The Real Shelley. New Views of the Poet's Life. Vol. 1 (of 2)Jeaffreson, John Cordy
History
The Real Shelley. New Views of the Poet's Life. Vol. 1 (of 2)
Jeaffreson, John Cordy
Poets, English -- 19th century -- Biography; Shelley, Percy Bysshe, 1792-1822
Having seen something of the Westbrooks, whilst Hogg was staying in Poland
street, Shelley saw more of them when Hogg had left London. Hogg had
scarcely started for North Wales, when Miss Elizabeth Westbrook called
upon the future poet at his lodgings, bringing her sister with her. On the
evening of the 18th of April, 1811, the day of Hogg's departure, Shelley
wrote to his friend, 'Miss Westbrook has this moment called on me with her
sister. It certainly was very kind of her.' Three days later (Sunday, 21st
April, 1811), Shelley 'took the Sacrament' with the lady who had paid him
so acceptable an attention. Another three days later (24th April, 1811),
Shelley wrote to the same correspondent of the elder Miss Westbrook's
kindness, charity, and goodness. In a subsequent letter, recalling words
he had uttered to her discredit, he commended her for cleverness. Thinking
so well of the lady, with whom he had so lately taken the Sacrament, it
was natural for Shelley to think he ought to illuminate her, as well as
her sister, out of the Christian religion. Resolute to kill religious
intolerance by killing creed, and to slay creed by converting people to
his own views, he thought he should deal heavy and crushing blows to
prevalent superstition by withdrawing John Westbrook's daughters from the
faith in which they had been educated. 'The fiend, the wretch,' he wrote
of Christianity to Hogg on 28th April, 1811, 'shall fall! Harriett will do
for one of the crushers, and the eldest, Elizabeth, with some training,
will do too.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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