temptible of all who exist under the moon . . . He associates with wretches, wo seem almost to have lost the gait and physiognomy of man, and who do not scruple to avow pratices which are not only not named, but I believe seldom even conceived in England." Was Hunt sich von dieser Anschauung zu eigen machte, hatte er von Shelley, der sich oft über die Seite von Byrons Leben aussprach; und wenn er es auch später toleranter ausdrückte, der Grundton blieb doch derselbe. II. November 1820 schreibt er an Hunts Frau (L. of Sh. Nr. 390): "His (Procter's) indecencies, too, both against sexual nature, and against human nature in general, sit very awkwardly upon him. He only affects the libertine . . . In Lord Byron all this has an analogy with the general system of his character, and the wit and poetry which surround, hide with their light the darkness of the thing itself. They contradict it even; they prove that the strength and beauty of human nature can survive and conquer all that appears most inconsistent with it."

Shelley verließ England am 11. März 1818. Die letzten Tage verbrachte er in Gesellschaft von Hunt, Hogg, Peacock und Horace Smith. Am Abend des 10. fiel er in Schlaf und seine Freunde, die ihn nicht wecken wollten, verließen ihn, ohne daß er ihnen hätte Adieu sagen können. So verabschiedete sich Shelley in einem Brief von Hunt von Lyon aus, obgleich er schon am 13. März von Calais geschrieben hatte (Nr. 290), am 22. März (Nr. 291) und ruft aus: "When shall I see you again? Oh that it might be in Italy." Und immer wieder wird ein solches Zusammentreffen in ihren Briefen besprochen. Nun lud ja Shelley jedermann ein, er lud Keats nach Pisa ein (Nr. 376), die Gisbornes nach Rom,

er lud Peacock ein, er schrieb an Hunt (Dowden II 441): "I wish you could bring him (= Hogg) with you... he will say that I am like Lucifer, who has seduced the third part of the starry flock." Aber sein Wunsch, die Hunts bei sich zu sehen, war keine vorübergehende Laune, er nennt sie "almost the only friends who now remain to us" (Nr. 390), und wir haben zu viele wiederholte Einladungen, als daß wir an dem Ernst zweifeln könnten. Shelley betrachtete Italien stets als Exil, wenn auch als "Paradise of Exiles" (Julian and Maddalo) und wenn er sich auch nicht nach England zurücksehnte, so sehnte er sich doch nach seinen englischen Freunden, besonders nach Hunt1. 22. Dezember 1818 an Leigh Hunt (Nr. 311): "Our poor friend Lord Byron is quite corrupted by living among these people (the Italians) and, in fact, is going on in a way not very worthy of him. We talked a good deal about you, and among other things he said, that he wished you would come to Italy and bade me tell you, that he would lend you the money for the journey (£400 or £500) if you were prevented by that consideration. Pray could you not make it in some way even profitable to visit this astonishing country? We return to Venice next spring. What an inexpressible pleasure it would give us to meet you there! I fear (if

1 An Peacock, 16. März 1820 (Nr. 367): "I wish you, and Hogg and Hunt, and I know not who besides would come and spend some months with me together in this wonderful land." Poetischer Brief an M. Gisborne: “Oh that Hunt, Hogg, Peacock, and Smith were there with every thing belonging to them fair!" An Peacock, 26. Januar 1819 (Nr. 313): "I suppose now we shall not see you in Italy this spring, whether Hunt comes or not. It's probable that I shall hear nothing from him for some months', particularly if he does not come. Give me ses nouvelles."

you will allow me to touch on so delicate a subject) it would be hardly possible for you to bring all your family, but you would know best. I should not wonder if Peacock would join you, and then the ensuing spring we would all return together. Italy has the advantage of being exceedingly cheap, when you are once there; particularly if you go to market yourself, otherwise the cheating makes it approach English prices. If you are indifferent as to seeing France, you may sail from London to Livorno, and we could meet then a month earlier than at Venice. I don't think you need feel at all uncomfortable at accepting Lord Byrons offer (if I could make it, you know that I would not give you this advise) as 'twas very frankly made, and it would not only give him great pleasure, but might do him great service, to have your society. Write to me quickly what you think of this plan, on which my imagination delights itself." Eine Einladung beantwortend, schreibt Hunt an Mary Shelley 9. März 1819 (Hunt, Corresp. I 126 ff.): “But what, Hunt, of Italy? Oh, you see, I delay speaking of Italy. I cannot come; I wish to God I could and were Shelley and you to be ill, so as to want me to help comfort you, I feel almost certain that I would; but it is next to impossible." Am 28. August desselben Jahres sagt Mary Shelley in einem Brief an Marianne Hunt (ebd. S. 142): "Hunt would do Shelley a great deal of good." Dann am 3. September 1819 (L. o. Sh. Nr. 328) Hunt an Shelley: "At length has arrived Ollier's parcel and with it the portrait . . . How we wish it were you, and not your picture! How I wish we were with you." Dann wieder am 27. September (Nr. 332) "I wish you could meet us there (at Florence) in the spring, and we would try to

muster up a 'lièta brigata' which, leaving behind them the pestilence of remembered misfortunes, might act over again the pleasures of the Interlocutors in Boccaccio." Wahrscheinlich gab er den Gisbornes einen ähnlichen Auftrag mit (vgl. Dowden II 320). Zu gleicher Zeit schrieb er auch noch an Hunt (L. of Sh. Nr. 363): “The Gisbornes stay in London about six weeks and I have asked Hoog to come and see me in Italy, so possibly he will return with them. I dare not hope, that you will add yourself to the party." Shelley, der außerdem noch niedergeschlagen war wegen des Todes seines Kindes William, fühlte sich nicht wohl in Byrons Gesellschaft und wie bitter er jemand wie Hunt nötig hatte, zeigen ein paar Briefstellen: an Hunt (L. of Sh. Nr. 326): "I leave it you to judge whether it is best to throw it (Julian and Maddalo) into the fire, or to publish it . . . indeed my great stimulus in writing is to have the approbation of those who feel kindly towards me. The rest is mere duty." Und an Hogg (Nr. 361 A) anläßlich der Widmung der Cenci: "Hunt perhaps, is the only man among my friends, whom a dedication from so unpopular a person as myself would not injure." 1820 wurde Hunt dann sehr krank und wochenlang konnte er nicht für den Examiner schreiben und glaubte den Indicator aufgeben zu müssen (John Hunt war wieder im Gefängnis). 5. April 1820 Shelley an Hunt (Nr. 360): "We hear that there is no chance of seeing you in Italy and yet

1 Im Verkehr Shelleys mit Byron gab es drei Rückschläge. Auf das Zusammentreffen in Genf folgten zwei Jahre unangenehme Korrespondenz wegen Allegra. Auf das Zusammentreffen in Venedig desgl. Vor 1821 wird es wieder besser (L. of Sh. Nr. 419 und 421). 1822 die "Past circumstances."

how much you would enjoy it

and how much we should enjoy your society." Januar 1821 schreibt Mrs. Hunt fast in Verzweiflung an Mary Shelley: "entreating that her husband, herself and her children might be transplanted perforce to Italy 'Ask Mr. Shelley my dear Mrs. Shelley, to urge it to him... Surely we might sell all our furniture and come over to you'" (Dowden II 438 ff.)1. Juli 1821 Hunt an Shelley (Hunt, Corresp. I 163): "God bless you, ye two oceanic personages, Conchiglioso and Marina. I long to come over the sea to you, in spite of my weary wings; but it cannot be..." Zugleich berichtete er vom Mißgeschick seiner literarischen Unternehmungen. Dann ist ein bemerkenswerter Brief vom 9. August 1821 von Shelley an seine Frau, die in den Bagni di Pisa war (L. of Sh. Nr. 420): "I have spoken to him of Hunt, but not with a direct view of demanding a contribution; and, though I am sure, that if asked it would not be refused yet there is something in me that makes it impossible. Lord Byron and I are excellent friends, and were I reduced to poverty... I would freely ask him any favour. Such is not the case. The demon of mistrust and pride lurks between two persons in our situation..." Jedoch der bemerkenswerteste von allen ist der Brief, den Hunt am 28. August 1821 an Shelley schrieb, d. h. bevor dessen Brief mit Byrons Ein

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1 Helen Rossetti-Angeli S. 229: "Mary evidently had a woman's instinctive inkling of the trouble this wholesale emigration would cause to all parties concerned, and wrote warning Marianne in the most strenuous manner of the danger of this scheme." Diesen Brief konnte ich nicht auffinden.

2 Shelley an seine Frau, 16. Aug. 1821 (Nr. 425): "What think you of remaining at Pisa? . . . Hunt would certainly stay at least this winter, near us, should he emigrate at all.”