To the Library!

I've taken a taxi to the library (more than once), and I've told the driver that I'm running late but I've never used the actual words "step on it." This photo reminds me that I shall have to do so the next time I'm in a rush.

Photo from Sloane Crosley/Twitter here.

Shelley's Ghost

"Percy Bysshe Shelley" Amelia Curran (1819)

While studying in Ireland one summer I got the chance to hear the critic Terry Eagleton give a talk at the end of which he sang a tune about English literature whose refrain was “Milton, Blake, and Shelley will smash the ruling class yet.” I wasn’t a big Milton or Blake fan but I was of Shelley.

So a few weeks ago I was more than to happy to indulge in all things Shelley at an excellent exhibit at the main branch of the New York Public Library called “Shelley’s Ghost: The Afterlife of a Poet,” which showcased items related to Shelley and his family and friends including his wife, Mary Godwin Shelley, in-laws William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft, and friend Lord Byron.

The exhibit was a collaboration between the Pforzheimer Collection of Shelley and His Circle housed at the library and the Bodleian Library at Oxford University where the exhibit originated. Small and intimate, the design was as Gothic as you can get for a New York library with dim lighting, dark velvet curtains framing faux windows, and silhouettes on the wall that appeared to be melting. The perfect setting in which to ponder some of the leading writers of the Romantic era.

"A Cat in Distress" (ca. 1803-1805), Shelley's earliest surviving poem. 

Transcribed by his sister Elizabeth.

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), the son of a baronet, demonstrated an early gift for writing and published his first work while at Oxford. Another publication, a pamphlet espousing atheism, would get him expelled. Shortly afterwards he married Harriet Westbrook, a friend of his sisters, only to abandon her (she was pregnant at the time) and their daughter a few years later to run off with Mary Godwin, the daughter of William Godwin (his mentor) and Mary Wollstonecraft (the young couple allegedly had clandestine meetings at Wollstonecraft’s grave). They would spend the rest of their time together (they married after Harriet's death) living a nomadic life primarily in Europe. In the summer of 1816 they stayed in Switzerland with Lord Byron where the story goes to keep themselves entertained one night, they held a competition to see who could write the best horror story. Mary Shelley’s effort would become Frankenstein.

Life was not easy with the early death of all but one of their children, unfaithfulness on Shelley’s part, and constant money problems. Yet during this time Shelley managed to produce "Adonaïs, "Ozymandias," Prometheus Unbound, and a preface to Frankenstein among other things. He drowned while sailing from Livorno to Lerici at the age of 29 and was buried in Rome in the same cemetery as another doomed English poet, John Keats. Mary Shelley would spend the rest of her life promoting the work and legacy of her late husband. She never remarried.

"Mary Godwin Shelley" Reginald Easton (1857)

Tragedy was a theme running throughout the exhibit. From the untimely deaths of Wollstonecraft, Shelley, and Byron to the suicides of Mary Shelley’s half sister, Fanny, and Shelley’s first wife, Harriet, to the loss of children including Byron’s beloved daughter Allegra at age five. The morbid aspect of their lives may be one of the reasons why interest in them continues to this day. But their writing deserves a revisit if you haven’t done so since school. 

On display were notebooks and manuscripts including excerpts from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein manuscript, the first time they've been seen in the U.S. And then there were the letters. I found the ones between Godwin and Wollstonecraft the most interesting, including notes she wrote to him while waiting to give birth to Mary (Wollstonecraft would die 11 days afterwards). The only known letter to Bryon from Allegra was also especially moving.

Other items included Harriet Shelley’s engagement ring, Shelley’s baby rattle of gold and coral (he did come from money after all), and bits of Shelley’s skull (not sure I wanted to see that). A nice finishing touch to the exhibit were small letterpress cards with Shelley quotes that visitors could take away. One read, “No man has a right to monopolize more than he can enjoy.” Indeed.

The exhibit is over (I really must blog about these things while they’re still going on) but you can visit the library’s website to read more about it here.

Library Lions

One of the many, many reasons to love the main branch of the New York Public Library—the water fountains are lion heads.

Photo by Michele.

These Are the Days

The fountain across from the Plaza.

Thanksgiving break is always a luxury—four days during which you’re allowed to overindulge and be a bit of a layabout without anyone pointing fingers. Here is how I've spent my break so far.

On Thursday, after a nice lie-in, I went to the cinema to see the newest Harry Potter. I enjoyed the film although I did miss seeing Hogwarts. Afterwards, there was a leisurely dinner sans the traditional turkey (steak was on the menu this year), which was enjoyed with loads of champagne and adorable pumpkin tarts. 

On Friday, after another lie-in (I could really get used to this), I headed up to the Plaza and then strolled slowly down Fifth Avenue, looking at the Christmas windows. Regardless of the crowds of tourists, there’s something so quintessential New York about gazing at the windows. The stores go all out with their displays with some succeeding better than others.

Tiffany & Co.

I always love the tiny lights that drape the entrance to Tiffany’s and the huge red bow of lights wrapped around Cartier’s is a stand out. Yet I always seem drawn to the same block each year.

Some of the theatre goers in the Van Cleef & Arpels windows.

Van Cleef & Arpels has tiny windows but they pack a wallop. This year, sea-themed theatre sets complete with silhouetted theatre goers in the balconies were the stage for some stunning jewels including a gorgeous ring that made it's debut inside a large oyster shell that opened and closed.

A few of Bergdorf Goodman's stunning "Wish You Were Here" windows.

My favorite windows always end up being Bergdorf Goodman’s and this year’s “Wish You Were Here” theme did not disappoint. Vintage-styled travel scenes with a fantastical bent were stunning (their website includes a short video on the making of the windows). My photos don’t do them justice (shooting windows is always a tricky thing) but I hope these convey a bit of the magic on display.

After much window gazing, I headed to one of my favorite places in the city. Oh Public Library, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I have spent many hours in the main branch (officially the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building), combing through documents and books in some of the special collections, writing in the main reading room, or enjoying a  great exhibit. Part of what makes the library such an enjoyable place to visit is its Beaux Arts design and numerous art works (including a portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft in the reading room, which I always find comforting to read under). And the library is especially lovely when it's decorated for the Holidays.

The tree at the main branch of the NY Public Library.

On this visit, I viewed the exhibit “Recollection: Thirty Years of Photography at the New York Public Library.” The black and white images on display were a wonderful example of the best of 20th century photography. Many were grouped together by theme like dogs, where a joyous image of a man with two dogs, “Chester and His Hounds” by Shelby Lee Adams, was juxtaposed with the more distressing Weegee image titled “"Ritz, the puppy belonging to William Kinsman, was one of the casualties of the two-alarm blaze at 157 W. 74th St. yesterday, February 1, 1944." I, of course, had to research little Ritz and was relieved to find another caption that continued, “Noticing the dog had a broken leg, a fireman wrapped him in a blanket and took him to the street.” Hopefully Ritz survived his ordeal. And an exhibit of some of the greats wouldn't be complete without images of Atget’s prostitutes. Love them. The exhibit runs through January 2 so do try and go.

Enough of my rambling dear readers. I still have two more days to enjoy before returning to work. More later. In the meantime, have a lovely weekend.

Photos by Michele.