CHAPTER XV. PISAN ACQUAINTANCES 391

The Williamses--Shelley at Ravenna--The Shelley-Claire Scandal--Shelley’s startling Letter to Mrs. Shelley-- Examination of the Letter--Its wild Inaccuracies--Mrs. Shelley’s vindicatory Letter to Mrs. Hoppner--Demonstration that Byron was authorized by Shelley to withhold the Letter--Explanation of the Shelley-Claire Scandal--Shelley’s Visit to Allegra at Bagna-Cavallo--Project for starting the _Liberal_--Leigh Hunt invited to edit the _Liberal_-- Shelley’s Change of Plans--His Pretexts and Reasons for changing them--Leigh Hunt’s Way of dealing with his Friends--His Concealment of his financial Position--Byron at Pisa--Hunt’s Misadventures on his Outward Voyage--Byron’s Discouragement in respect to the _Liberal_--Differences between Byron and Shelley--Shelley’s Position between Byron and Hunt--The Byron-Shelley ‘Set’ at Pisa--Shelley and Hunt in secret League against Byron--Shelley’s Change of Feeling towards Byron--Was Byron aware of the Change?