccessible fancies； towering
Genius； whose soul rose like a ladder between heaven and earth with
the angels of song ascending and descending it；he is shrunken into
the little vessel of death； and sealed with the unshatterable seal
of doom； and cast down deep below the rolling tides of Time。 Mighty
meat for little guests； when the heart of Shelley was laid in the
cemetery of Caius Cestius！ Beauty； music； sweetness； tearsthe
mouth of the worm has fed of them all。 Into that sacred bridal…
gloom of death where he holds his nuptials with eternity let not our
rash speculations follow him。 Let us hope rather that as； amidst
material nature； where our dull eyes see only ruin； the finer eye of
science has discovered life in putridity and vigour in decay；
seeing dissolution even and disintegration； which in the mouth of
man symbolise disorder； to be in the works of God undeviating order；
and the manner of our corruption to be no less wonderful than the
manner of our health；so； amidst the supernatural universe； some
tender undreamed surprise of life in doom awaited that wild nature；
which； worn by warfare with itself； its Maker； and all the world；
now
Sleeps； and never palates more the dug；
The beggar's nurse； and Caesar's。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ That is to say； taken as the general animating spirit of the
Fine Arts。
｛2｝ The Abbe Bareille was not； of course； responsible for
Savonarola's taste； only for thus endorsing it。
｛3｝ We mean； of course； the hymn； 〃I rise from dreams of time。〃
｛4｝ We are a little surprised at the fact； because so many
Victorian poets are； or have been； prose…writers as well。 Now；
according to our theory； the practice of prose should maintain fresh
and comprehensive a poet's diction； should save him from falling
into the hands of an exclusive coterie of poetic words。 It should
react upon his metrical vocabulary to its beneficial expansion； by
taking him outside his aristocratic circle of language； and keeping
him in touch with the great commonalty； the proletariat of speech。
For it is with words as with men： constant intermarriage within the
limits of a patrician clan begets effete refinement； and to
reinvigorate the stock； its veins must be replenished from hardy
plebeian blood。
｛5｝ Wordsworth's adaptation of it； however； is true。 Men are not
〃children of a larger growth；〃 but the child IS father of the man；
since the parent is only partially reproduced in his offspring。
｛6｝ The Rhythm of Life； by Alice Meynell。
｛7｝ 〃And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth； even as a fig…
tree casteth her untimely figs； when she is shaken of a mighty wind〃
（Rev。 vi； 13）。
｛8｝ Such analogies between master in sister…arts are often
interesting。 In some respects； is not Brahms the Browning of music？
｛9｝ Seek FIRST； not seek ONLY。
｛10｝ We hope that we need not refer the reader； for the methods of
magic architecture； to Ariosto and that Atlas among enchanters；
Beckford。
End