Hogg

THOMAS JEFFERSON HOGG (1792 - 1862)

Hogg was born at Norton House in Norton-on-Tees, and attended Durham School, before leaving for Oxford in 1810. He was a friend of Shelley at the university, and collaborated with the poet on 'Posthumous Fragments of Margaret Nicholson', the Stockton-born woman who had attempted to stab George III. He also took part in the alarming experiments which stained Shelley's hands and clothes with chemicals. When Shelley was sent down for writing The Necessity for Atheism, Hogg refused to deny complicity and was expelled with him.

Hogg urged Shelley to marry 16-year-old Harriet Westbrook in 1811, the world not yet being ready for the rejection of Marriage as an institution. Shelley travelled to Edinburgh via Newcastle for the ceremony. Nevertheless Shelley cooled towards Hogg in 1812 when the latter took too close an interest in Harriet. The friendship was renewed in the following year. Hogg meanwhile published a romance Memoirs of Prince Alexey Haimatoff.

The brilliant comic novelist Thomas Love Peacock used to include versions of his friends, particularly Shelley, among his characters. In Melincourt (1817) where among other things, an orang-utan is taught polite behaviour and put up for parliament, it has been suggested that Mr Hippy is based on Hogg. Mr Hippy is a moody creature and resides at Hypocon House in County Durham. Hippy has servant called Harry Fell, a supposed relation of Alice Fell in Wordswoth's Lyrical Ballads who, 'as the reader well knows "belonged to Durham"'. The action of Melincourt takes place in Westmorland.

Hogg became a barrister and eventually inherited 2000 pounds under Shelley's will. In 1855, he began to write the poet's biography. He recalls how at Oxford, Shelley would:

... proceed, with much eagerness and enthusiasm, to show me the various instruments, especially the electrical apparatus: turning round the handle very rapidly, so that the fierce, crackling sparks flew forth; and presently standing on the stool with glass feet, he begged me to work the machine until he was filled with the fluid, so that his long wild locks bristled and stood on end.

Shelley also spoke of making a combination of 'electrical kites' to draw down the power of a mighty thunderstorm 'and this, being directed to some point would there produce the most stupendous results'.

Shelley's family denied Hogg further access to papers after the first two volumes turned out to be more about Hogg than Shelley.

Myers Literary Guide:	The North-East
THOMAS JEFFERSON HOGG (1792 - 1862) Hogg was born at Norton House in Norton-on-Tees, and attended Durham School, before leaving for Oxford in 1810. He was a friend of Shelley at the university, and collaborated with the poet on 'Posthumous Fragments of Margaret Nicholson', the Stockton-born woman who had attempted to stab George III. He also took part in the alarming experiments which stained Shelley's hands and clothes with chemicals. When Shelley was sent down for writing The Necessity for Atheism, Hogg refused to deny complicity and was expelled with him. Hogg urged Shelley to marry 16-year-old Harriet Westbrook in 1811, the world not yet being ready for the rejection of Marriage as an institution. Shelley travelled to Edinburgh via Newcastle for the ceremony. Nevertheless Shelley cooled towards Hogg in 1812 when the latter took too close an interest in Harriet. The friendship was renewed in the following year. Hogg meanwhile published a romance Memoirs of Prince Alexey Haimatoff. The brilliant comic novelist Thomas Love Peacock used to include versions of his friends, particularly Shelley, among his characters. In Melincourt (1817) where among other things, an orang-utan is taught polite behaviour and put up for parliament, it has been suggested that Mr Hippy is based on Hogg. Mr Hippy is a moody creature and resides at Hypocon House in County Durham. Hippy has servant called Harry Fell, a supposed relation of Alice Fell in Wordswoth's Lyrical Ballads who, 'as the reader well knows "belonged to Durham"'. The action of Melincourt takes place in Westmorland. Hogg became a barrister and eventually inherited 2000 pounds under Shelley's will. In 1855, he began to write the poet's biography. He recalls how at Oxford, Shelley would: ... proceed, with much eagerness and enthusiasm, to show me the various instruments, especially the electrical apparatus: turning round the handle very rapidly, so that the fierce, crackling sparks flew forth; and presently standing on the stool with glass feet, he begged me to work the machine until he was filled with the fluid, so that his long wild locks bristled and stood on end. Shelley also spoke of making a combination of 'electrical kites' to draw down the power of a mighty thunderstorm 'and this, being directed to some point would there produce the most stupendous results'. Shelley's family denied Hogg further access to papers after the first two volumes turned out to be more about Hogg than Shelley.
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