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TRELAWNY'S LETTERS 117
book we find him under the influence of the
learned ladies of Pisa. Left to himself, he
wrote with point and vigour prose as rich in
colour and spirit as it is poor in grammar and
spelling. His letter to the Literary Gazette,
published in this volume, is a good example of
his narrative style. But even his
style could
be :
perverted
" I must give you the consolation of knowing
that you have inflicted on me indiscribable
tortures that your letter has inflicted an
incurable wound which is festering and in-
flaming my blood and my pride and passion,
warring against my ungovernable love, has in
vain essayed to hide my wounded feelings by
silently submitting to my evil destiny."
So he wrote to Claire Clairmont in December
1822 but under the ; language of the minor
romantic throbs the lusty passion of a man.
Shelley's influence was great ; with him
Trelawny was always natural and always at
his best but ; Shelley was a wizard who drew
the pure metal from every ore. With Byron
it was different. Trelawny was almost as vain
as " the Pilgrim of Eternity," as sensitive, and,
when hurt, as vindictive. He was jealous of
Byron's success with women they were two
of a trade and especially of his relations with
Claire. When Byron posed Trelawny posed,