he was often in money difficulties, he knew that there was always money in the background; indeed, he was too fond of announcing himself as the heir to a large property in Sussex.  One cannot help wondering what Shelley’s life would have been if he had been born poor and obscure, like Keats, and if he had been obliged to earn his living.  Still more curious it is to speculate what would have become of him if he had lived to inherit his baronetcy and estates.  He was anticipating his inheritance so fast that he would probably have found himself a poor man; but, on the other hand, his powers were rapidly maturing.  He would have been a terrible person to be responsible for, because one could never have known what he would do next; all one could have felt sure of would have been that he would carry out his purpose, whatever it might be, with indomitable self-will.  It is also curious to think what his relations would have been with his wife.  Mrs. Shelley was a conventional woman, with a high ideal of social respectability.  A woman who used to make a great point of attending the Anglican services in Italy was probably morbidly anxious to atone, if possible, for the one error of her youth.  It is difficult to believe that Shelley would have continued to live with his wife for very long.  Even his theory of free love was a very inconsistent one.  The essence of it is that the two parties to the compact should weary of their union simultaneously.  Shelley seems to have felt that he had a right to break off relations whenever he felt inclined; how he would have viewed it if his partner had insisted on leaving him for another lover, while his own passion was still unabated, is not so clear.  He would no doubt have overwhelmed her with moral indignation.

But in spite of all his faults there is something indescribably attractive about the personality of Shelley.  His eager generosity, his loyalty, his tenderness are irresistible.  One feels that he would have always responded to a frank and simple appeal.  A foil for his virtues is provided by the character of Byron, whose nauseous affectations, animal coarseness, niggardliness, except where his own personal comfort was involved, and deep-seated snobbishness, makes Shelley into an angel of light.  Shelley seems to have been almost the only person who ever evoked the true and frank admiration of Byron, and retained his regard.  On the other hand, Shelley, who began by idolising Byron, seems to have gradually become aware of the ugly selfishness of his character.

But Shelley himself evokes a sort of deep compassionateness and affection, such as is evoked by an impulsive, headstrong, engaging child.  One desires to have sheltered him, to have advised him, to have managed his affairs for him; one ends by forgiving him all, or nearly all.  His character was essentially a noble one; he hated all oppression, injustice, arrogance, selfishness, coarseness, cruelty.  When he erred, he erred like a child, not coldly and unscrupulously,