In Defence of Harriet ShelleyWord文件下载.docx

In Defence of Harriet ShelleyWord文件下载.docx

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syoungdaughter.ThiswasallnewtomewhenIhearditlately,andwastoldthattheproofsofitwereinthisbook,andthatthisbook'

sverdictisacceptedinthegirls'

collegesofAmericaanditsviewtaughtintheirliteraryclasses.

IneachofthesesixyearsmultitudesofyoungpeopleinourcountryhavearrivedattheShelley-readingage.ArethesesixmultitudesunacquaintedwiththislifeofShelley?

Perhapstheyare;

indeed,onemayfeelprettysurethatthegreatbulkofthemare.Tothese,then,Iaddressmyself,inthehopethatsomeaccountofthisromantichistoricalfableandthefabulist'

smannerofconstructingandadorningitmayinterestthem.

First,astoitsliterarystyle.OurnegroesinAmericahaveseveralwaysofentertainingthemselveswhicharenotfoundamongthewhitesanywhere.Amongtheseinventionsoftheirsisonewhichisparticularlypopularwiththem.Itisacompetitioninelegantdeportment.Theyhireahallandbankthespectators'

seatsinrisingtiersalongthetwosides,leavingallthemiddlestretchofthefloorfree.Acakeisprovidedasaprizeforthewinnerinthecompetition,andabenchofexpertsindeportmentisappointedtoawardit.Sometimesthereareasmanyasfiftycontestants,maleandfemale,andfivehundredspectators.

Oneatatimethecontestantsenter,clothedregardlessofexpenseinwhateachconsiderstheperfectionofstyleandtaste,andwalkdownthevacantcentralspaceandbackagainwiththatmultitudeofcriticaleyesonthem.Allthatthecompetitorknowsoffineairsandgraceshethrowsintohiscarriage,allthatheknowsofseductiveexpressionhethrowsintohiscountenance.Hemayuseallthehelpshecandevise:

watch-chaintotwirlwithhisfingers,canetodogracefulthingswith,snowyhandkerchieftoflourishandgetartfuleffectsoutof,shinynewstovepipehattoassistinhiscourtlybows;

andthecoloredladymayhaveafantoworkuphereffectswith,andsmileoverandblushbehind,andshemayaddotherhelps,accordingtoherjudgment.Whenthereviewbyindividualdetailisover,agrandreviewofallthecontestantsinprocessionfollows,withalltheairsandgracesandallthebowingsandsmirkingsonexhibitionatonce,andthisenablesthebenchofexpertstomakethenecessarycomparisonsandarriveataverdict.ThesuccessfulcompetitorgetstheprizewhichIhavebeforementioned,andanabundanceofapplauseandenvyalongwithit.Thenegroeshaveanameforthisgravedeportment-tournament;

anametakenfromtheprizecontendedfor.

TheycallitaCakewalk.

ThisShelleybiographyisaliterarycake-walk.Theordinaryformsofspeechareabsentfromit.Allthepages,alltheparagraphs,walkbysedately,elegantly,nottosaymincingly,intheirSunday-best,shinyandsleek,perfumed,andwithboutonnieresintheirbutton-holes;

itisraretofindevenachancesentencethathasforgottentodress.IfthebookwishestotellusthatMaryGodwin,childofsixteen,hadknownafflictions,thefactsauntersforthinthisnobbyoutfit:

"

Marywasherselfnotunlearnedintheloreofpain"

--meaningbythatthatshehadnotalwaystraveledonasphalt;

or,assomeauthoritieswouldframeit,thatshehad"

beenthereherself,"

aformwhich,whilepreferabletothebook'

sform,isstillnottoberecommended.IfthebookwishestotellusthatHarrietShelleyhiredawet-nurse,thatcommonplacefactgetsturnedintoadancing-master,whodoeshisprofessionalbowbeforeusinpumpsandknee-breeches,withhisfiddleunderonearmandhiscrush-hatundertheother,thus:

ThebeautyofHarriet'

smotherlyrelationtoherbabewasmarredinShelley'

seyesbytheintroductionintohishouseofahirelingnursetowhomwasdelegatedthemother'

stenderestoffice."

ThisisperhapsthestrangestbookthathasseenthelightsinceFrankenstein.Indeed,itisaFrankensteinitself;

aFrankensteinwiththeoriginalinfirmitysupplementedbyanewone;

aFrankensteinwiththereasoningfacultywanting.Yetitbelievesitcanreason,andisalwaystrying.Itisnotcontenttoleaveamountainoffactstandingintheclearsunshine,wherethesimplestreadercanperceiveitsform,itsdetails,anditsrelationtotherestofthelandscape,butthinksitmusthelphimexamineitandunderstandit;

soitsdriftingmindsettlesuponitwiththatintent,butalwayswithoneandthesameresult:

thereisachangeoftemperatureandthemountainishidinafog.Everytimeitsetsupapremiseandstartstoreasonfromit,thereisasurpriseinstoreforthereader.Itisstrangelynearsighted,cross-eyed,andpurblind.Sometimeswhenamastodonwalksacrossthefieldofitsvisionittakesitforarat;

atothertimesitdoesnotseeitatall.

Thematerialsofthisbiographicalfablearefacts,rumors,andpoetry.

Theyareconnectedtogetherandharmonizedbythehelpofsuggestion,conjecture,innuendo,perversion,andsemi-suppression.

Thefablehasadistinctobjectinview,butthisobjectisnotacknowledgedinsetwords.PercyByssheShelleyhasdonesomethingwhichinthecaseofothermeniscalledagravecrime;

itmustbeshownthatinhiscaseitisnotthat,becausehedoesnotthinkasothermendoaboutthesethings.

Oughtnotthattobeenough,ifthefabulistisserious?

Havingprovedthatacrimeisnotacrime,wasitworthwhiletogoonandfastentheresponsibilityofacrimewhichwasnotacrimeuponsomebodyelse?

Whatistheuseofhuntingdownandholdingtobitteraccountpeoplewhoareresponsibleforotherpeople'

sinnocentacts?

Still,thefabulistthinksitagoodideatodothat.InhisviewShelley'

sfirstwife,Harriet,freeofalloffenseasfaraswehavehistoricalfactsforguidance,mustbeheldunforgivablyresponsibleforherhusband'

sinnocentactindesertingherandtakingupwithanotherwoman.

Anyonewillsuspectthatthistaskhasitsdifficulties.Anyonewilldivinethatniceworkisnecessaryhere,cautiouswork,wilywork,andthatthereisentertainmenttobehadinwatchingthemagiciandoit.

Thereisindeedentertainmentinwatchinghim.Hearrangeshisfacts,hisrumors,andhispoemsonhistableinfullviewofthehouse,andshowsyouthateverythingisthere--nodeception,everythingfairandaboveboard.Andthisisapparentlytrue,yetthereisadefect,forsomeofhisbeststockishidinanappendix-basketbehindthedoor,andyoudonotcomeuponituntiltheexhibitionisoverandtheenchantmentofyourmindaccomplished--asthemagicianthinks.

Thereisaninsistentatmosphereofcandorandfairnessaboutthisbookwhichisengagingatfirst,thenalittleburdensome,thenatriflefatiguing,thenprogressivelysuspicious,annoying,irritating,andoppressive.Ittakesonesomelittletimetofindoutthatphraseswhichseemintendedtoguidethereaderarightaretheretomisleadhim;

thatphraseswhichseemintendedtothrowlightaretheretothrowdarkness;

thatphraseswhichseemintendedtointerpretafactaretheretomisinterpretit;

thatphraseswhichseemintendedtoforestallprejudicearetheretocreateit;

thatphraseswhichseemantidotesarepoisonsindisguise.ThenakedfactsarrayedinthebookestablishShelley'

sguiltinthatoneepisodewhichdisfigureshisotherwisesuperlativelyloftyandbeautifullife;

butthehistorian'

scarefulandmethodicalmisinterpretationofthemtransferstheresponsibilitytothewife'

sshouldersashepersuadeshimself.ThefewmeagrefactsofHarrietShelley'

slife,asfurnishedbythebook,acquitherofoffense;

butbycallingintheforbiddenhelpsofrumor,gossip,conjecture,insinuation,andinnuendohedestroyshercharacterandrehabilitatesShelley'

s--ashebelieves.Andintruthhisunheroicworkhasnotbeenbarrenoftheresultsheaimedat;

aswitnesstheassertionmadetomethatgirlsinthecollegesofAmericaaretaughtthatHarrietShelleyputastainuponherhusband'

shonor,andthatthatwaswhatstunghimintorepurifyinghimselfbydesertingherandhischildandenteringintoscandalousrelationswithaschool-girlacquaintanceofhis.

Ifthatassertionistrue,theyprobablyuseareductionofthisworkinthosecolleges,maybeonlyasketchoutlinedfromit.Suchathingasthatcouldbeharmfulandmisleading.Theyoughttocastitoutandputthewholebookinitsplace.Itwouldnotdeceive.Itwouldnotdeceivethejanitor.

Allofthisbookisinterestingonaccountofthesorcerer'

smethodsandtheattractivenessofsomeofhischaractersandtherepulsivenessoftherest,butnopartofitissomuchsoasarethechapterswhereinhetriestothinkhethinkshesetsforththecauseswhichledtoShelley'

sdesertionofhiswifein1814.

HarrietWestbrookwasaschool-girlsixteenyearsold.Shelleywasteemingwithadvancedthought.HebelievedthatChristianitywasadegradingandselfishsuperstition,andhehadadeepandsinceredesiretorescueoneofhissistersfromit.Harrietwasimpressedbyhisvariousphilosophiesandlookeduponhimasanintellectualwonder--whichindeedhewas.Hehadanideathatshecouldgivehimvaluablehelpinhisschemeregardinghissister;

thereforeheaskedhe