It was doubtless a matter for regret and apologetic explanation with Mr. Bysshe Shelley, that, owing to the Fiery Hun's peculiarities, he could not safely carry his friend with him to Sussex at the close of the Michaelmas term, but was under the necessity of preceding him to Field Place and foregoing the delights of his society, until he should be authorized by the capricious, and too often austere Killjoy, to invite him thither for the gaieties of Christmas and the New-Year. The evidences are not conclusive on the point; but they afford particulars from which it may be fairly assumed that, for several days after Shelley's withdrawal from the University for the Christmas holidays, Hogg (whether lingering at Oxford, or staying at the London Hotel, where he received several letters from Shelley in the closing days of December, 1810, and the opening days of January, 1811) looked to each successive post for an invitation to Field Place, and to the presence of the young lady, with whom he was predisposed to fall in love, and had promised to fall in love, if he found it in his power to do so. CHAPTER XI. THE CHRISTMAS VACATION OF 1810-11. Presentation copies of _St. Irvyne_--Shelley resorts to Deception--Shelley in Disgrace at Field Place--Harriett Grove's Dismissal of her Suitor--The Squire's Anger--Mrs. Shelley's Alarm for her Girls--Shelley's Troubles--His Rage against Intolerance--His Wild Letters to Hogg--'Married to a Clod'--Stockdale's Design--His Intercourse with Shelley's Father--More Negotiations with the Pall-Mall Publisher--Shelley a Deist--Controversial Correspondence--Shelley's Attempt to enlighten his Father--His Passage from Deism to Atheism--The Squire relents to his Son--Hogg invited to Field Place--Stockdale's Disappointment--Hogg invited to Field Place--Stockdale's Character--His Scandalous _Budget_.