Records of Shelley, Byron, and the Author

by Trelawny, Edward John; Barton, Anne

• ISBN13: 9780940322363
• ISBN10: 0940322366
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-05-31
• Publisher: NYRB Classics

Summary

In 1822, after having been discharged from the British navy, deserted by his wife, and as good as disowned by his father, the thirty-two year old Edward John Trelawny set off for Italy to make the acquaintance of his hero, Lord Byron. "I have met today the personification of my Corsair," Byron wrote in a letter. "He sleeps with the poem under his pillow, and all his past adventures and present manners aim at this personification." But though Byron enjoyed the company of his admirer, and was eventually to embark with him on his ill-fated final expedition to aid in the War of Greek Independence, he had grown guarded and ironical with age, and the perfect meeting of minds that Trelawny had envisioned was not to be. Shelley, however, enchanted him. In the months before his death at sea, he and Trelawny were frequent companions, and the young poet emerges from these pages in all his splendid carelessness and otherworldly concentration.

Author Biography

Edward John Trelawny (1792-1881) was born into a well-established family from Cornwall. He passed a miserable childhood, and at the age of thirteen was enrolled by his father in the British navy. Discharged without a commission after a decade, Trelawny found his way to Italy, where he became part of the circle of expatriates around Byron and Shelley. He fought in the Greek War of Independence, during which he survived an assassination attempt, and wrote a notoriously unreliable but enormously successful autobiography Trelawny is buried beside Shelley in the English Cemetery in Rome. Anne Barton is a Professor of English at Cambridge University and a Fellow of Trinity College

Table of Contents

Introduction	xix
VOLUME ONE
Preface	3	(10)
Chapter 1	13	(5)
Trelawny visits Ouchy, 1820
Forms the acquaintance of a German bookseller at Lausanne
Who shows him Shelley's Queen Mab
Breakfasts at Lausanne with Captain Roberts
Converses with Wordsworth, and his wife and sister
Wordsworth sets no value on Shelley's poetry
Afterwards admired him
Chapter 2	18	(6)
Trelawany goes to Geneva
Meets Williams and Medwin
Medwin speaks admiringly of Shelley
Trelawny and the Williamses go to Chalon-sur-Saone
Trelawny proceeds to Paris
The Williamses go to Pisa, and know the Shelleys
Two letters (April and December 1821) from Williams to Trelawny, speaking of Shelley, Byron, &c.
Chapter 3	24	(4)
Trelawny returns from Paris to Geneva, Autumn 1821
Goes with Roberts to Genoa
Proceeds to Pisa
Visits the Williamses, beginning of 1822
Is introduced to Shelley
Shelley's youthful appearance
He translates orally portions of Calderon's El magico prodigioso
Introduces Trelawny to Mrs. Shelley
Chapter 4	28	(8)
Shelley introduces Trelawny to Byron
Byron's demeanor and chit-chat
His acuteness in conversing with Shelley
His person and attire
Byron, Shelley, and Trelawny, take horse, and engage in pistol-practice
Byron converses about his literary position with Shelley
Trelawny, Shelley and Mrs. Shelley, discuss Byron, his character and dramas
Byron speaks of his own diet and Shelley's and of Medwin's notes of his conversation
Chapter 5	36	(20)
Byron's early travels
His daily routine, and manner in society
Banters Trelawny on his not corresponding with a preconceived ideal
Speaks of Don Juan and of Shelley
References to Shelley in Byron's letters
His feeling for Moore and Hobhouse, and remarks on Rogers
Near fighting a duel with a Captain of the Pope's Guard
Interview with a French gentleman
Conversation on slights shown to Shelley
Rogers and the dog Moretto
Byron addicted to mystifying his acquaintances
Truly named ``Baby Byron''
His Memoirs, suppressed by Moore
His extravagant talk startles Mrs. Shelley
Shelley's remark on it
Lady Byron's character, and separation from her husband
Byron's easy-going habits
Observations on the separation by a lady at Genoa
Letter from R.E. regarding one from Lady Byron
Poets ill-suited for married life
Lady Byron's allegations to Mrs. Stowe
Chapter 6	56	(8)
Byron's vaunts as to drinking, swimming, &c.
He challenges Trelawny to a swim, but is threatened with cramp on his return
Another such challenge at Ithaca proves abortive
His habits very sober in Italy
His dread of getting fat, and consequent abstemiousness
Disregards death, but not pain
Subject to low fever
Mrs. Shelley and Shelley talk of Byron's indecision, &c.
``Little better than a Christian''
Shelley on great men of the day
Byron on writing for posterity
Shelley in company with Byron's friends from England
Chapter 7	64	(9)
Shelley's poems neglected during his lifetime
Byron banters Trelawny on enthusiasm, &c.
Shelley termed ``the Snake'' by Byron
Shelley's mental activity
Williams hereby incited to write a drama in verse
Shelley dismayed at a musical party proposed by his wife
A dinner substituted
Shelley and Byron in society, their diverse demeanor
Shelley an exception to the usual disappointment from knowing an eminent author personally
Shelley tries to swim, and is near drowning
Saved by Trelawny
Conversation on the destiny of the soul, on Shelley as an Atheist, &c.
Shelley's zest in reading
His indifference to dining, or any meal
Byron's eulogium on Shelley, en route for Greece
Chapter 8	73	(8)
Byron's railings against the world
His marriage
Shelley's loftiness of spirit
His love of sea and river
Mrs. Shelley and Trelawny seek for Shelley in the wood near Pisa
Trelawny proceeds, and discovers Shelley, and his first draft of ``Ariel to Miranda''
Shelley distracted from writing by noise indoors
He and Trelawny rejoin Mrs. Shelley, and give vent to boisterous high spirits
Shelley on his mode of composition, and on jealousy
Chapter 9	81	(18)
Trelawny drives with Shelley to Leghorn
Shelley's inobservance of his infant, and dislike of a hat
Conversation on ``Everybody,'' women, &c.
Epipsychidion and its critics
The Cenci, Charles the First, Prometheus Unbound
Heredity
Visit to Scotch ladies at Leghorn
Shelley and his bag of scudi
The Scotch ladies enthusiastic about Shelley
He and Trelawny visit a Greek ship at Leghorn, and an American one
Proposal to go to the Gulf of Spezia
Trelawny, Williams, and Shelley, meet by the bridge at Pisa
Longevity of Florentines
Shelley and Williams recount their start in life
Trelawny cuts the talk short
Chapter 10	99	(23)
Byron orders a yacht, and Shelley an open boat
Trelawny and Williams go to the Gulf of Spezia, and look over the Villa Magni
Captain Roberts sees to building the vessels
Byron's daily routine, and Shelley's
Shelley and Williams ardent in the prospect of boating
The Shelleys go to Villa Magni
Shelley's boat, the Don Juan
Two letters from him to Trelawny, May and June 1822
Prussic Acid
Byron's yacht, the Bolivar
Shelley and Williams inexpert in boating
Byron's ignorance of nautical matters
Shelley's skiff upset close inshore
He invites Mrs. Williams and her children to go out in his skiff
Proposes to ``solve the great mystery''
Mrs. Williams beguiles him to return
An instance of quasi-somnambulism in Shelley
A visitor from Genoa arrives
Shelley enters the room unclothed after bathing
Trelawny, sailing to Leghorn, takes leave of Shelley writing in the woods
Byron's villa at Monte Nero near Leghorn
Arrival of Leigh Hunt and his family
Byron out of humor with the household and publishing arrangements with Hunt
Chapter 11	122	(18)
Shelley and Williams arrive at Leghorn, and accompany the Hunts to Pisa
Williams's last letter to his wife, and last entry in Journal, July 4, 1822
The squabble of Byron and his companions with the Sergeant-Major Masi in Pisa
Letter from Shelley, and note from Mrs. Shelley, as to this
Mrs. Williams's last letter to Shelley, July 6th
Shelley and Williams set sail from Leghorn, July 8th
Trelawny prevented by quarantine regulations from accompanying them
The squall in which Shelley and Williams perished
An oar from the Don Juan seen in an Italian boat
Byron's emotion on hearing of Shelley's suspected death
Trelawny searches, and finds the corpses of Shelley, Williams, and the sailorlad Vivian
He rides to Spezia, and breaks the news to the widows
The parting which had occurred prior to Trelawny's leaving for Leghorn
Trelawny accompanies the widows to Pisa
Project of burning the corpses
Consul Dawkins co-operates
Discussion as to the question whether Shelley's boat was run down willfully
Conclusion affirmative
Letters (reprinted from the Times) from Miss Trelawny, V.E., and Trelawny, November and December 1875
Chapter 12	140	(9)
Trelawny procures a furnace for the cremation
Lands at the Tower of Migliarino, where Williams's corpse had been interred
This corpse is disintered, and burned in the presence of Trelawny and Byron, who swim afterwards
Trelawny proceeds to Via Reggio
The corpse of Shelley is disinterred in the presence of Trelawny, Byron, and Hunt, and is burned
Trelawny saves the heart from the furnace, and coffers the ashes
VOLUME TWO
Chapter 13	149	(29)
Shelley's ashes entombed in Rome
Letter from Leigh Hunt, August 1882, with proposed epitaphs
Shelley's constitution, person, and habits
Godwin and his family
Shelley's first introduction to Mary
Harriet Westbrook
Her marriage with Shelley
Her sister Eliza
Shelley leaves Harriet
She forms an acquaintance with a Captain in the army, but, failing to receive his letters, drowns herself in desperation
Medwin meets Trelawny after Shelley's death
They discuss his friends and possible biographers
Mrs. Shelley jealous
Shelley addicted to laudanum
Shelley's publications
Letters (4 1/2) from Shelley to Medwin, January 1820 to August 1821
A letter from Mrs. Shelley, July 1822
Chapter 14	178	(5)
The Don Juan recovered by Capt. Roberts
Two letters from him, September 1822
Byron's projects for quitting Italy
He thinks of Greece, now in revolution
Goes to Albaro near Genoa, along with Mrs. Shelley and the Hunts
His illness after a swim at Lerici
Trelawny joins them at Albaro
Chapter 15	183	(11)
Byron and the Liberal
His disappointment and irritation
Trelawny writes to Lieutenant Blaquiere, in London, about Byron's interest in Greece
Blaquiere, on the part of the London Committee, writes to Byron, and visits him
Byron resolves to go to Greece
Conversation of Trelawny (years afterwards) with Murray, about the sale of Byron's poems, and Moore's Life of Byron
In December 1822 Trelawny takes a riding tour in Italy
Letter to him from Byron, June 1823
Extracts from letters from Capt. Roberts and Mrs. Shelley regarding Byron, May and June 1823
Two other letters from Byron, June 1823 and August 1822
And two others relating to a dispute of his with Capt. Roberts, November 1822
Incompatibility between Byron's nature and Hunt's
Chapter 16	194	(6)
Trelawny starts for Genoa
Revisits Villa Magni
The bathing habits of the natives, and Shelley's comment thereon
Trelawny visits Byron at Albaro
Finds him busy over house-bills
His arrogance and thrift
Byron, having chartered the brig Hercules, takes Trelawny on board
Lumbering quality of this vessel
Chapter 17	200	(9)
Byron and Trelawny, with Count Pietro Gamba, Dr. Bruno, and suite, embark on the Hercules, 13 July 1823
Delays in getting a fair start
At Leghorn, Hamilton Browne and two Greeks join them
Byron denounces the Neapolitan tyranny, but, being urged to write some verses at once on the subject, fails
His War-song for the Greeks
Conversation of Trelawny with Byron, who would wish to be buried in the Pirates' Isle off Maina
Another conversation: Mrs. Leigh, Brougham, Southey
Stories of ghosts and presentiment
Byron and Monk Lewis
Stromboli, Scylla, Charybdis, Messina
Chapter 18	209	(7)
Byron's improved health and excellent temper on board
Plays a practical joke with the Captain's red waistcoat
Conversation between the Captain and Fletcher about the discomforts of Greece
Byron joins in
O'Meara and his reviewers
Byron's Memoirs, and Moore's conduct regarding them
Chapter 19	216	(7)
Cephalonia
Byron and the rapacious Zuliotes
Suggestion that he should be made King of Greece
Ithaca
Reception by the Abbot and Monks
Byron's exasperation
An Austrian brig drifts towards the Hercules
Byron's nightmare
Trelawny leaves for the Morea
Chapter 20	223	(7)
Hamilton Browne
Byron's habit of keeping all letters, &c.
Parting of Byron and Trelawny
Trelawny's journey towards Tripolitza and Corinth
The dead soldiers in the defiles of Dervenakia
The Greek Government at Salamis
Trelawny and Browne go to Hydra
Browne returns to England, and Trelawny to Greece
The Klepht chief Odysseus
He and Trelawny go on an expedition to Euboea, and engage in various military adventures
In January 1824 Trelawny and Odysseus return to Athens
Congress at Salona proposed
Trelawny starts for Missolonghi to invite Byron to the Congress
On his way he hears of Byron's death
Letter from Leicester Stanhope to Byron, April 1824, urging him to leave Missolonghi
Chapter 21	230	(17)
Trelawny reaches Missolonghi, and sees Byron's corpse
Inspects his feet
Details of Byron's lameness and abstinence
Narrative Byron's last illness and death, written down by Trelawny on the coffin, April 1824
Trelawny finds an unfinished letter from Byron to his half-sister Mrs. Leigh
Also a letter from Lady Byron to Mrs. Leigh, December 1823, relating to her daughter Ada, her character and habits
Also various relics belonging to Byron
Copy of Byron's unfinished letter, February 1824
Gordon's observations on Byron's closing days
Trelawny converses with parry about Byron and his doctors
Parry's character and end
The English loan to Greece
Letter from Lady Byron to Rev. Dr. T., November 1839, citing Ada's speculations about death and immortality
Extract from another letter from Lady Byron, describing a young man of distinction whose character she prized
Chapter 22	247	(12)
Byron's note-books and MSS.
Mavrocordato wants to get possession of the residue of the money brought by Byron to Greece
Trelawny resists and incurs Mavrocordato's enmity
Trelawny's project for getting Byron into possession of the Acropolis of Athens
Sir Charles Napier's zeal for the Greek cause, and proposals to Trelawny
Trelawny returns with a military escort to Salona, and with the Scotchman Fenton
Byron no smoker
Fictitious relics of Byron, disposed of by Dunn of Leghorn, really appertaining to Trelawny
Bentham's proposed federal constitution for Greece
Trelawny and Odysseus return to Livadia, Athens, and Euboea
The Greek Government at Nauplia, and their dealings with the English loan
They attempt to assassinate Odysseus
Conversation of Odysseus with Trelawny as to the Grecian prospects and his own schemes
The cave of Odysseus on Mount Parnassus
Odysseus quits the cave, leaving Trelawny in charge
The Thessalian sentinel-dog
Fenton, his character and missions
He is despatched by Trelawny to Athens and Nauplia to learn news of Odysseus
Chapter 23	259	(8)
Trelawny goes to Livadia
Finds that Odysseus has made a truce with the Turks
At Talanta two Englishmen are brought in, and an odd scene ensues
Trelawny explains the state of facts to one of them, a Major, who undertakes to ship off Odysseus
Failure of this plan
Trelawny returns to the cave, and sends Fenton to the Morea
Fenton schemes with the Secretary of War to entrap Odysseus and assassinate Trelawny
Fenton rejoins Trelawny in the cave
An attempt of the Greeks to shoot Trelawny in April 1825, and afterwards to circumvent him by a pretended message from Odysseus
Chapter 24	267	(9)
In May 1825 Fenton brings with him to the cave an English Philhellene, Whitcombe
Fenton and Whitcombe carry out a plot for assassinating Trelawny, who is severely wounded by a pistol-shot
The Hungarian Camerone shoots Fenton
The other guardians of the cave seize and propose to hang Whitcombe, who addresses a letter of supplication to Trelawny
Trelawny releases him on the twentieth day
Two other letters from Whitcombe
Chapter 25	276	(6)
Fenton's long-planned treachery
Odysseus is imprisoned by the Greeks, and finally put to death
Gordon's account of these transactions
Trelawny's gradual recovery from his wound
The English Major reappears, and induces Commodore Hamilton to take Trelawny away
Unsuccessful attempt of Ghouras to obtain possession of the cave
The Hungarian Camerone
Chapter 26	282
The Klephtes
Greece, on the eve of being reconquered by the Turks, is saved by the Battle of Navarino
The British commanding officers, and their attitude towards the Greek insurgents
Colonel Napier sympathetic
Napier and Fabvier
Byron (letter of 1823) regarding Napier
Six letters from Napier to Trelawny, May to August 1826, developing a plan of campaign to Greece, &c.
APPENDIX
1. Mrs. Shelley, Dr. Nott, Queen Mab, &c.	297	(2)
2. Dialogue between Trelawny and Shelley	299	(1)
3. Burning of Shelley (memorandum written by Trelawny on 15th August 1822)	300	(2)
4. Further details of the cremation, &c. (translated from the Italian)	302	(3)
5. Remarks on Mr. Barnett Smith's volume, Shelley, a Critical Biography	305