11. 3, 5. I reproduce the punctuation of the Pisan edition, with a colon
after 'his own,' and a semicolon after 'sorrow.' It appears to me
however that the sense would rather require either a full stop after
'his own,' and a comma after 'sorrow,' or else a comma after 'his own,'
and a full stop or colon after 'sorrow.' Yet it is possible that the
phrase, 'As in the accents,' &c., forms a separate clause by itself,
meaning, 'As _if_ in the accents of an unknown land, he sang new
sorrow.'
11. 8, 9. _Made bare his branded and ensanguined brow, Which was like
Cain's or Christ's._ Shelley represents his own brow as being branded
like Cain's--stamped with the mark of reprobation; and ensanguined like
Christ's--bleeding from a crown of thorns. This indicates the extreme
repugnance with which he was generally regarded, and in especial perhaps
the decree of the Court of Chancery which deprived him of his children
by his first marriage--and generally the troubles and sufferings which
he had undergone. The close coupling-together, in this line, of the
names of Cain and Christ, was not likely to conciliate antagonists; and
indeed one may safely surmise that it was done by Shelley more for the
rather wanton purpose of exasperating them than with any other
object.--In this stanza Urania appears for the last time.
+Stanza 35,+ 1, 1. _What softer voice is hushed over the dead?_ The
personage here referred to is Leigh Hunt. See p. 45.
1. 6. _Gentlest of the wise._ It is apparent that Shelley entertained a
very sincere affection and regard for Leigh Hunt. He dedicated to Hunt
the tragedy of _The Cenci_, using the following expressions among
others: 'Had I known a person more highly endowed than yourself with all
that it becomes a man to possess, I had solicited for this work the
ornament of his name. One more gentle, honourable, innocent, and brave;
one of more exalted toleration for all who do and think evil, and yet
himself more free from 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.'
1. 7. _Taught, soothed, loved, honoured, the departed one._ It has
sometimes been maintained that Hunt, whatever may have been the personal
friendship which he felt for Keats, did not, during the latter's
lifetime, champion his literary cause with so much zeal as might have
been expected from his professions. This is a point open to a good deal
of discussion from both sides. Mr. Buxton Forman, who, as Editor of
Keats, had occasion to investigate the matter attentively, pronounces
decidedly in favour of Hunt.
+Stanza 36,+ 1. 1. _Our Adonais has drunk poison._ Founded on those
lines of Moschus which appear as a motto to Shelley's Elegy. See also p.
49.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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