The Real Shelley. New Views of the Poet's Life. Vol. 2 (of 2)Jeaffreson, John Cordy
History
The Real Shelley. New Views of the Poet's Life. Vol. 2 (of 2)
Jeaffreson, John Cordy
Poets, English -- 19th century -- Biography; Shelley, Percy Bysshe, 1792-1822
Paragraph No. 8.--‘This is a case in which, as the matter appears to
me, the father’s principles cannot be misunderstood, _in which his
conduct_, which I cannot but consider as highly immoral, has been
established in proof, and established _as the effect of those
principles: conduct_ nevertheless, which he represents to himself and
others, not as _conduct_ to be considered as immoral, but to be
recommended and observed in practice, and as worthy of
approbation.’--Again in this paragraph the Lord Chancellor declares
his judgment to result from the consideration of Shelley’s _conduct_,
following from his avowed and unrecanted principles.
Paragraph No. 9.--‘I consider this, therefore, as a case in which the
father has demonstrated that he must and does deem it to be a matter
of duty which his principles impose upon him, to recommend to those
whose opinions and habits he may take upon himself to form, _that
conduct_ in some of the most important relations of life, as moral and
virtuous, which the law calls upon me to consider as immoral and
vicious--_conduct_ which the law animadverts upon as inconsistent with
the duties of persons in such relations of life; and which it
considers as injuriously affecting both the interests of such persons
and those of the community.’--Here again the Lord Chancellor speaks of
_conduct_; declaring that by _conduct_, resulting from his avowed and
unrecanted principles, Shelley has shown himself a man likely to
educate his children to imitate his _conduct_.
Paragraph No. 10.--‘I cannot, therefore, think that I should be
justified in delivering over these children for their education
exclusively, to what is called the care, to which Mr. Shelley wishes
it to be entrusted.’--No word in this paragraph about either
principles or conduct.
Paragraph No. 11.--‘If I am wrong in my judgment which I have formed
in this painful case, I shall have the consolation to reflect that my
judgment is not final.’--No word in this paragraph about either
principles or conduct.
Paragraph No. 12.--‘Much has been said upon the fact that these
children are of tender years. I have already explained, in the course
of the hearing, the grounds upon which I think that circumstance not
so material as to require me to pronounce no order.’--No word here
about either principles or conduct.
Paragraph No. 13.--‘I add, that the attention which I have been called
upon to give to the consideration, how far the pecuniary interests of
these children may be affected, has not been called for in vain. I
should deeply regret if any act of mine materially affect those
interests. But to such interests I cannot sacrifice what I deem to be
interests of greater value and higher importance.’--No word in this
paragraph about either Shelley’s principles or conduct.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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